Royal Fishery

1893 text

There had been recently established, under the Great Seal of England, a Corporation for the Royal Fishing, of which the Duke of York was Governor, Lord Craven Deputy-Governor, and the Lord Mayor and Chamberlain of London, for the time being, Treasurers, in which body was vested the sole power of licensing lotteries (“The Newes,” October 6th, 1664). The original charter (dated April 8th, 1664), incorporating James, Duke of York, and thirty-six assistants as Governor and Company of the Royal Fishing of Great Britain and Ireland, is among the State Papers. The duke was to be Governor till February 26th, 1665. [From 4 March 1664 entry.]

This text comes from a footnote on a diary entry in the 1893 edition edited by Henry B. Wheatley.

5 Annotations

First Reading

Terry F  •  Link

The Royal Fishery Company

Chartered like other companies (East India, &c.) to compete with the Dutch by mirroring them organizationally, The Royal Fishery Company was reorganized in 1677, dissolved in 1690 and revived in 1692. (*Industrializing English Law: Entrepreneurship and Business Organization, 1720-1844.* By Ron, Harris. Cambrdege University Press, 2000. p 184, n. 45.)

Lurker  •  Link

Could someone explain why a "Fishery" would, according to Wheately, be the one granting lotteries?

Second Reading

Bill  •  Link

There had been recently established, under the Great Seal of England, a Corporation for the Royal Fishing, of which the Duke of York was Governor, Lord Craven Deputy-Governor, and the Lord Mayor and Chamberlain of London, for the time being, Treasurers, in which body was vested the sole power of licensing lotteries ("The Newes," October 6th, 1664). The original charter (dated April 8th, 1664), incorporating James, Duke of York, and thirty-six assistants as Governor and Company of the Royal Fishing of Great Britain and Ireland, is among the State Papers. The duke was to be Governor till February 26th, 1665.
---Wheatley, 1904.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

'Could someone explain why a "Fishery" would, according to Wheately, be the one granting lotteries?'

Since their understanding of economics was limited, and there was no organized banking system, in order to do anything a Committee like this would have to find a way to fund the improvements. A tariff, tax or license was the usual way to go, but in this case they were thinking of a lottery. Don't know why, but Pepys doubtless did.

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