Sunday Observance Act 1780

The Sunday Observance Act 1780 (21 Geo 3 c 49) was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain. Originally eight sections long, only sections 1 to 3 were still in force after the 1960s. These sections prohibited the use of any building or room for public entertainment or debate on a Sunday.

The Sunday Observance Act 1780[1]
Long titleAn Act for preventing certain Abuses and Profanations on the Lord's Day called Sunday.
Citation21 Geo 3 c 49
Dates
Repealed24 November 2005[2]
Other legislation
Repealed byThe Licensing Act 2003, ss. 198(1) & 199 & Sch.6, para.3 & Sch.7
Status: Repealed

In 1931, Millie Orpen, a solicitor's clerk, brought an action as a common informer against a cinema chain for opening on a succession of Sundays, contrary to the Sunday Observance Act 1780, s.1. Orpen claimed £25,000 against the cinema company and individual members of its board of directors. The claim was based on a forfeit of £200 per performance per defendant. The judge, Mr Justice Rowlatt, expressed some distaste for the proceedings. He found against the cinema chain, awarding Orpen £5,000, with costs, but found for the individual directors on the grounds there was no evidence they were guilty on any particular Sunday. Costs were awarded to the directors against Orpen. The judge granted a stay pending an appeal by the company.[3] Later in the year, Orpen brought a claim against another chain, but was thwarted by a change in the law legalising Sunday opening for cinemas before her case could be decided.[4]

Other legislation

This Act was affected by sections 1(1) and (3) of the Common Informers Act 1951. Its provisions were tightened by the

Its provisions were excluded in relation to certain activities by:

  • section 4 of the Sunday Entertainments Act 1932
  • section 9 of the Cinemas Act 1985
  • section 1 of the Sunday Theatre Act 1972
  • section 21 of the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994
  • article 2 of the Deregulation (Sunday Dancing) Order 2000 (S.I. 2000/3372)
  • section 88 of the Licensing Act 1964

Case law

The following cases were decided in relation to the Act:

  • Baxter v. Langley (1868) LR 4 CP 21, 38 LJMC 1
  • Terry v. Brighton Aquarium Co (1875) LR 10 QB 306, 39 JP 519
  • Reid v. Wilson and Ward [1895] 1 QB 315, [1891 - 1894] All ER Rep 500
  • Williams v. Wright (1897) 13 TLR 551
  • Orpen v. Haymarket Capitol Ltd (1931) 145 LT 614, [1931] All ER 360
  • Orpen v. New Empire Ltd (1931) 48 TLR 8, 75 Sol Jo 763
  • R v. London County Council, ex parte Entertainments Protection Association Ltd [1931] 2 KB 215, 100 LJKB 760
  • Green v. Kursal (Southend on Sea) Estates Ltd [1937] 1 All ER, 81 Sol Jo 279
  • Houghten Le Touzel v. Mecca Ltd [1950] 2 KB 612, [1950] 1 All ER 638
  • Culley v. Harrison [1956] 2 QB 71, [1956] 2 All ER 254

Repeal

Sections 1 to 3 were repealed by the Licensing Act 2003 (with effect from 24 November 2005).[6]

Sections 4 and 5 were repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1966.

Section 6 was repealed in part by section 2 of the Limitation of Actions and Costs Act 1842 and entirely by section 2 of the Public Authorities Protection Act 1893.

Section 7 was repealed by section 87 of, and Schedule 5 to, the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction Measure 1963.

Section 8 was repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1966.

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References
  1. The citation of this Act by this short title was authorised by the Short Titles Act 1896. (Some sources may refer to the Act as the Sunday Observance Act 1781, this being the year in which it was passed.)
  2. Licensing Act 2003 (Commencement No. 7 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2005 article 2(2) (see article 1 for the meaning of "second appointed day")
  3. Orpen v. Haymarket Capital Ltd & Others, The Times, July 18, 1931, p.3, col E
  4. Orpen v. New Empire Ltd and Others, The Times, October 20, 1931, p.4, col C
  5. Mill, John Stuart (2015). On Liberty, Utilitarianism and Other Essays. OUP Oxford.
  6. Licensing Act 2003 (Commencement No. 7 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2005
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