general knowledge

[bibster]

which fashion was hit a direct blow by a tax imposed by Pitt.
Thanks for any help

[Mamyalynne]

imposed a tax on Wig/Hair powder

[sedge47]

mens' hats

[bensmum]

I think it was to do with wigs as mamyalynne says

[sedge47]

I think that he actually taxed both -

"In 1784, PM William Pitt the Younger introduced a tax on men�s hats. A fairly basic hat costing 4 shillings incurred a tax of three pence. An expensive creation costing 12 shillings or more carried a tax of 2 shillings (1 shilling equals about �3.50 today). It may seem quirky to us today, but it was reasoned at the time that a humble man would buy perhaps just one cheap hat, whereas the wealthy would purchase many expensive hats. Some milliners and people tried to get out of paying the tax (tax avoidance is nothing new!) by saying that their headgear wasn�t actually a hat. So in 1804 the legal definitions of a hat were revised to include all headgear and almost every material from which it could be made. Forgers of hat-tax revenue stamps could face the death penalty. The tax was repealed in 1811."

[bibster]

Thanks all of you for your help I couldn't decide which one was right as he did inpose tax on both .

[Vicasso]

purely for interest......
'New forms of direct taxation spread a number of taxes thinly over a wide variety of goods and services. This allowed Pitt to increase revenue without arousing great opposition. The new taxes mainly affected possessions and/or pleasures of the rich: they were levied on bricks and tiles, gold and silver plate, men's hats, ladies' ribbons, perfumes, hair powder, horses and carriages, sporting licences and bachelors (according to number of servants they had).'

[bibster]

now I am even more confused than before LOL