Passage of the Jewish Naturalisation Act 1753
- When
- 1753–1754
- Where
- Parliament of Great Britain; House of Commons
- Episodes
- 4
The Jewish Naturalisation Act 1753 allowed Jews in Britain to naturalize via Parliament. Introduced by Henry Pelham, it passed the Lords but faced Tory opposition in the Commons. Despite Whig support, it received royal assent on 7 July 1753 before being repealed in 1754 due to public backlash.
Episodes
- Introduction of the Jew Bill
Henry Pelham introduced the bill in 1753 to allow Jewish naturalization by application to Parliament.
- Commons Debate and Passage
Tories opposed the bill in the Commons, but Whigs supported it, leading to its passage.
- Royal Assent
The Act received royal assent on 7 July 1753, becoming law.
- Repeal of the Act
Widespread opposition led to the Act's repeal in 1754 by the Naturalization of Jews Act 1754.
Background and detail
Legislative Process. Henry Pelham introduced the bill in 1753 to permit Jewish naturalization. It cleared the House of Lords with minimal resistance. In the Commons, Tories protested against the perceived abandonment of Christianity, but Whigs supported the measure as part of a broader policy of religious toleration, ensuring its passage.
Assent and Repeal. The Act received royal assent on 7 July 1753. However, widespread public antisemitism and opposition led to its rapid reversal. The Naturalization of Jews Act 1754 repealed the previous legislation during the next sitting of Parliament, effectively undoing the naturalization provisions.
People involved
- Henry Pelham · Bill introducer
- King George II · Monarch at the time of assent
Sources
- Jewish Naturalisation Act 1753 Wikipedia, revision of 2026-06-27
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.