Houses of Parliament Act 1837
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1837 c. 7 |
| Year | 1837 |
(1 & 2 Vict.) C A P. VII.
[23d December 1837]
'WHEREAS in order to obtain a Site sufficiently extensive for the Erection of the intended new Houses of Parliament, and for the Approaches thereto, it will be expedient to empower the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Woods, Forests, Land Revenues, Works, and Buildings to purchase, take, and use certain Houses, Wharfs, Buildings, Ground, and Hereditaments situate inAbingdon Street, Little Abingdon Street, Parliament Place , and on the West Bank of the River Thames , in the Parishes of Saint John the Evangelist and Saint Margaret within the City and Liberty of Westminster in the County of Middlesex : And whereas a Map or Plan describing the Houses, Wharfs, Buildings, Ground, and Premises required to be purchased, taken, and used for the Purposes aforesaid under or by virtue of this Act, and a Book of Reference containing a List of the Names of the Owners and Occupiers of such Premises, have been made, for the Purpose of being deposited at the Office of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Woods, Forests, Land Revenues, Works, and Buildings:' Be it therefore enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, Thatthe said Map or Plan and Book of Reference, after the same shall have been authenticated by the Signature of the Right Honourable the Speaker of the House of Commons, shall be deposited with and shall remain in the Custody of the said Commissioners for the Time being of Her Majesty's Woods, Forests, Land Revenues, Works, and Buildings; and one Copy thereof signed by the Speaker of the House of Commons shall be deposited in the Parliament Office, and one other Copyso signed shall be deposited with the Clerk of the Peace of the City and Liberty ofWestminster , within One Month from the passing of this Act, to the end that all Persons may at all seasonable Times have Liberty to inspect and peruse the same, and to take Extracts or Copies thereof, at their Will and Pleasure, paying the Sum of One Shilling for every such Inspection, and at the Rate of Sixpence for every Seventy-two Words of such Copies or Extracts of the said Map or Plan and Book of Reference; and that the said Commissioners, in making the said Purchases, Alterations, and Improvements, shall not deviate more than Fifty Feet from the Lines described in the said Map or Plan, without the Consent and Approbation in Writing of the Person or Persons, Bodies Politic, Corporate, or Collegiate, through whose Lands or Premises such Deviation shall be made.
II Omissions or Misnomers not to prevent the Execution of this Act.
II. Provided always, and be it enacted, That if any of the Houses, Wharfs, Buildings, Ground, and Hereditaments required for the Purposes of this Act, or the Name or Names of any of the Owners or Occupiers thereof respectively, shall happen to be omitted, misnamed, or inaccurately described in and by the Map or Plan or Book of Reference herein-before mentioned, then and in such Case, if it shall appear to any Two or more of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the City and Liberty ofWestminster , and be certified in Writing under their Hands, that such Omission, Misnomer, or inaccurate Description proceeded from Mistake, the same shall not prevent or retard the Execution of this Act, but the same Premises and every Part thereof shall and may be purchased and sold or assessed and valued in manner herein mentioned, and conveyed, disposed of, and applied for and to the Purposes of this Act, as fully and effectually as if the same was or were properly named and described in the said Map or Plan or Book of Reference.
III Commissioners of Woods, &c. empowered to treat for Purchase of Houses, Wharfs, &c.
III. And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for the said Commissioners for the Time being of Her Majesty's Woods, Forests, Land Revenues, Works, and Buildings, and they are hereby authorized and empowered, when they shall deem it necessary, by and out of the Monies applicable to the rebuilding the said Two Houses of Parliament, and by and with the Consent and Approbation in Writing of the Lord High Treasurer or of the Commissioners for executing the Office of Lord High Treasurer, or any Three or more of them, to treat and agree for the Purchase of any of the Houses, Wharfs, Buildings, Ground, and Hereditaments described or comprised in the said Map or Plan and Book of Reference, or in such Deviation as herein-before mentioned, and of any subsisting Leases, Terms, Estates, and Interests therein or Charges thereon, which the said Commissioners may, by and with such Consent and Approbation as aforesaid, deem necessary or expedient to be purchased for the Purposes aforesaid.
IV Two Commissioners empowered to act.
IV. And be it enacted, That all Acts, Matters, or Things authorized or necessary to be done and executed by the said Commissioners for the Time being of Her Majesty's Woods, Forests, Land Revenues, Works, and Buildings, for the Purpose of carrying this Act into execution, may be done and executed by any Two of them, and the same shall be as valid and effectual and shall have the same Force and Effect as if such Acts, Matters, and Things had been done and executed by all the said Commissioners.
V Hereditaments, &c. to be conveyed to Her Majesty.
V. And be it enacted, That all Hereditaments, Estates, and Interests which may be purchased in pursuance of this Act shall be conveyed, assigned, and assured to or in Trust for Her Majesty, Her Heirs and Successors, in such Manner and Form as the said Commissioners shall direct.
VI Incapacitated Persons empowered to sell.
VI. And be it enacted, That it shall be lawful for all Bodies Politic, Corporate, or Collegiate, Corporations Aggregate or Sole, Tenants for Life or for Years or in Tail, Husbands, Guardians, Feoffees in Trust, Committees, Executors, and Administrators, and all other Trustees or Persons whomsoever, not only for and on behalf of themselves, their Heirs and Executors and Successors, but also for and on behalf of their Cestuique Trusts, whether Infants, Issue unborn, or Lunatics, Idiots, Femes Covert, or other Person or Persons, and to and for all Femes Covert who are or shall be seised or possessed or interested in their own Right, or entitled to Dower or other Interest therein, and for every other Person or Persons whomsoever, who are or shall be seised or possessed of or interested in any such Houses, Wharfs, Buildings, Ground, and Hereditaments as aforesaid, to contract and agree for the Sale of the same and every Part thereof; and all Contracts, Agreements, Bargains, Sales, Conveyances, and Assurances, Acts and Deeds, which shall be made by such Bodies Politic, Corporate, or Collegiate, Trustee or Trustees, or other Person or Persons as aforesaid, shall be valid and effectual in the Law to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever, any Law, Statute, Usage, or Custom to the contrary notwithstanding; and all Bodies Politic, Corporate, or Collegiate, and all Persons whomsoever, so contracting and agreeing as aforesaid, are hereby indemnified for or in respect of any such Sale which he, she, or they, or any of them, shall respectively make by virtue or in pursuance of this Act; and all such Contracts or Agreements for such Sales shall be made at the Costs and Expence of the said Commissioners; and all such Houses, Wharfs, Buildings, Ground, and Hereditaments which shall be so agreed to be purchased as aforesaid shall when so purchased or agreed to be purchased, and upon Tender or Payment in manner herein-after directed of the Sum or Sums of Money agreed to be paid for the same, be vested in Her Majesty, Her Heirs and Successors, who shall thenceforth be deemed in Law to be in the actual Seisin and Possession thereof, to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever, freed and discharged from all Rights of Way, and all other and former Estates, Rights, Titles, Interests, Claims, and Demands whatsoever; and the same shall be employed and made use of by the Commissioners, under the Direction of the said Lord High Treasurer, or of the said Commissioners for executing the said Office of Lord High Treasurer, or any Three or more of them, as and for Part of a Site for the intended new Houses of Parliament, and for making Approaches thereto, or for any other Purposes connected therewith.
VII Commissioners empowered to pull down Houses, &c. and to sell the Materials.
VII. Provided always, and be it enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for the said Commissioners from Time to Time to direct or contract for the taking down any Houses or Buildings to be purchased or made use of for the Purposes of this Act, and for the selling and disposing of the Materials of all such Houses and Buildings; and all such Materials, and the Money arising from the Sale thereof, shall be and are hereby vested in the said Commissioners; and all such Money (after paying and defraying the necessary Expences of pulling down such Houses and Buildings, and the Sale of the Materials thereof) shall and may be applied and disposed of, under the Direction of the said Commissioners, in laying out or paving the Ground on which such Houses and Buildings were erected, or in paving or making good the Pavement of the Street...
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