Forgery Act 1830


The Forgery Act 1830 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It consolidated into one Act all legislation imposing the death penalty for forgery. Two years later the death penalty was abolished for most of these offences, and for the remaining offences in 1837.

Background

In 1812, William Booth was the last person to be hanged for forgery in England. A public outcry at the harshness of his sentence resulted in the death penalty in England and Wales being reserved for capital crimes, making Booth the last person in England hanged for a non-capital crime.

Repeal

The whole Act, except for section 21, was repealed on 1 November 1861 by section 1 of, and the Schedule to, the 24 & 25 Vict c 95. This Act was repealed for the Republic of Ireland by sections 2 and 3 and Part 4 of to the Statute Law Revision Act 2007.

Section 2 - Forging the Great Seal, Privy Seal, Privy Signet, Royal Sign Manual etc, treason and capital

This section replaced the corresponding provisions in the Treason Act 1351 and the 1 Mary Stat 2 c 6.

Section 21 - Rector etc not liable to any penalty for correcting, in the mode prescribed, accidental errors in the register

This section read:
Nothing contained in the Act 24 & 25 Vict c 95 in any manner altered or affected any power or authority given by this section to alter or amend any register of births, baptisms, marriages, deaths or burials. This section was repealed by section 26 of, and to, the Parochial Registers and Records Measure 1978. It is replaced by of that Measure.