Catalogue description Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Departments, and related bodies: Extinguishment of Manorial Incidents Series II

All copyhold land was enfranchised from the commencement of the Law of Property Act 1922 which according to s191 (2) came into operation on 1 January 1925. That date was postponed to 1 January 1926 by the Law of Property (Postponement) Act 1924. Certain charges and interests in the lands, called manorial incidents, remained but could be extinguished by payment of compensation by the tenant or copyholder to the lord of the manor.

By virtue of s138 (1)(c) of the 1922 Act all remaining manorial incidents were automatically extinguished on 1 January 1936, but for a period of five years from that date lords of manors and owners of land out of which these incidents issued had the rights under s140 to apply to the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries for an award determining the amount of compensation for extinguishment. The Acts of 1922 and 1924 did not prevent the parties arriving at a private agreement after 31 December 1935 on the amount of compensation for extinguishment of the manorial incidents, and generally speaking applications to the minister for such determination were made only when the parties could not reach such agreement.

The Postponement of Enactments (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1939 provided that no applications should be made on or after 29 November 1939 and before a date to be appointed by Order in Council. The Act further provided that applications could be made at any time during the period of twelve months from the date to be appointed. By Order in Council made in 1949 entitled Postponement of Enactments (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1939 (Manorial Extinguishment) Order 1949 - Statutory Instrument 1949 No.836, the minister appointed 1 November 1949 as the appointed day after which for a period of twelve months beginning on that day applications could be made to the minister for an award determining the compensation for extinguishment.