Catalogue description Board of Trade: Merchandise Marks Standing Committee: Papers

The Merchandise Marks Act 1887 required, for the first time, that the country of origin should be marked on any imported goods bearing the name or trade mark of a United Kingdom manufacturer. The Merchandise Marks Committee, appointed in 1919 by Sir Auckland Geddes, President of the Board of Trade, to examine merchandise marks law recommended, in its report published in 1920 as Cmd. No. 760, certain amendments to the procedures laid down in the 1887 Act. These were embodied in the Merchandise Marks Act 1926.

Under the Act, the addition of the country of origin to imported goods of any series or description could be enforced by Order in Council. Applications for Orders from manufacturers, producers or wage earners, were first referred for consideration to a standing committee, appointed by the department of government primarily concerned. At least two such committees were to be in existence, one at least of which was charged with matters concerning agriculture, horticulture and the fishing industry. The committees sat in public, except when confidential matters were under discussion, and reported to the department concerned. An Order made as the result of a committee's report could subsequently be varied by the department and thereafter referred back to the committee to consider whether formal amendment of the Order was required. The Merchandise Marks Acts 1887 and 1926 were repealed by the Trade Descriptions Act 1968.