Fire of London Disputes Act 1666

The Fire of London Disputes Act 1666 (18 & 19 Cha. 2. c. 7) was an act of the Parliament of England with the long title "An Act for erecting a Judicature for Determination of Differences touching Houses burned or demolished by reason of the late Fire which happened in London."^[1] Following the Great Fire of London, Parliament established a court to settle all differences arising between landlords and tenants of burnt buildings, overseen by judges of the King's Bench, Court of Common Pleas and Court of Exchequer.^[2]

Portrait of Sir Matthew Hale, by Wright

Fire of London Disputes Act 1666

Act of Parliament
Parliament of England
Long title	An Act for erecting a Judicature for Determination of Differences touching Houses burned or demolished by reason of the late Fire which happened in London.
Citation	18 & 19 Cha. 2. c. 7[a] 19 Cha. 2. c. 2[b]
Territorial extent	England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent	8 February 1667
Commencement	21 September 1666[c]
Repealed	30 July 1948
Other legislation
Amended by	Rebuilding of London Act 1670
Repealed by	Statute Law Revision Act 1948
Relates to	Rebuilding of London Act 1666
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

Fire of London, Property Disputes Act 1672
Act of Parliament
Parliament of England
Long title	An Act for reviveing the Judicature for determination of Differences touching Houses burnt downe and demolished by reason of the late Fire, which happened in London, and for rebuilding of the Navy Office.
Citation	25 Cha. 2. c. 10
Territorial extent	England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent	29 March 1673
Commencement	4 February 1673[d]
Repealed	30 July 1948
Other legislation
Repealed by	Statute Law Revision Act 1948
Relates to	Fire of London, Property Disputes Act 1672 Rebuilding of London Act 1670
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The 22 judges who served under the act included the following:

• Sir John Archer
• Sir Robert Atkyns
• Sir Edward Atkins
• Sir Orlando Bridgeman
• Sir Samuel Brown
• Sir William Ellys
• Sir Heneage Finch
• Sir Matthew Hale
• Sir John Kelynge
• Sir Timothy Littleton
• Sir William Morton
• Sir Francis North
• Sir Richard Rainsford
• Sir Edward Thurland
• Sir Christopher Turnor
• Sir Edward Turnour
• Sir Thomas Twisden
• Sir Thomas Tyrrell
• Sir John Vaughan
• Sir William Wilde
• Sir Hugh Wyndham
• Sir Wadham Wyndham

Portraits of the judges by John Michael Wright were put up in the Guildhall by the city in gratitude for their services.^[3] Their "Sunderland" style picture frames were made by Mary Ashfield, Mary Fleshier, Mary Dorrell, and John Norris between 1671 and 1675.^[4] The paintings, completed in 1670, hung in London's Guildhall until it was bombed during World War II; today only two (those of Sir Matthew Hale and Sir Hugh Wyndham) remain in the Guildhall Art Gallery^[5] the remainder having been destroyed or dispersed, mainly to the Inner Temple, Lincoln's Inn and the Royal Courts of justice.

The whole act was repealed by section 1 of, and the schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1948 (11 & 12 Geo. 6. c. 62).

See also

• Rebuilding of London Act 1666

Notes

1. This is the citation in The Statutes of the Realm.
2. This is the citation in The Statutes at Large.
3. Start of session.
4. Start of session.