The Explosives Act 1875 (38 & 39 Vict. c. 17) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that consolidated and amended statutes relating to explosives.
The Explosives Act 1875 (38 & 39 Vict. c. 17) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that consolidated and amended statutes relating to explosives.
On 2 October 1874, two barges carrying gunpowder ignited and exploded in the Macclesfield Canal, which became known as the Macclesfield Bridge Disaster. [1] Four people were killed and the bridge was destroyed. The disaster led to efforts to reform explosives law in the United Kingdom. [1]
Leave to bring in the Explosive Substances Bill was granted to the home secretary, R. A. Cross MP , Sir Henry Selwin-Ibbetson MP , and William Henry Smith MP on 25 February 1875. [2] The bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 25 February 1875, presented by the home secretary, R. A. Cross MP . [2] During debate, the home secretary described the key changes of the Bill, including: [3]
The bill had its second reading in the House of Commons on 16 March 1875 and was committed to a committee of the whole house, [2] which met on 5 April 1875, 8 April 1875 and 12 April 1875. [2] During debate, a proposed amendment John Philip Nolan to change "grand jury cess" to "poor rates" for Ireland was defeated. [4]
The consideration of the Bill was adjourned after d debate on 19 April 1875, [2] and the committee met again on 23 April 1875, with amendments. [2] The committee was discharged and the Bill was re-committed to a committee of the whole house on 27 April 1875 in respect of amended clause 110 of the Bill, which met and reported immediately on 27 April 1875, with amendments. [2] The amended bill had its third reading in the House of Commons on 28 April 1875 and passed, without amendments. [2]
The bill had its first reading in the House of Lords on 29 April 1875. [5] The bill had its second reading in the House of Lords on 3 May 1875, introduced by Frederick Lygon, 6th Earl Beauchamp, [6] and was committed to a committee of the whole house, [5] which met and reported on 7 May 1875, with amendments. [5] The amended bill had its third reading in the House of Lords on 13 May 1875 and passed, with amendments. [5]
The amended bill was considered and agreed to by the House of Commons on 21 May 1875. [2]
The bill was granted royal assent on 14 June 1875. [5]
Section 122 of the act repealed 6 enactments, listed in fourth and fifth schedules to the act. [7] Section 122 preserved existing securities, rates and charges and protected all pre-existing rights, actions and proceedings from being affected by the repeal.
| Citation | Short title | Title | Extent of repeal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 & 24 Vict. c. 139 | Gunpowder Act 1860 | An Act to amend the law concerning the making, keeping, and carriage of gunpowder and compositions of an explosive nature, and concerning the manufacture, sale, and use of fireworks. | The whole. |
| 24 & 25 Vict. c. 130 | Gunpowder and Fireworks Act 1861 | An Act for amending an Act passed in the last session of Parliament to amend the law concerning the making, keeping, and carriage of gunpowder and compositions of an explosive nature, and concerning the manufacture, sale, and use of fireworks. | |
| 25 & 26 Vict. c. 98 | Gunpowder Act Amendment Act 1862 | An Act for the amendment of an Act of the session of the twenty-third and twenty-fourth years of the reign of Her present Majesty, chapter one hundred and thirty-nine, intituled An Act to amend the law concerning the making, keeping, and carriage of gunpowder and compositions of an explosive nature, and concerning the manufacture, sale, and use of fireworks, and of an Act amending the last-mentioned Act. | The whole. |
| 29 & 30 Vict. c. 69 | Carriage and Deposit of dangerous Goods Act 1866 | An Act for the amendment of the law with respect to the carriage and deposit of dangerous goods. | The whole. |
| 32 & 33 Vict. c. 113 | Nitro Glycerine Act 1869 | An Act to prohibit for a limited time the importation and to restrict and regulate the carriage of nitro-glycerine. | The whole. |
| 26 & 27 Vict. c. 65 | Volunteer Act 1863 | The Volunteer Act, 1863 | Section twenty-six from "all exemptions contained in the Gunpowder Act, 1860," inclusive, to the end of the section. |
Courtenay Ilbert described the act as a Consolidation Act, given that the act, which amended the law with respect to explosives, also consolidated various enactments relating to that particular branch of law. [8]
Section 42 of the act was repealed by the Merchant Shipping Act 1894 (57 & 58 Vict. c. 60).
The act was partly repealed when the Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/1082) was brought into being but the inspection and licensing remained much the same.
The Licensing Act 1872 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that enacted various regulations and offences relating to alcohol, particularly licensing of premises.
The Offences Against the Person Act 1837 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that amended the law to lessen the severity of punishment of offences against the person, lessening the severity of the punishment of offences.
The Sheriffs Act 1887 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that consolidated for England and Wales enactments relating to sheriffs and repealed from 1275 to 1881 which had ceased to be in force or had become necessary. The act was intended, in particular, to facilitate the preparation of the revised edition of the statutes, then in progress. The act also gave sheriffs the right to arrest those resisting a warrant.
The Statute Law Revision Act 1861 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repealed for the United Kingdom enactments from 1771 to 1853 which had ceased to be in force or had become necessary. The act was intended, in particular, to facilitate the preparation of a revised edition of the statutes.
The Statute Law Revision Act 1863 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repealed for England and Wales enactments from 1235 to 1685 which had ceased to be in force or had become necessary. The act was intended, in particular, to facilitate the preparation of a revised edition of the statutes.
The Statute Law Revision Act 1870 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repealed for the United Kingdom enactments relating to the National Debt and to forgery which had ceased to be in force or had become necessary. The act was intended, in particular, to facilitate the preparation of the revised edition of the statutes, then in progress.
The Statute Law (Ireland) Revision Act 1872 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which repealed for Ireland statutes acts of the Parliament of England which had been extended to the then Lordship of Ireland by royal writs or acts of the Parliament of Ireland from the Magna Carta to Poynings' Law (1495). The act was intended, in particular, to make the revised edition of the statutes already published applicable to Ireland.
The Statute Law Revision Act 1873 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repealed for the United Kingdom enactments from 1742 to 1830 which had ceased to be in force or had become necessary. The act was intended, in particular, to facilitate the preparation of the revised edition of the statutes, then in progress.
The Statute Law Revision Act 1874 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repealed for the United Kingdom enactments from 1837 to 1843 which had ceased to be in force or had become necessary. The act was intended, in particular, to facilitate the preparation of the revised edition of the statutes, then in progress.
The Statute Law Revision Act 1875 is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repealed for the United Kingdom enactments from 1725 to 1868 which had ceased to be in force or had become necessary. The act was intended, in particular, to facilitate the preparation of the revised edition of the statutes, then in progress.
The Statute Law Revision Act 1878 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repealed for the United Kingdom enactments from 1707 to 1868 which had ceased to be in force or had become necessary. The act was intended, in particular, to facilitate the preparation of the revised edition of the statutes, then in progress.
The Statute Law Revision Act 1888 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repealed various United Kingdom enactments which had ceased to be in force or had become necessary. The act was intended, in particular, to facilitate the preparation of the new edition of the revised edition of the statutes, then in progress.
The Statute Law Revision Act 1892 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repealed various United Kingdom enactments which had ceased to be in force or had become necessary. The act was intended, in particular, to facilitate the preparation of the new edition of the revised edition of the statutes, then in progress.
The Repeal of Obsolete Statutes Act 1856, also known as the Statute Law Revision Act 1856, was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repealed for the United Kingdom enactments from 1285 to 1777 which had ceased to be in force or had become necessary.
The Inland Revenue Repeal Act 1870 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that repealed various enactments relating to duty taxes in the United Kingdom from 1764 to 1868.
The Merchant Shipping Act 1894 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that consolidated enactments relating to merchant shipping in the United Kingdom.
The Court of Chancery (Funds) Act 1872 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that abolished the office of Accountant General of the High Court of Chancery in England, transferring the functions to the Paymaster General, and established a deposit account for suitors in the Court of Chancery, returning 2% per annum.
The Select Committee on the Statute Law Revision Bill was a select committee of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom appointed to consider the bill for the Statute Law Revision Act 1890.
The Gunpowder Act 1860, also known as the Gunpowder and Fireworks Act 1860, was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that amended the law relating to the making, keeping and transport of gunpowder.
The Friendly Societies Act 1855 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that consolidated and amended enactments relating to friendly societies in the United Kingdom.
