Legislation Collection (#7)

King John signing Magna Carta, 1215 (c18th century). Artist: J Collyer
King John signing Magna Carta, 1215 (c18th century). Magna Carta, also called Magna Carta Libertatum, is an English charter originally issued in 1215

King John And The Magna Carta, 1215, (c1850). Magna Carta is an English charter originally issued in 1215. Colour plate from Pictures of English History, published by George Routledge & Sons

Bringing Up Our Bill, c1832 (c1905). Most of the leading members of the Reform party are represented in the picture. Print published in Parliament Past and Present by Arnold Wright and Philip Smith

Henry III renewing the Magna Carta in 1253 (1905). In Westminster Hall, the King took a solemn oath to keep inviolate the articles of the Charter on pain of excommunication

Demonstration of sailors, 19th century, (1900). British sailors demonstrating in favour of the navigation laws. Illustration from The life and times of Queen Victoria, by Robert Wilson, (1900)

The Great Charter was sealed with the Kings seal, 1215, (1905). Artist: As Forrest
The Great Charter was sealed with the Kings seal, 1215, (1905). King John seals the Magna Carta. Illustration from Our Island Story by H E Marshall, published by T C & E C Jack Ltd

Edward I, 1860. Portrait of the king (1239-1307) with crown and sword, surrounded by scenes from his reign

Looks as if the New Leadership Was Really Going to Lead. American cartoon, c1933, showing President Franklin D
CARTOON: NEW DEAL, 1933. Looks as if the New Leadership Was Really Going to Lead. American cartoon, c1933, showing President Franklin D

New Deal Cartoon, 1933
NEW DEAL CARTOON, 1933. Looks as if the New Leadership Was Really Going to Lead. American cartoon, c1933, showing President Franklin D

Colonial town meeting
Town meeting arguments in colonial America. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

US Senate in session, late 1800s
U.S. Senate debating legislation in the late 1800s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Force feeding a suffragette (cartoon)
A cartoon depicting a suffragette being force fed in a prison cell. Two men, a prison warder and a doctor, hold the woman down with the help of a large weight (one hundredweight)

Wording of the 1601 Poor Relief Act
The opening section of the 1601 parliamentary Act for Relief of the Poor which formed the basis of what became known as the Old Poor Law

Hexagonal workhouse, first floor plan
The first floor layout of the model hexagon (or Y-plan) workhouse design by Sampson Kempthorne, issued by the Poor Law Commissioners

St Oswalds Hospital, Ashbourne, Derbyshire. The building, designed by Henry Stevens, was originally the Ashbourne Union workhouse erected in 1848 on Dark Lane (later Union Street)

Whitechapel Workhouse Infirmary, East London
Exterior view of the Whitechapel Workhouse Infirmary on Charles Street (later Bakers Row, now Vallance Road), East London. A carriage stands outside the entrance

Salvation Army Shelter, Blackfriars Road, London
A crowd of vagrants awaiting admission to the Salvation Army shelter for men (known as The Embankment) at 115B Blackfriars Road, London

Sheffield Workhouse Token, 1815
A one penny workhouse token of the Sheffield Workhouse, Yorkshire, from 1815. During a national shortage of copper coins in 1812-15

Mile End Old Town Workhouse, East London
Previously part of the Stepney Union, Mile End Old Town in East London became an independent Poor Law Hamlet in 1857. The following year, work began on its new workhouse located on Bancroft Road

Next! Puck Magazine 20th Century 1904 Standard Oil Company
Next! After a work by Udo Keppler published in Puck Magazine, September 1904. A view of the Standard Oil Company, Inc, at the time the world's biggest petroleum company

Elevation du cimetiere de la ville Chaux Architecture consideree
Elevation du cimetiere de la ville de Chaux, Architecture consideree sous le rapport de l art, des moeurs et de la legislation, Ledoux, Claude Nicolas, 1736-1806, Engraving, 1846-1847

New Compensation Act - 1906 - Stableboy kicked in stable
" The New Compensation Act" - " Hurroo! Oim kicked to Death, Be Gob!" - a Yokel Stable Lad is not unduly concerned at being kicked against the stable wall

PPRE2A-00060
John Quincy Adams in Congress defending the right of petition. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

Reconstruction Committee meeting in Washington
Joint House and Senate Reconstruction Committee, creators of the 14th Amendment, under Chairman Fessenden. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a 19th-century illustration

Stamp Act repeal, 1766
Handbill announcing repeal of the Stamp Act, 1766. Woodcut with a watercolor wash

Union Workhouse, Ringwood, Hampshire
The Ringwood Union workhouse at Ashley, Hampshire. The building, originally the Ringwood parish workhouse dating from 1725, was taken over and adapted by the Ringwood Union after its formation in 1835

Union Workhouse, Romsey, Hampshire
The Union workhouse on Winchester Road, Romsey, Hampshire. Some of the workhouse staff appear to be playing croquet while workhouse inmates are seated on benches behind

Union Workhouse, Orsett, Essex
The Union workhouse at Orsett, Essex. The building, designed by Sampson Kempthorne, was erected in 1827. It later became Orsett Hospital

Union Workhouse, Braintree, Essex
Entrance to the Braintree Union workhouse, Essex. Some of the workhouse staff are just visible in the doorway. The building, designed by William T Nash, was erected in 1837-8 on Rayne Road

Hexagonal workhouse, perspective view
Perspective view of the model hexagon (or Y-plan) workhouse design by Sampson Kempthorne, issued by the Poor Law Commissioners

Hexagonal workhouse, ground floor plan
The ground floor layout of the model hexagon (or Y-plan) workhouse design by Sampson Kempthorne, issued by the Poor Law Commissioners

Whitechapel Workhouse Infirmary, womens ward
An old womens ward in the Whitechapel Workhouse Infirmary on Charles Street (later Bakers Row, now Vallance Road), East London

Square workhouse, ground floor plan
The ground floor layout of the model square workhouse for 300 inmates, design by Sampson Kempthorne, issued by the Poor Law Commissioners

Union Workhouse, Preston, Lancashire
The massive Preston Union workhouse erected in 1865-8 on Watling Street Road, Fulwood, Lancashire, for up to 1500 inmates

Tribunes of the People created in Ancient Rome
Tribunes of the People (Plebeian Tribunes) created in Ancient Rome. Tribunes were elected, and had the right to propose legislation before the Plebeian Council

The First Great Charter of English Liberty, (19th century). King John sealed the Magna Carta in 1215. The charter is a statement of feudal law

Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, British Whig statesman and Prime Minister, (1893). Artist: W Roffe
Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, British Whig statesman and Prime Minister, (1893). Earl Grey (1764-1845) served as Prime Minister from 1830-1834

The Seat of Justice in the Parlement of Paris, 1723. Artist: Nicolas Lancret
The Seat of Justice in the Parlement of Paris, 1723. From the Musee du Louvre, Paris, France

Illustration of King John signing the Magna Carta, 19th century. Artist: James William Edmund Doyle
Illustration of King John (24 December 1166 - 18/19 October 1216) signing the Magna Carta, with Archbishop Stephen Langton and the Barons in 1215 AD, from a Chronicle of England by James Doyle

Henry VIIs first act of parliament with an initial portrait of the king, late 1480s. With a border illuminated with depictions of flora and fauna

King John signing the Magna Carta at Runnymede, Surrey, 15 June 1215 (c1860). John (1167?-1216) became King of England in 1199

Turning the Tables, 1887. Artist: Joseph Swain
Turning the Tables, 1887. The Lord Chancellor yawns as he queries why the House of Commons is not getting on with its business

The Open Door!, 1885. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Open Door!, 1885. Captain Moonlight, the representative of Irish anarchy, has his knife in his belt and his rifle in his hand as he steps through the open door

Bill The Giant-killer, 1884. Artist: Joseph Swain
Bill The Giant-killer, 1884. Lord Salisbury, the Conservative Leader in the House of Lords, peers over the battlements at the Franchise Bill which, dressed as a herald, noisily demands entry

A Midsummer Pantomime, 1884. Artist: Joseph Swain
A Midsummer Pantomime, 1884. Sir William Harcourt holds his London Government Bill. This had proposed the incorporation in a single municipality of all the inhabitants of the Metropolitan area

A Question of Supply, 1884. Artist: Joseph Swain
A Question of Supply, 1884. John Bull, the representative of the British people, tells the Duke of Richmond quite plainly that the proposed Cattle Bill should first

The Cherub!, 1884. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Cherub!, 1884. Joseph Chamberlain is the cherub watching over the British sailor. This relates to Chamberlains Merchant Shipping Bill which aimed to do away with the shipping owners who insured

The Rod Still in Pickle, 1883. Artist: Joseph Swain
The Rod Still in Pickle, 1883. The Liberal Prime Minister, Gladstone, in the guise of a schoolmaster, reviews the progress of his pupils at the end of term

For sale as Licensed Images

Choose your image, Select your licence and Download the media

"From Hogarth's Gin Lane to Beer Street: The Evolution of Legislation" Step back in time and witness the impact on society, as depicted by renowned artist William Hogarth. In his contrasting works, "Gin Lane" and "Beer Street, " Hogarth vividly captures the consequences of legislative decisions. Traveling further through history, we arrive at Market Hill and the former workhouse in Maldon. This site stands as a tangible reminder of early legislation aimed at addressing poverty and social welfare. Venturing northwards, Brockhall Hospital near Blackburn reveals another facet – mental health care reform. Once an imposing institution, it now symbolizes progress towards more compassionate treatment for those with mental illness. Journeying to Cheshire, we encounter Congleton Union Workhouse in Arclid. Here lies evidence of the Poor Law Amendment Act's influence on workhouses across England during the 19th century – a controversial piece that sought to regulate relief for the destitute. In bustling East London, Poplar Workhouse tells its own tale. A place where desperation met hopelessness amidst dire living conditions; this workhouse exemplifies how legislative choices shaped lives within impoverished communities. Meanwhile, East End Doss House serves as a stark reminder that not all individuals found solace within institutionalized systems. These temporary shelters highlight gaps in legislation that failed to adequately address homelessness during challenging times. Heading westward into Monmouthshire and Buckinghamshire unveils two distinct Union Workhouses - Pontypool and Newport Pagnell respectively. These institutions reflect regional variations in implementing nationwide policies designed to combat poverty while grappling with local challenges. Taking inspiration from ancient Rome's Twelve Tables – one of history's earliest legal codes – legislators have long sought guidance when drafting laws that shape societies' foundations worldwide. Returning closer to home brings us face-to-face with City of London Union Infirmary along Mile End Road.