Explosives between 1919-1939

moletta

Member
  Does anyone know what the rules were about storing /using explosives between the wars? I know war service led

  to some cavers having a working knowledge, but was it legal to use it?
 
Perfectly (1875 & 1883):
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/38-39/17/contents
https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/explosives
 
As late as 1978, as a student, I was able to get a license for several pounds of Gelignite (Hampshire police - but to use in Yorkshire!).  Probably not anymore...
 
In the 70's I seem to remember that an immediate use licence let you have a maximum of eight pounds of either stick or plaster. We always went for the eight pounds.
 
Pretty easy to get a bit of bang in the 60s/70s. IIRC, you were even allowed to carry your 8lbs on public transport! We used to buy ours from Casswells - pretty cheap, again IIRC.
 
Thanks all. Does make you wonder how some people survived!

I've seen the Acts but was hoping someone knew how people got hold of explosives after WW1.
 
The short answer is "bought it from a shop" -  from what I've been told it wasn't uncommon for hardware stores in mining/quarrying areas to sell it; presumably you'd have to show your licence at least once to get it but prior to the IRA bombing campaigns of the 1970s controls on getting bang were pretty relaxed!
 
Back
Top