The Coronation cases were a group of appellate opinions in

English law English law is the common law legal system of England and Wales, comprising mainly criminal law and civil law, each branch having its own courts and procedures. Principal elements of English law Although the common law has, historically, be ...

cases, all arising out of

contract A contract is a legally enforceable agreement between two or more parties that creates, defines, and governs mutual rights and obligations between them. A contract typically involves the transfer of goods, services, money, or a promise to tran ...

s that had been made for accommodation for viewing the celebrations surrounding the

coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra The coronation of Edward VII and his wife, Alexandra, as King and Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and as Emperor and Empress of India took place at Westminster Abbey, London, on 9 August 1902. Originally scheduled for 2 ...

, originally scheduled for 26 June 1902. Many owners of buildings along the coronation procession route had rented their front rooms to others who hoped to guarantee themselves a view of the procession, or rented out boats from which to watch the associated naval review. The king fell ill with an

abscess An abscess is a collection of pus that has built up within the tissue of the body. Signs and symptoms of abscesses include redness, pain, warmth, and swelling. The swelling may feel fluid-filled when pressed. The area of redness often extends b ...

of the abdominal wall two days before the planned coronation and it was postponed until 9 August. The renters were not inclined to pay top prices—or pay at all—for rooms on an ordinary day.R. G. McElroy and Glanville Williams,
The Coronation Cases—I
, ''The Modern Law Review'' Vol. 4, No. 4 (Apr., 1941), pp. 241-260. In general, the contracts were voided on the ground of frustration of purpose. Certain contracts which did not mention that the purpose was to view the coronation festivities were upheld, however.

List of cases

The cases included: *'' Krell v Henry''

903 __NOTOC__ Year 903 ( CMIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * King Berengar I of Italy proceeds to issue concessions and privileges to the Lo ...

2 K.B. 740 (contract voidable on the basis of a frustrated purpose that was implied into the contract from extrinsic factors) *'' Chandler v Webster''

904 __NOTOC__ Year 904 (Roman numerals, CMIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * July 29 – Sack of Thessalonica (904), Sack of Thessalo ...

1 KB 493 (neither an advance fee already paid nor the balance to be paid after the coronation were recoverable; overruled by the

Law Reform (Frustrated Contracts) Act 1943 The Law Reform (Frustrated Contracts) Act 1943 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which establishes the rights and liabilities of parties involved in frustrated contracts. It amends previous common law rules on the complete or par ...

) *'' Herne Bay Steamboat Co v Hutton''

2 K.B. 683 (frustration of one purpose did not void a contract also made for a different, non-frustrated purpose) *'' Hobson v Pattenden & Co'' (1903) 19 TLR 186 *'' Clark v Lindsay'' (1903) 19 TLR 202 *'' Griffith v Brymer'' (1903) 19 TLR 434 – In this matter, the parties entered into the contract after the decision had been made (but not publicized) to operate on the king. The contract was ruled to be void, not under the doctrine of frustration of purpose as in other Coronation cases, but on the grounds of

mistake Mistake(s) may refer to: * An error Law * Mistake (contract law), an erroneous belief, at contracting, that certain facts are true ** Mistake in English contract law, a specific type of mistake, pertaining to England * Mistake (criminal law), ...

. The crucial difference is that, unlike the other coronation cases where a later event made the contract fundamentally different, in this case the parties entered into the contract under the mistaken assumption of fact that the coronation would take place.

References

1903 in case law 1903 in England Legal history of England English frustration case law 1903 in British law Edward VII {{UK-law-stub