Explosives between 1919-1939

[moletta]

  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?

[mikem]

Perfectly (1875 & 1883):
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/38-39/17/contents
https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/explosives

[dmcfarlane]

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...

[The Old Ruminator]

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.

[tony from suffolk]

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.

[moletta]

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.

[AR]

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!