Overview

'A curious, comical and highly entertaining read, full of eccentric laws and customs that have led to our rich legal heritage.' - Lubna Shuja - President of The Law Society of England and Wales In the UK, we have some bizarre laws that have littered the statute books of our sceptred isle throughout history. Not all of them have been repealed over the centuries. Some of them made perfect sense at the time they were introduced but seen through modern eyes, now appear archaic and draconian. Despite the great efforts of the Law Commission in England and Wales to review and recommend reforms for many of these outdated laws, there are centuries of law that must be painstakingly gone through. As well as some bizarre laws, the UK also has its fair share of curious customs and time-honoured traditions that have been observed for centuries. On the surface, many appear to be nothing more than theatrical pomp and pageantry. However, they are all born from strong rationale. The UK parliament seems to have had a particular penchant for passing laws related to fish and animals, indecency and passing sentences with some humiliating public punishments. This book is a highly entertaining read for anyone who enjoys learning about the more bizarre applications of UK law throughout the centuries, along with some rather macabre consequences along the way. Have you ever heard a bizarre law and thought, that can't possibly be true? Is it genuine? Was it ever in existence or just an urban myth that became so embellished over time? There are surprisingly, a great many laws still in existence on the statute books today, that would make your jaw drop. Whilst bizarre as these laws may now seem to us, it begs the question, are we in fact, unknowingly breaking these laws on a regular basis? For example... Is it illegal to own a pet whale but not a tiger? Was it illegal for women to argue & quarrel? Is it legal to carry a ladder along a street? Were mince pies once illegal? Who owns your passport? ...all these questions and more will be answered in this Volume 2 of a 3 volume series by Monty Lord. Reading this book, you may be inclined to laugh heartily, let out a sorrowful cry or recoil in abject horror at some of the more gruesome sentences passed for breaking these weird laws. With over 300 bizarre but nevertheless true, laws and customs, you can use this book to satisfy your curiosity about what our ancestors had to contend with over the years, or perhaps as a reference guide for trivia quizzes.

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9781916605022

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Reviews

'Bizarre Laws and Curious Customs of the UK' is a fascinating book, well assembled and written by Monty Lord. Monty Lord is a young man with a deliberately extended memory and a big social conscience and from whom we will be hearing so much more. And for which we will be so much wiser.' - William Roache, OBE, Actor, 'Ken Barlow' in Coronation Street 'A curious, comical and highly entertaining read, full of eccentric laws and customs that have led to our rich legal heritage.' - Lubna Shuja, President of The Law Society of England and Wales 'An erudite young author, Monty Lord's voyage through some of the laws that have defined our nation over the centuries reveals a wisdom beyond his years. I have no doubt he will be making a significant and unique contribution to our public discourse over decades to come.' - Jo Sidhu KC, Chair of the Criminal Bar Association (2021 - 2022), Bar Council of England and Wales (2023-26) 'Entertaining and engagingly written, this book has something for everyone ... the list of odd laws and customs seems endless. Lord debunks some and revels in others, but is always careful to provide readers with the historical context so they can judge for themselves.' - Professor Jon Stobart, FRHS, Professor of Social History, Manchester Metropolitan University, Author 'Littered with wonderful gems and arcane trivia from our legal history.' - Professor Jay Cullen, Head of School of Law, Criminology & Policing, Edge Hill University 'Monty Lord does not like being referred to as a genius. Yet, how else can we describe a young man, still a teenager, with such prodigious talents? His latest book is an amazing feat of scholarship, beautifully written, interwoven with humour. The book is brimming over with obscure legal facts, often going back centuries, yet with contemporary legal precedents as well.' - Professor Jerome Carson, Psychology Department, University of Bolton 'Bizarre Laws & Curious Customs of the UK by Monty Lord is a thoroughly researched, well-written and entertaining history of some of the more idiosyncratic laws of the county. A lawyer or writer at the end of their career would be proud of such a book, that Monty completed the work when he was only 17 is an incredible achievement.' - Nick De Marco KC, Barrister, Blackstone Chambers

Author Information

With a strong interest in challenging injustices through the law, Monty became a BBC Young Reporter and a Director and Legal/Investigative Reporter for both Get Success, an independent television production company and Young Legal Eagles. As a world memory champion, Monty is the youngest person in the United Kingdom with the most world records, holding 5 Guinness World Records for world memory challenges. An accomplished public speaker, Monty has spoken avidly about The Rule of Law, access to the law for children and young people and using enhanced memory techniques to address inequalities in the education system. He's spoken about the rights of the child at TEDx talks, Amnesty International and to world leaders at the United Nations in Geneva. He advocates for children and young people at the United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth.

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