Lunacy Act 1845

Lunacy Act 1845
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn Act for the Regulation of the Care and Treatment of Lunatics.
Citation8 & 9 Vict. c. 100
Territorial extent England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent4 August 1845
Commencement4 August 1845
Repealed1 May 1890
Other legislation
AmendsLunacy Act 1842
Repeals/revokes
  • Insane Persons (England) Act 1832
  • Lunatics (England) Act 1833
  • Lunatics Act 1835
  • Lunatics Act 1838
  • Care, etc., of Lunatics Act 1841
  • Lunatic Asylums Act 1842
Amended by
Repealed byLunacy Act 1890
Relates to
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
County Asylums Act 1845
Act of Parliament
Long titleAn Act to amend the Laws for the Provision and Regulation of Lunatic Asylums for Counties and Boroughs, and for the Maintenance and Care of Pauper Lunatics, in England.
Citation8 & 9 Vict. c. 126
Territorial extent England and Wales
Dates
Royal assent8 August 1845
Commencement8 August 1845
Repealed1 November 1853
Other legislation
Repeals/revokesCounty Asylums Act 1828
Relates to
Status: Repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted

The Lunacy Act 1845 or the Lunatics Act 1845 (8 & 9 Vict. c. 100) and the County Asylums Act 1845 (8 & 9 Vict. c. 126) formed mental health law in England and Wales from 1845 to 1890. The Lunacy Act's most important provision was a change in the status of mentally ill people to patients.

The Lunacy Act 1845 was passed through Parliament simultaneously with the County Asylums Act 1845. The two acts were dependent on each other. The Lunacy Act established the Lunacy Commission and the County Asylums Act set forth most of the provisions as to what was to be monitored within the asylums and helped establish the public network of the county asylums.