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Royal Navy ships entering the Port of London must provide a barrel of rum to the Constable of the Tower of London.
Although not enforced in modern times, this law is still on the books. In fact, there is an annual ceremony of the Constable’s Dues, where the Royal Navy moors one of its boats alongside the Tower Pier and the captain delivers his “tax”.
A taxi driver must ask passengers if they are suffering from plague or smallpox.
This is part of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, sections 33 and 34: Public Conveyances. The taxi driver has a right to refuse anyone who may have a notifiable disease, or they may elect to transport you and then immediately disinfect their vehicle (unlike a bus driver, who must refuse you altogether)….
It is illegal to ride a cow while drunk.
The Licensing Act of 1872 stipulates that operating a cow, horse or steam engine while intoxicated carries either a prison sentence or a fine. It allegedly carries a penalty fine of up to 1,200 GBP excluding the costs of looking after the cow, horse, etc. So when you go out cow-tipping, just make sure not…
Any whale washed up on the shore is the property of the Queen, so she can use its bones for her corset.
The head of said whale, however, belongs to the King. This law dates back to 1307. The original law read something along the lines of “The King shall have throughout the realm, whales and great sturgeons taken in the sea or elsewhere within the realm, except in certain places privileged by the King.”