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Weights and measures acts are
acts The Acts of the Apostles ( grc-koi, Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων, ''Práxeis Apostólōn''; la, Actūs Apostolōrum) is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of its message ...
of the
British Parliament The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative supremacy ...
determining the regulation of
weights and measures A unit of measurement is a definite magnitude of a quantity, defined and adopted by convention or by law, that is used as a standard for measurement of the same kind of quantity. Any other quantity of that kind can be expressed as a multi ...
. It also refers to similar royal and parliamentary acts of the Kingdoms of
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
and the medieval Welsh states. The earliest of these were originally untitled but were given descriptive glosses or titles based upon the monarch under whose reign they were promulgated. Several omnibus modern acts are entitled the
Weights and Measures Act A weights and measures act is a kind of legislative act found in many jurisdictions establishing technical standards for weights and measures. Notable acts of this type include: * Various Weights and Measures Acts (UK) or the various legislative ...
and are distinguished by the year of their enactment.


Background

There have been many laws concerned with weights and measures in the United Kingdom or parts of it over the last 1,000 or so years. The acts may catalogue lawful weights and measures, prescribe the mechanism for inspection and enforcement of the use of such weights and measures and may set out circumstances under which they may be amended. Modern legislation may, in addition to specific requirements, set out circumstances under which the incumbent minister may amend the legislation by means of
statutory instruments In many countries, a statutory instrument is a form of delegated legislation. United Kingdom Statutory instruments are the principal form of delegated or secondary legislation in the United Kingdom. National government Statutory instrument ...
. Prior to the Weights and Measures Act 1985, weights and measures acts were only concerned with
trade law International trade law includes the appropriate rules and customs for handling trade between countries. However, it is also used in legal writings as trade between private sectors. This branch of law is now an independent field of study as mo ...
where the weight or size of the goods being traded was important. The 1985 act, however, had a broader scope, encompassing all aspects covered by the
European Economic Community The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional organization created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957,Today the largely rewritten treaty continues in force as the ''Treaty on the functioning of the European Union'', as renamed by the Lisb ...
(EEC) European Commission directive 80/181/EEC. As of 25 April 2012, the current primary legislation in the United Kingdom is the 1985 Act, which was last amended by statutory instrument in 2011. Statutory instruments made under the authority of the Act do not amend the Act ', but regulate particular areas covered by the Act. The Act is currently enforced by the 200 Trading Standards Offices managed by
local authorities Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
around the country. Definitions of units of measurements and the technical equipment relating to weights and measures are provided by the
National Measurement Office The National Measurement and Regulation Office (NMRO) was an executive agency of the UK Government's Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). Its function were to provide a measurement infrastructure which supports innovation, facili ...
, an agency of the
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills , type = Department , logo = Department for Business, Innovation and Skills logo.svg , logo_width = 200px , logo_caption = , picture = File:Лондан. 2014. Жнівень 26.JPG , seal = , se ...
.


Statute measure

Historically, many units had various customary definitions—by locality or trade, for example. Where these units also had a standard, legally defined definition, such as given in a weights and measures act, this was known as the ''statute measure''. So a land area might be given as 24 acres—statute measure, to clarify that it was the acre defined in statute, rather than a customary acre of a different size, that was being used. Units that had statute-defined measures as well as customary measures were the acre, mile, perch, pole and ton. The level of legal enforcement of statute measures achieved between the mid nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries meant that only "statute mile" and "statute ton" needed qualifying beyond then. The statute mile still needed to be differentiated from the ''
nautical mile A nautical mile is a unit of length used in air, marine, and space navigation, and for the definition of territorial waters. Historically, it was defined as the meridian arc length corresponding to one minute ( of a degree) of latitude. Today ...
'', but the others, and the term "statute measure" itself, are now only used in a historical context.


Metric units of measure

The Weights and Measures Act 1897 provided that
metric units Metric units are units based on the metre, gram or second and decimal (power of ten) multiples or sub-multiples of these. The most widely used examples are the units of the International System of Units (SI). By extension they include units of el ...
could be used in addition to the traditional imperial units for purposes of trade. In practice, the actual choice of units was restricted by price marking orders which listed packaging sizes and pricing structures that might be used in specific circumstances. For example, as of April 2012, wine for consumption on premises may only be sold in 125, 175, and 250 mL glasses while
draught beer Draught beer, also spelt draft, is beer served from a cask or keg rather than from a bottle or can. Draught beer served from a pressurised keg is also known as Name Until Joseph Bramah patented the beer engine in 1785, beer was served dire ...
may only be sold as , , or pint and integer multiples of
pint The pint (, ; symbol pt, sometimes abbreviated as ''p'') is a unit of volume or capacity in both the imperial unit, imperial and United States customary units, United States customary measurement systems. In both of those systems it is tradition ...
. Prior to 1973, when the United Kingdom joined the
EEC The European Economic Community (EEC) was a regional organization created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957,Today the largely rewritten treaty continues in force as the ''Treaty on the functioning of the European Union'', as renamed by the Lisb ...
, such specifications were almost all in imperial units. As part of its attempt to harmonise units of measure between the member states of its Internal Market, the European Commission (EC) issued directive 80/181/EEC which set out the units of measure that should be used for what it called "economic, public health, public safety, and administrative" purposes. To comply with this directive, the Weights and Measures Act 1985 extended the scope of
Trading Standards Trading Standards are the local authority departments with the United Kingdom, formerly known as ''Weights and Measures'', that enforce consumer protection legislation. Sometimes, the Trading Standards enforcement functions of a local authority a ...
responsibilities from just matters related to trade to all aspects of the directive. For example, it was the Trading Standards Office that criticised the use of sub-standard weighing machines in NHS hospitals. To help ease the EC's desired transition from sole use of imperial units to sole use of metric units, the directive permitted the use of what were termed "supplementary indicators"—the continued use of imperial units alongside the metric units catalogued by the directive (dual labelling). The initial intention was to prohibit dual labelling after the end of 1989, with metric units only being allowed after that date. This deadline was later extended: first to the end of 1999, then to the end of 2009. Finally, in 2007, the European Union (EU, as it had become) and the EC confirmed that the UK would be permitted to continue indefinitely to use imperial units such as pints, miles, pounds and ounces as at present. The Gloucestershire County Council Trading Standards Department confirmed the EU ruling that the previous deadline for ending dual labelling had been abolished. There are still a few cases where imperial units are required to be used and where metric units are not permitted within the scope of the Weights and Measures Act, such as the pint for the sale of draught beer and cider, and miles and yards for distances on road signage. Milk in returnable containers may be sold by the pint and the troy ounce may be used for the sale of precious metals. In addition, British law specifies which non-metric units may be used with dual labelling (for example the
imperial gallon The gallon is a unit of volume in imperial units and United States customary units. Three different versions are in current use: *the imperial gallon (imp gal), defined as , which is or was used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Austral ...
, but not the
US gallon The gallon is a unit of volume in imperial units and United States customary units. Three different versions are in current use: *the imperial gallon (imp gal), defined as , which is or was used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Austral ...
).


England


Acts of the Witenagemot

Numerous acts of the Saxon kings are known to have been lost. Those that have survived include:


10th century

2 Edgar c. 8 (959  963): The statute also survives in a few other Old English and Latin copies, some which omit mention of London and describe "''the'' measure held at Winchester", an indication that a standard ell or
yard The yard (symbol: yd) is an English unit of length in both the British imperial and US customary systems of measurement equalling 3 feet or 36 inches. Since 1959 it has been by international agreement standardized as exactly 0.914 ...
was nominally in use:
John Quincy Adams John Quincy Adams (; July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, and diarist who served as the sixth president of the United States, from 1825 to 1829. He previously served as the eighth United States S ...
's 1821 report on the history of English weights and measures notes of this act that "it was never observed".


Acts of the Royal Council


11th century

3
William I William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087 ...
c. 7 (1068):


12th century

9
Richard I Richard I (8 September 1157 – 6 April 1199) was King of England from 1189 until his death in 1199. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Aquitaine and Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, and Count of Poitiers, Anjou, Maine, and Nantes, and was ...
c. 27 (1197):


Acts of Parliament


Statutes of uncertain date

The statutes of uncertain date ( la, Statuta temporis incerti) are generally dated to the mid-to-late 13th century. * The Assize of Bread and Ale ('), sometimes dated to 51 Henry III (1267–8). :Statute I - Section III. ::'.  &  & *''Statutum de Pistoribus, et cetera'' :The Statute concerning Bakers, et cetera *''Tractatus de Ponderibus et Mensuris''.  &  & :Also known as the ', ' ("The Composition of Weights"), ' ("Assize of Weights and Measures"). It is important to note when reading it that, in the Latin and English text, "hundred" (and the Latin numeral ) is used for four separate concepts: the Germanic
long hundred The long hundred, also known as the great hundred or twelfty, is the number 120 (in base-10 Arabic numerals) that was referred to as "hundred" in Germanic languages prior to the 15th century, and is now known as one hundred twenty, or six score. ...
of 120, the short hundred of 100, several units of either value, and a separate unit (the
hundredweight The hundredweight (abbreviation: cwt), formerly also known as the centum weight or quintal, is a British imperial and US customary unit of weight or mass. Its value differs between the US and British imperial systems. The two values are distingu ...
) of 108 pounds. :The form in which it appears in Cotton Claudius D2 where it is dated to 31 Edw. I (1303) is: :The original ''Tractatus'' was written in Latin. Some later English translation copies contain differences that change the meaning. One of the copies of the ''Tractatus'' contains the first use of the word '' avoirdupois'' in England. However, the word does not refer to a weight system but to a class of goods:
viz. The abbreviation ''viz.'' (or ''viz'' without a full stop) is short for the Latin , which itself is a contraction of the Latin phrase ''videre licet'', meaning "it is permitted to see". It is used as a synonym for "namely", "that is to say", "to ...
, heavy goods sold by weight rather than by capacity, count, or other means. However, it does not count as the first occurrence of the word in
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
. *''Statutum de Admensuratione Terrase'' :Also known as "A Statute for the Measuring of Land" or "An Ordinance for Measuring of Land" or "33 Edw. I st. 6. (1305)". :"When an Acre of Land contianeth 10 Perches in Length, then it shall be in Breadth 16 Perches." * The Statute on the
Composition of Yards and Perches The Composition of Yards and Perches ( la, Compositio Ulnarum et Perticarum) or the Statute of Ells and Perches was a medieval English statute defining the length of the barleycorn, inch, foot, yard, and perch, as well as the area of the acre. It ...
( la, Compositio Ulnarum et Perticarum,  "On the Composition of
Arm In human anatomy, the arm refers to the upper limb in common usage, although academically the term specifically means the upper arm between the glenohumeral joint (shoulder joint) and the elbow joint. The distal part of the upper limb between th ...
s Ells.html"_;"title="Ell.html"_;"title="Ell">Ells">Ell.html"_;"title="Ell">Ellsand_Perch_(unit).html" "title="Ell">Ells.html" ;"title="Ell.html" ;"title="Ell">Ells">Ell.html" ;"title="Ell">Ellsand Perch (unit)">Perch Perch is a common name for fish of the genus ''Perca'', freshwater gamefish belonging to the family Percidae. The perch, of which three species occur in different geographical areas, lend their name to a large order of vertebrates: the Percif ...
es") is dated to 1266  1303. Its content varies among surviving accounts. One reads: :The Liber Horn account reads: ::"And be it remembered that the iron yard of our Lord the King containeth 3 feet and no more, and a foot ought to contain 12 inches by the right measure of this yard measured, to wit, the 36th part of this yard rightly measured maketh 1 inch neither more nor less and 5 yards and a half make a perch that is 16 feet and a half measured by the aforesaid yard of our Lord the King." :This document seems to have had the effect of redefining the
yard The yard (symbol: yd) is an English unit of length in both the British imperial and US customary systems of measurement equalling 3 feet or 36 inches. Since 1959 it has been by international agreement standardized as exactly 0.914 ...
,
foot The foot ( : feet) is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made ...
,
inch Measuring tape with inches The inch (symbol: in or ″) is a unit of length in the British imperial and the United States customary systems of measurement. It is equal to yard or of a foot. Derived from the Roman uncia ("twelfth") ...
, and barleycorn to of their previous values, but leaves the rod and
acre The acre is a unit of land area used in the imperial Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imp ...
unchanged. The rod thus became 16½ feet instead of 15.


13th century

*9 Henry III c. 25 (1225) :The
Magna Carta (Medieval Latin for "Great Charter of Freedoms"), commonly called (also ''Magna Charta''; "Great Charter"), is a royal charter of rights agreed to by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. First drafted by the ...
of 1215 was not ratified by Parliament until 1225, by which time it had become substantially abridged. Chapter 35 of the Magna Carta of 1215 (which dealt with weights and measures) became chapter 25 of the Magna Carta of 1225.


14th century

*14
Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...
st. 1 c. 12 (1340) :"Bushels and Weights shall be made and sent into every Country." *18
Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...
st. 2 c. 4 (1344) :"Commissions to assay Weights and Measures shall be repealed, and none such granted." *25
Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...
st. 5 c. 9 (1350)Ruffhead (1763a)
p. 264
*25
Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...
st. 5 c. 10 (1350) * 27 Edward III st. 2 c. 10 (1353) : A chapter of the Statute of the Staple that provides for justices to be appointed to hear charges of measuring fraud at the staple ports. Those found guilty were liable for quadruple damages and 2 years' imprisonment. *31
Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...
st. 1 c. 2 (1357) :"No Wool shall be bought by Fraud to abate the Price thereof. Weights shall be sent to all the Shires." *4 Richard II st. 2 c. 1 (1380) :"All Vessels of Wine, Honey, and Oil brought into this realm shall be gauged." *13 Richard II st. 1 c. 9 (1389) :"There shall be but one Weight and one Measure throughout the Realm, saving in the County of Lancaster. The Weight of Wool, and the Refuse thereof." *15 Richard II c. 4. (1391) :"There shall be but eight Bushels of Corn striked to the Quarter." *16 Richard II c. 3. (1392) :"The Clerk of the Market shall carry with him all his Weights and Measures signed."


15th century

*1
Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...
c. 10 (1413) :An Act concerning the true Measure of Corn. *2
Henry V Henry V may refer to: People * Henry V, Duke of Bavaria (died 1026) * Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor (1081/86–1125) * Henry V, Duke of Carinthia (died 1161) * Henry V, Count Palatine of the Rhine (c. 1173–1227) * Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (121 ...
st. 2. c. 4 (1414) :"There Shall be no gilding of Silver Ware but of the Allay of ''English'' Sterling." :First notice of
troy weight Troy weight is a system of Physical unit, units of mass that originated in 15th-century England, and is primarily used in the precious metals industry. The troy weight units are the Grain (unit), grain, the pennyweight (24 grains), the troy oun ...
in statute. *8 Henry VI c. 5 (1429) :"Every City and Borough shall have a common Balance and Weight. Who may buy Wool and Yarn." *18 Henry VI c. 16 (1439)Ruffhead (1763a)
p. 594
:"There shall be but one Measure of Cloth through the Realm by the Yard and the Inch, and not by the Yard and Handful, according to the London Measure." :"" *18 Henry VI c. 17 (1439) :"Vessels of Wine, Oyl, and Honey, shall be gauged" *11 Henry VII c. 4 (1494) :An Act for Weights and Measures. :"The Names of the Cities and Towns limited for the keeping of Weights and Measures." *12 Henry VII c. 5 (1496) :An Act for Weights and Measures. :"That the Measure of a Bushel contain viij. Gallons of Wheat, and that every Gallon contain viij. li. of Wheat of Troy Weight, and every Pound contain xij. Ounces of Troy Weight, and every Ounce contain xx. Sterlings, and every Sterling be of the Weight of xxxij. Corns of Wheat that grew in the Midst of the Ear of Wheat, according to the old Laws of this Land."


16th century

* ''Verdict of the Pyx'' 18
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
(1527) :"And whereas heretofore the merchaunte paid for coynage of every pounde ''Towre'' of fyne gold weighing xi oz. quarter Troye ii ''s''. vi ''d''. Nowe it is determyned by the king's highness, and his said councelle that the foresaid pounde ''Towre'' shall be no more used and occupied but al maner of golde and sylver shall be wayed by the pounde Troye, which maketh xii oz. Troy, which exceedith the pounde ''Towre'' in weight iii quarters of the oz." *23
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
c. 4 (1531) :An Act that no Brewers of Beer or Ale shall make their Barrels, Kilderkins or Firkins within them, and how much the same Barrels, et cetera shall contain. *24
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
c. 3 (1532)Pickering (1763d)
p. 252
:An Act for flesh to be sold by weight, and the prices limited. :"Beef, pork, mutton and veal shall be sold by weight called Haver-de-pois." *24
Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
c. 4 (1532) :"An acre shall be counted 160 perches, and every perch 16-foot and a half. *5 & 6
Edward VI Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first E ...
c. 6 (1552) :An Act for the true making of Woolen Cloth. :"XIV. And that all and every Broad Cloth and Clothes called Taunton Clothes, Bridgwaters, and other Clothes which shall be made after the said Feast in Taunton, Bridgwater or in other Places of like Sort, shall contain at the Water in Length betwixt twelve and thirteen Yards, Yard and Inch of the Rule, and in Breadth seven-Quarters of a Yard: (2) And every narrow Cloth made after the said Feast in the said Towns or elsewhere of like Sorts, shall contain in the Water in Length betwixt three and twenty and five and twenty Yards, Yard and Inch as is aforesaid, and in Breadth one Yard of like Measure; (3) and every such Cloth, both Broad and Narrow being well scowred, thicked, milled and fully dried, shall weigh xxxiv. li. the Piece at the least." :"XV. And that all Clothes named Check-Kersie and Straits, which shall be made after the said Feast shall contain being wet between seventeen and eighteen Yards, with the Inches as is aforesaid, and in Breadth one Yard at the least at the Water; and being well scowred, thicked, milled and fully dried, shall weigh xxiv. li. the Piece at the least." *4 & 5 Philip and Mary c. 5. par. IX (1557–8) :An act touching the making of woolen clothes. :"IX. Item, That every ordinary kersie mentioned in the said act shall contain in length in the water betwixt xvi. and xvii. yards, yard and inch; and being well scoured thicked, milled, dressed and fully dried, shall weigh nineteen pounds the piece at the least:..." *23
Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...
c. 8 (1581) :An Act touching the true melting, making and working of Wax. :"...fill and sell or cause to be filled or sold or offered to be sold any Barrel, Kilderkin or Firkin with Honey, for or in the Name of a Barrel, Kilderkin or Firkin containing less than two and thirty Wine Gallons the Barrel, sixteen Wine Gallons the Kilderkin, and eight Wine Gallons the Firkin; every Person and Persons so offending shall forfeit and lose for every Half Gallon so lacking five Shillings of English Money." *35
Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...
c. 6 (1593) :An Act against converting of great Houses into several Tenements, and for Restraint of Inmates and Inclosures, in and near about the City of ''London'' and ''Westminster''. :"... A
Mile The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a British imperial unit and United States customary unit of distance; both are based on the older English unit of length equal to 5,280 English ...
shall contain eight
Furlong A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hors ...
s, every Furlong forty
Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, who share a common history, culture, the Polish language and are identified with the country of Poland in Ce ...
, and every Pole shall contain sixteen
Foot The foot ( : feet) is an anatomical structure found in many vertebrates. It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows locomotion. In many animals with feet, the foot is a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg made ...
and an half." :This is the codification and namesake of the
statute mile The mile, sometimes the international mile or statute mile to distinguish it from other miles, is a British imperial unit and United States customary unit of distance; both are based on the older English unit of length equal to 5,280 Engli ...
. *35
Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...
c. 10. par. III (1593) :An act for the reformation of sundry abuses in clothes, called Devonshire kerjies or dozens, according to a proclamation of the thirty-fourth year of the reign of our sovereign lady the Queen that now is. :"(2) and each and every of the same Devonshire kersies or dozens, so being raw, and as it cometh forth off the weaver's loom (without racking, stretching, straining or other device to encrease the length thereof) shall contain in length between fifteen and sixteen yards by the measure of yard and inch by the rule, ..."


17th century

*16
Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...
c. 19 (1640) :An Act for the better ordering and regulating of the Office of Clerk of the Market, allowed and confirmed by this Statutes; and for the Reformation of false Weights and Measures. *22 Charles II c. 8 (1670) :An Act for ascertaining the Measures of Corn and Salt. :First mention of Winchester bushel in statute. *22 & 23 Charles II c. 12 (1670) :An additional Act for ascertaining the Measures of Corn and Salt. *8 & 9 William III c. 22. s. 9 (1696–7) :"...every round bushel with a plain and even bottom being eighteen inches and a half wide throughout and eight inches deep shall be determined a legal Winchester bushel according to the Standard of His Majesty's Exchequer." :First definition of
Winchester bushel A bushel (abbreviation: bsh. or bu.) is an imperial and US customary unit of volume based upon an earlier measure of dry capacity. The old bushel is equal to 2 kennings (obsolete), 4 pecks, or 8 dry gallons, and was used mostly for agric ...
in statute (≈2150.42 cubic inches).


18th century

*11 and 12 William III c. 15 (1700) :An Act for ascertaining the Measures for retailing Ale and Beer. *1
Anne Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...
st. 1. c. 15 (1701) :An Act to ascertain the Water Measure of Fruit.


Great Britain


Acts of Parliament


18th century

*5 & 6
Anne Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie. Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...
c. 27 (1706) :An Act for continuing several Subsidies, Impositions and Duties and for making Provisions therein mentioned to raise Money by Way of Loan for the Service of the War, and other Her Majesty's necessary and important Occasions, and for ascertaining the Wine Measure. :This statute is the origin of the
US gallon The gallon is a unit of volume in imperial units and United States customary units. Three different versions are in current use: *the imperial gallon (imp gal), defined as , which is or was used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Austral ...
, also known as the Queen Anne Gallon, Queen Anne Wine Gallon, or pre-1824 British gallon. *False Weights and Scales Act 1770 (10 Geo. III c. 44) :An Act for more effectually preventing Traders in exciseable Commodities from using false Weights and Scales and for explaining and amending several Acts of Parliament relating to Hackney Coaches and Chairs *Weights and Measures Act 1795 (35 Geo. III c. 102) :An Act for the more effectual Prevention of the Use of defective Weights, and of false and unequal Balances. *Weights and Measures Act 1797 (37 Geo. III c. 143) :An Act to explain and amend an Act made in the thirty-fifth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty, intituled, ''An Act for the more effectual Prevention of the use of defective Weights, and of false and unequal Balances.''


19th century

*Weights and Measures Act 1815 (55 Geo. III c. 43) :An Act for the more effectual Prevention of the Use of false and deficient Measures. *Weights and Measures Act 1824 (5 Geo. IV c. 74) :An Act for ascertaining and establishing Uniformity of Weights and Measures. :This is the origin of
Imperial units The imperial system of units, imperial system or imperial units (also known as British Imperial or Exchequer Standards of 1826) is the system of units first defined in the British Weights and Measures Act 1824 and continued to be developed thro ...
. This statute repeals nearly all previous weights and measures legislation, listing them in chronological order (by regnal year but without dates) beginning with "ancient statutes of uncertain date." *Weights and Measures Act 1825 (6 Geo. IV c. 12) :An Act to prolong the Time of the Commencement of an Act of the last Session of Parliament, for ascertaining and establishing Uniformity of Weights and Measures and to amend the said Act. *Weights and Measures Act 1834 (4 & 5
William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded h ...
c. 49) :An Act to amend and render more effectual Two Acts of the Fifth and Sixth Years of the Reign of His late Majesty King George the Fourth, relating to Weights and Measures. * 5 & 6
William IV William IV (William Henry; 21 August 1765 – 20 June 1837) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 26 June 1830 until his death in 1837. The third son of George III, William succeeded h ...
c. 63 (1835) :Also known as the Weights and Measures Act 1835; originally entitled "An Act to repeal an Act of the Fourth and Fifth Year of His present Majesty relating to Weights and Measures, and to make other Provisions instead thereof". :Established the imperial stone and
hundredweight The hundredweight (abbreviation: cwt), formerly also known as the centum weight or quintal, is a British imperial and US customary unit of weight or mass. Its value differs between the US and British imperial systems. The two values are distingu ...
of 14 and 112 lbs. respectively, based on the wool stone of Edward III *Weights and Measures Act 1855 (18 & 19 Vict. c. 72) :An Act for legalising and preserving the restored Standards of Weights and Measures :The 1834 burning of Parliament had destroyed the physical standards referred to in earlier statues; the 1835 act ignored this fact. New copies were created in accordance with the advice of a scientific commission, and the 1855 act made them the "restored Standards". *Weights and Measures Act 1859 (22 & 23 Vict. c. 56) :An Act to amend the Act of the fifth and sixth years of King William the Fourth, chapter sixty-three, relating to weights and measures. *Metric Weights and Measures Act 1864 (27 & 28 Vict. c. 117) :An Act to render permissive the Use of the Metric System of Weights and Measures. *Weights and Measures Act 1878 (41 & 42 Vict. c. 49) :An Act to consolidate the Law relating to Weights and Measures. :This statute abolished the
troy pound Troy weight is a system of units of mass that originated in 15th-century England, and is primarily used in the precious metals industry. The troy weight units are the grain, the pennyweight (24 grains), the troy ounce (20 pennyweights), and th ...
, effective January 1879. *Weights and Measures Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict. c. 21) :An Act for amending the Law relating to Weights and Measures and for other purposes connected therewith. *Weights and Measures (Purchase) Act 1892 (55 & 56 Vict. c. 18) *Weights and Measures Act 1893 (56 & 57 Vict. c. 19) *Weights and Measures (Metric System) Act 1897 (60 & 61 Vict. c. 46) :An Act to legalise the Use of Weights and Measures of the Metric System. *"Weights and Measures Acts of 1878 to 1893" was the
collective title A collective title is an expression by which two or more pieces of legislation may, under the law of the United Kingdom, be cited together. A famous example is the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949. Construction of references to citation with a group ...
of the following Acts: **Weights and Measures Act 1878 (41 & 42 Vict. c 49) **Weights and Measures Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict. c 21) **Weights and Measures (Purchase) Act 1892 (55 & 56 Vict. c. 18) **Weights and Measures Act 1893 (56 & 57 Vict. c. 19)


20th century

*Weights and Measures Act 1904 (4
Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...
c. 28) *Sale of Food (Weights and Measures) Act 1926 (16 & 17 Geo. V c. 63) *Weights and Measures (Amendment) Act 1926 (16 & 17 Geo. V c. 8) *Weights and Measures Act 1963 *Weights and Measures etc. Act 1976 *Weights and Measures Act 1979 : This Act introduces the Average Quantity principle for packaged goods into UK law for the first time. The 1979 Act was replaced by Part V of the 1985 Act *Weights and Measures Act 1985 :The Act defines the four primary units of measurement as the metre or the yard (defined in terms of the metre) for length, and the kilogram or pound (defined in terms of the kilogram) for mass. The Act also requires standard physical examples to be maintained (known as "United Kingdom primary standards") for each of the four primary units. :In addition, the definitions of units which are multiples or sub-multiples of the primary units are defined, in terms of the primary units, and given as: mile, foot, inch, kilometre, decimetre, centimetre, millimetre, acre, square yard, square foot, hectare, decare, are, square metre, square decimetre, square centimetre, square millimetre, cubic metre, cubic decimetre, cubic centimetre, hectolitre, litre, decilitre, centilitre, millilitre, gallon, quart, pint, gill, fluid ounce, pound, ounce, ounce troy,
tonne The tonne ( or ; symbol: t) is a unit of mass equal to 1000  kilograms. It is a non-SI unit accepted for use with SI. It is also referred to as a metric ton to distinguish it from the non-metric units of the short ton ( United State ...
, kilogram, hectogram, gram, carat (metric) and milligram. :As originally enacted, the act also defined, in the same way, units which could not be used for trade as: furlong, chain, square mile, rood, square inch, cubic yard, cubic foot, cubic inch, bushel, peck, fluid drachm, minim, ton, hundredweight, cental, quarter, stone, dram, grain, pennyweight, ounce apothecaries, drachm, scruple, metric ton and quintal. :, following multiple amendments over the years since enactment, the metre, yard, kilogram and pound remain as the primary defined units and with the requirement to maintain the "United Kingdom primary standards" for them. :At the same time, all the imperial units, except pint and ounce troy (but including all of those which were originally defined as not to be used for trade) were reclassified as being available for use for trade as supplementary indications, namely: mile, furlong, chain, yard, foot, inch, square mile, acre, rood, square yard, square foot, square inch, cubic yard, cubic foot, cubic inch, bushel, peck, gallon, quart, gill, fluid ounce, fluid drachm, minim, ton, hundredweight, cental, quarter, stone, pound, ounce, dram, grain, pennyweight, ounce apothecaries, drachm, scruple and quintal. The tonne was also reclassified as being available for use for trade as a supplementary unit of measure,


See also

* Other weights and measures acts


References


External links

* *
Confident Consumers – Buying and Selling – Weights and Measures from the Department of Trade and IndustryA Dictionary of Units
Originally from Exeter University

{{authority control Acts of the Parliament of England Acts of the Parliament of Great Britain Acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom Law of the United Kingdom Metrication in the United Kingdom Standards organisations in the United Kingdom Trading standards