The Joint Stock Companies Act 1844, which enabled companies to be formed by "deed of settlement" and the Limited Liability Act 1855, established a general incorporation procedure which offered limited liability to shareholders and gave recognition to the company as a separate legal persona. By the Joint Stock Companies Act 1856, the deed was replaced with today's style of constitution, namely the registration of the Memorandum of Association and the Articles of Association. The contents of these are now regulated under the Companies Act 1985, and form the "constitution" of the company. It…
