Escape of Debtors, etc. Act 1696

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Escape of Debtors, etc. Act 1696
Act of Parliament
Coat of Arms of England (1694-1702).svg
Long title An Act for the more effectual Relief of Creditors in Cases of Escapes & for Preventing Abuses in Prisons and pretended priveledged Places.
Citation 8 & 9 Will. 3. c. 27
Territorial extent  England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent 16 April 1697
Commencement 1 May 1697 [a]
Repealed30 July 1948
Other legislation
Amended by
Repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1948
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Escape of Debtors, etc. Act 1696 (8 & 9 Will. 3. c. 27) or the Escape from Prison Act 1697 was an act of the Parliament of England, the long title of which is An Act For the more effectual relief of creditors in cases of escapes, and for preventing abuses in prisons and pretended privileged places.

Several locations in London, mainly liberties and extra-parochial areas, had become notorious as hideaways for debtors escaping imprisonment. Those named in the act were Whitefriars, the Savoy, Salisbury Court, Ram Alley, Mitre Court, Fulwood’s Rents [or Fuller's Rents], Baldwins Gardens, "Mountague Close or the Minories", the Mint, and "Clink or Deadmans Place". The privileges and immunities of these places were suspended so that the debtors could be pursued.

The Mint was a particularly well-known bolt hole and despite this act, remained so until the reign of George I, when a further act (The Mint in Southwark Act 1722 - 9 Geo. 1 .c. 28 [1] ) was passed. [2] Two years later a similar act (Shelterers in Wapping, Stepney, etc. Act 1724 - 11 Geo. 1. c. 22 [3] ) applied to "the hamlet of Wapping-Stepney". [2]

The Statute Law Revision Act 1867 repealed the later two acts in full and the 1696 act in part. [4] A further partial repeal of the 1696 act came under the Statute Law Revision Act 1887. [5]

References

  1. Section 1.