Daylight Robbery (Origin)

What Is the Origin of the Saying "Daylight Robbery"?

In 1696, William III of England introduced a property tax which required those living in houses with more than six windows to pay a levy. In order to avoid the tax, house owners would brick up all windows except six. (The Window Tax lasted until around 1851, and older houses with bricked-up windows are still a common sight in UK.) As the bricked-up windows prevented some rooms from receiving any sunlight, the tax was referred to as daylight robbery.

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