The Gunpowder Act 1860 (23 & 24 Vict. c. 139), also known as the Gunpowder and Fireworks Act 1860,[1][2] was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that amended the law relating to the making, keeping and transport of gunpowder.
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | 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. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 23 & 24 Vict. c. 139 |
| Introduced by | Sir George Lewis MP (Commons) |
| Territorial extent | United Kingdom |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 28 August 1860 |
| Commencement | 31 August 1861[b] |
| Repealed | 1 January 1876 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repeals/revokes | See § Repealed acts |
| Repealed by | Explosives Act 1875 |
| Relates to | |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
Passage
editLeave to bring in the Gunpowder, &c. Bill to the House of Commons was granted to the home secretary, Sir George Lewis MP and the under-secretary of state for the home department, George Clive MP on 2 July 1860.[3]
The bill had its first reading in the House of Commons on 3 July 1860, presented by the home secretary, Sir George Lewis MP.[3] The bill had its second reading in the House of Commons on 19 July 1860 and was committed to a committee of the whole house,[3] which met and reported on 19 July 1860, with amendments.[3] The amended bill was re-committed to a committee of the whole house, which met on 25 July 1860 and reported on 26 July 1860, with amendments.[3] The amended bill had its third reading in the House of Commons on 28 July 1860 and passed, without amendments.[3]
The bill had its first reading in the House of Lords on 30 July 1860.[4] The bill had its second reading in the House of Lords on 9 August 1860 and was committed to a committee of the whole house,[4] which upon the motion of the Lord President of the Council, Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville, was directed to meet with urgency.[4] The committee met on 16 August 1860 and reported on 17 August 1860, with amendments.[4] The amended bill had its third reading in the House of Lords on 20 August 1860 and passed, with amendments.[4]
The amended bill was considered and agreed to by the House of Commons on 23 August 1860.[3]
The bill was granted royal assent on 28 August 1860.[4]
Provisions
editRepealed acts
editSection 1 of the act repealed 3 acts, listed in that section, effective from 31 August 1861, except for any offences or penalties incurred done under those enactments before repeal.[5]
| Citation | Short title |
|---|---|
| 9 & 10 W. 3. c. 7 | Fireworks Act 1697 |
| 5 G. 2. c. 12 (I) | N/A |
| 12 G. 3. c. 61 | Gunpowder Act 1772 |
Legacy
editOn 2 October 1874, two barges carrying gunpowder ignited and exploded in the Macclesfield Canal, which became known as the Macclesfield Bridge Disaster.[6] Four people were killed and the bridge was destroyed. The disaster led to efforts to reform explosives law in the United Kingdom,[6] and the act was wholly repealed by section 122 of, and the fourth schedule to, the Explosives Act 1875 (38 & 39 Vict. c. 17).
Notes
edit- ^ Section 3 of the Gunpowder Act Amendment Act 1862.
- ^ Section 1.
References
edit- ^ Aiyar, Ananta Narayana (1971). Sales Tax Cases. Commercial Laws of India Private.
- ^ "GUNPOWDER AND FIREWORKS ACT 1860: As to the construction of the act". TS 25 - Treasury Solicitor and HM Procurator General: Law Officers' and Counsel's Opinion, ID: TS 25/1156. The National Archives.
- ^ a b c d e f g Commons, Great Britain House of (1860). The Journals of the House of Commons (PDF). Vol. 115. pp. 348, 351, 361, 493, 495, 498, 501, 508.
- ^ a b c d e f Lords, Great Britain Parliament House of (1860). Journals of the House of Lords. Vol. 92. H.M. Stationery Office. pp. 631–632, 668, 672, 696–698, 702, 709, 724, 733, 784.
- ^ A Collection of the Public General Statutes: 1860. 1860. pp. 1261–1279.
- ^ a b "The Macclesfield Bridge disaster | Royal Museums Greenwich". www.rmg.co.uk. Retrieved 11 November 2024.