William Pitt, No Triple Tax, Greetings Card, , 1797,
125 x 125 mm, contained in cellophane wrapper with fitted envelope.
On 24th November 1797 William Pitt announced his Triple Assessment. The purpose was the help pay for the Napoleonic War which was going very badly at the time.
A tax on expenditure with a declining scale according to the level of luxury was proposed. At the top stood such things as manservants, horses and carriages whilst lower down the scale was windows, dogs, clocks and watches.
The Times report the proposals on its front page which was highly unusual, this normally being devoted to adverts. Although the proposals were not a success, they did prove to be an “important halfway house between taxes on expenditure and a direct tax on income.” 1798 brought further measures.
As a result of the tax on windows, citizens took to blocking them up in their thousands and graffiti appeared chalked up on walls such as- “ Lighten our darkness we beseech thee O Pitt.”