Throughout the 19th century there had been serious outbreaks of highly infectious smallpox in the UK which was most severe among children. The disease was most commonly found in densely populated districts. Compulsory Vaccination was introduced in Scotland from 1 January 1864, whereas in England, the first Vaccination Act of 1840 made vaccination available but it was provided on a request basis only. In 1854 it was made compulsory, although it was not properly enforced until the 1874 Vaccination Act which made registration of births compulsory within 6 weeks, something which occurred in Scotland from 1855.

In 1896, parents in England and Wales were permitted to register their conscientious objection to compulsory smallpox vaccination by making a statutory declaration and registering this with the local registrar of births marriages and deaths. The Scottish Anti-Vaccination League was established to campaign for this right, which was granted in Scotland when the Vaccination Act (Scotland) came into force from 28 August 1907.