Private Property and Abuse of Rights in Victorian England: The Story of Edward Pickles and the Bradford Water Supply

"During the industrial revolution, the town of Bradford grew rapidly, and so did the demand for water for industrial and domestic purposes. The first part of the book explores, through an analysis of correspondence, records and newspaper reports, the development of the Bradford water supply, and the genesis of the dispute that ultimately flared into litigation at the end of the nineteenth century." The second part of the book considers the enduring doctrinal importance of the case. The controversial and potent common law principle of interpreting statutes so as to protect property rights wherever possible is examined in depth, as is the legal uncertainty of the nineteenth-century law relating to subterranean water rights. Finally, the book attempts to explain the common lawyers' refusal to recognize a Continental-style doctrine of abuse of rights, and the courts' failure to develop a prima facie tort doctrine to curb maliciously inspired behaviour.


Buy from Barnes & Noble     Compare Prices