ABSTRACT
The Trade Union Act of 1871 was—and remains—the first legal charter of Trade Unions. It was thought that a Trade Union was a legal body which collected funds for all sorts of benevolent and industrial purposes and that these funds were immune from attack in the event of the wrongful or misguided action of any official. The Act of 1871 as amended by an Act of 1876 made provision for the registration of Trade Unions and conferred certain benefits as a result of registration. The excuse for the passing of the 1927 Act was the National Strike of 1926. According to the Common Law of England any restriction in relation to a trade or business is what is called a restraint of trade and is normally illegal, as is any organisation which is formed for the purpose of imposing such a restriction.
