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410
roman army leaves britain
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533
institutes of justinian written
After the Roman army retreated from Britain, Roman Emperor Justinian wrote a volume which summarised the basis of Roman law. -
Jan 1, 663
synod of whitby
Anglo Saxon kings convert from Paganism to Christianity and establish the authority of the Catholic Church in Britain -
Jan 1, 1066
norman conquest
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Jan 1, 1166
assize of clarendon
Established criminal law procedures in an attempt to control the unlawful areas of Britain in Henry II reign. -
Jan 1, 1215
trial by ordeal condemned
The Catholic Church condemns trial by ordeal. -
Jan 1, 1361
justices of the peace act
Justices of the Peace were local landowners who were given the power to hear less serious crimes. They held quarter session courts four times a year and eventually took over hundreds courts and sheriffs’ courts. -
Jan 1, 1494
vagrancy act
The first vagrancy act which stated “every beggar suitable to work shall resort to the Hundred where he last dwelled and there remain” -
Jan 1, 1534
henry viii changes to the church of england
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Jan 1, 1547
vagrancy act
Second vagrancy act which forced beggars to work and gave harsh punishments if they didn't. It was repealed as was impossible to enforce. -
Jan 1, 1572
prisons built in which to keep beggars
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act for the repression of vagrancy
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elizabethan poor law
This ensured that deserving poor received money and taxes, yet still punished begging harshly. Those found begging were sent to houses of correctment. -
the gunpowder plot
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execution of charles i
Oliver Cromwell and other radical MPs tried Charles and upon finding him guilty, executed him. -
Period: to
bloody code
This is the time where the majority of the bloody code occured. In 1688 there were 50 crimes punishable by death, in 1765 there were 160, and in 1815 there were 225. -
jacobite rebellions
Rebellions in Scotland against the British monastry, which failed. -
transportation act
Allowed criminals who claimed benefit of clergy to be punished by transportation rather than the death penalty. -
Period: to
hawkhurst gang control south coast smuggling
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jonathan wild hung
Thief Taker General of Great Britain and Ireland, Wild's execution had a carnival atmosphere and tickets were sold months in advance so people could get the best vantage points. -
execution of dick turpin
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last hanging, drawing and quartering
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bow street runners created
Created by John and Henry Fielding, the policemen operated out of Bow Street Courts in London. -
end of transportation to America
American Independance Day. -
john howard publishes 'the state of prisons'
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transportation 'first fleet' sails to australia
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combination acts ban trade unions
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elizabeth fry tours prisons
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peterloo massacre
In St Peter's Fields, Manchester, drunk yeomanry took their swords out on a crowd of 50,000 people in order to get to the main speakers, who were talking of parlimanetary reforms. -
gaols act
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death penalty offences reduced
Sir Robert Peel reduces the number of offences punishable by death by over 100. -
metropolitan police act
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tolpuddle martyrs
A group of six men from Dorset refused to work for less than ten shillings a week, and swore an oath to each other. Parliament sentenced them each to seven years transportation, there were 800,000 signatures for their return. -
alfred the great's reign begins
King Alfred the Great, King of Wessex, begins his reign and starts to write his Codes of Law -
england becomes a united country