Roman Catholic Relief Act 1926

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Roman Catholic Relief Act 1926
Act of Parliament
Coat of arms of the United Kingdom (1901-1952).svg
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title An Act to provide for the further relief of His Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects [1]
Citation 16 & 17 Geo. 5 c. 55 [1]
Introduced by Francis Blundell and Dennis Herbert [2]
Territorial extent  Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland) [2]
Dates
Royal assent 15 December 1926 [3]
Commencement 15 December 1926
Repealed1989
Other legislation
Repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1989 [4]
Relates to Putting away of Books and Images Act 1549; Treason Act 1714
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Roman Catholic Relief Act 1926 was an Act of Parliament that removed almost all the remaining legal disabilities affecting Roman Catholics in Great Britain. It was sponsored by the Conservative MPs Francis Blundell and Dennis Herbert. [2]

One of the triggers of the bill had been the successful blocking of a Corpus Christi procession on public roads in Carfin by the local MP and Orangeman Hugh Ferguson. [5]

The Private Members Bill was opposed by Thomas Inskip the Solicitor General. [2] The Bill was successfully amended to exclude Northern Ireland [2] but an amendment to remove Scotland failed with the opposition led partly by Fergusson's successor James Barr. [2]

It repealed bans such as admitting new members to Catholic religious orders. public Catholic processions [6] and most remaining disabilities of Catholics. [5] It also repealed the Putting away of Books and Images Act 1549 and Treason Act 1714.

References

  1. 1 2 "Roman Catholic Relief Act 1926". Legislation.gov.uk. Office of Public Sector Information. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "PASS CATHOLIC BILL ENDING BRITISH BANS: M.P.'s Give It Third Reading After It Is Attacked as Papal or Anglo-Catholic Plot. SOLICITOR GENERAL RAPS IT Measure Removing Old Disabilities Will Not Apply to Ulster -- It Will Go to Lords Now" . New York Times. 4 December 1926. p. 12. Retrieved 6 December 2025.
  3. ↑ "Royal Assent". Hansard (UK Parliament). 15 December 1926. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  4. ↑ "Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1989, Schedule 1, Part VIII, Religious Disabilities". Legislation.gov.uk. Office of Public Sector Information. Retrieved 28 December 2025.
  5. 1 2 Rosie 2001, p. 177.
  6. ↑ Debates, Roman Catholic Relief Act 1926 from Hansard, retrieved 28 January 2018

Sources

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