Statute Law Repeals - Law Commission - Ministry of Justice

7.11 The three survivors sought to sell the diamond, but unsuccessfully because its
value was so great. The Pigot and Fisher Diamond Lottery Act 1800 7 provided
that the various owners of the diamond could effect sale by “lottery or chance”
(without fear of incurring a penalty), issuing up to 11,428 tickets at 2 guineas
each (which would raise just short of £24,000). After giving public notice the
lottery was to be determined by the first state draw after July 1800. Pending sale,
the diamond was to be deposited at the Bank of England in the name of specific
trustees.
7.12 The lottery was drawn in January 1801, and the prize was won by a syndicate
who had bought a large number of tickets. The 1800 Act thereafter became
spent.
Boydell’s Lottery
7.13 John and Josiah Boydell (uncle and nephew) were London print sellers who
published Shakespeare’s plays in editions ornamented with English artists’
engravings, and exhibited them in their gallery in Pall Mall. The French
Revolution of 1789 (and onwards), and the Anglo-French war of 1793, impacted
adversely on their trading market: the collection became too large and expensive
to maintain, and the original purpose of its passing into public ownership became
unsustainable.
7.14 The Boydell’s Lottery Act 1804, 8 acknowledging that ordinary sale would give rise
to considerable loss, permitted the Boydell family to dispose of their leasehold
gallery premises and art collection “by way of chance” without infringing the
restriction on lotteries. The dispensation was afforded by parliament in
recognition of the Boydells’ previous encouragement of the painting and
engraving arts and their material contribution to the country’s international preeminence
in the field.
7.15 Under the Act 22,000 tickets could be sold in order to raise up to £69,300. The
collection was to be divided into 62 prizes, and the draw was to be made either
through the state lottery or by lottery drawn at the City of London guildhall.
Pending the draw the collection was to be held by trustees (although copyright
remained with the original owners). Any person who won an artwork was
prohibited from copying it for sale without prior consent.
7.16 Following public notice the draw took place via the state lottery in January 1805
(ahead of the latest deadline of September 1805). John Boydell died a month
before the draw, but his nephew continued the business at Cheapside until 1818.
The purpose behind the 1804 Act is now long since spent.
7 39 & 40 Geo.3 c.cii (1800).
8 44 Geo.3 c.vi (1804).
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