10 Weird London Laws and Rules

Looking into the age-old legislation of London, we’ve uncovered many strange acts and clauses, some which still stand now and some, which sadly, are just rumours.

Some of these rules and laws are so bizarre, you’ve probably been breaking them without even knowing it (especially if you like touching pelicans).

Anyway, apparently it’s a big no-no to:

1. Wear a suit of armour in Parliament

Despite the fact that we’d quite like to see MPs sporting one, it’s been illegal for them to enter Parliament in a suit of armour since the 1313 statute Forbidding Bearing of Armour. This has never been repealed.

2. Beat a rug

You can’t beat a carpet, rug or mat in the Metropolitan Police District, says Section 60 of the Metropolitan Police Act of 1839. Though it’s OK to shake a doormat, as long as you get in there before 8 a.m.

3. Take a cab if you’ve got the plague

Don’t even think about flagging down a London cab if you’ve got the plague. We’ve got sections 33 and 34 of Public Health (Control Of Disease) Act 1984, Chapter 22 to thank for this one. The rule also applies to passengers with leprosy, rabies, food poisoning, even whooping cough — in fact, “any notifiable diseases” — which are those you have to report to Public Health England so they can prevent a possible epidemic.

Although it’s actually alright as long as the cab driver agrees and disinfects the cab immediately afterwards.

4. Jump a queue in a tube station

Here’s the most British one. We’ve all seen a bit of this going on, but it’s actually prohibited according to TfL by-laws — as long as there’s a sign of member of staff telling you not to (in this day and age no wonder so many people get away with it).

5. Slide on ice

You’re not allowed to slide on ice or snow. Well, not “in any street or other thoroughfare, to the common danger of the passengers” anyway. As far as we know, this only applies to London — so go wild in the rest of the UK. The law was passed as part of Section 54 of the Metropolitan Police Act Of 1839, which seems to have been a prime year for fun-sucking as they also outlawed carrying a plank (or any building materials) along a pavement.

6. Touch a pelican

Pelican-touching is “expressly forbidden” should you happen to find one in a London park, according to the Royal Parks And Other Open Spaces Regulations 1997. You can pet one if “prior permission is obtained”. Presumably from the park, not the pelican.

7. Dress as a Chelsea Pensioner

The myth goes that you can’t don the distinctive red coat and black cap of the retired soldiers/national treasures since 1692. It’s not actually illegal though; we called them and checked — they said you could probably do it with their permission if you really wanted. We presume impersonating any other pensioner is absolutely fine.

8. Mate with the Queen’s corgis

Apparently you’re forbidden to allow your pet to mate with one of the Queen’s corgis (though we can’t find any official details of it being passed). Presumably, this is to avoid any unwanted mongrel offspring.

9. Fly a kite

Section 54 of our old friend Metropolitan Police Act Of 1839 states that kite flying in a public place is punishable by a fine of up to £200 if it causes “annoyance to other people”. Mr Banks and the kids in Mary Poppins seem to have been completely unaware of this one.

10. Kill a swan

Though the Queen doesn’t own all the breeds of swan in England, she does have first say on all mute swans (which she co-owns along with the worshipful companies of Vintners and the Dyers). She’s even allowed to eat them, as long as she and her diners are guests of St John’s College, Cambridge. As mute swans are a protected species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 and killing them is punishable with a £5,000 fine, we’re not quite sure how this one works out. But she’s obviously got a bit of money if she does need to pay up.

source: londonist.com

In the text there is a reference to Mary Poppins. How well do you know the story? Can you answer a few simple questions?

1. How many Banks children are there?

2. What does Mr Banks do?

3. Where does the Bank family live?

4. Who is Bert?

5. What does Admiral Boom’s house look like?

Key

1. There are five Banks children: Jane (the eldest), Michael, John, Barbara and Annabel.

2. He works at the Dawes, Tomes, Mousely, Grubbs Fidelity Fiduciary Bank in the City of London.

3. They live at No. 17 Cherry Tree Lane in London.

4. Bert is Mary Poppins’s best friend. When the weather is fine, he draws lifelike pictures on the pavement with chalk,  but when it rains he instead sells matches and is thus known as the Matchman.

5. It’s a house shaped like a ship.