Collection LCC/PC/PET - PUBLIC CONTROL DEPARTMENT: STORAGE OF PETROLEUM, CELLULOID AND EXPLOSIVES

Identity area

Reference code

LCC/PC/PET

Title

PUBLIC CONTROL DEPARTMENT: STORAGE OF PETROLEUM, CELLULOID AND EXPLOSIVES

Date(s)

  • 1872-1960 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

0.78 linear metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The term 'public control', as used in the Council's organisation, embraced various services of a regulative character, mostly exercised by some form of licensing control. Largely unobtrusive in their operation, and producing no spectacular effects, they were all carried out in the public interest and, in some respects, for the protection of the public or certain sections of it.

Their administration was conditioned by trends in the legislative provisions under which they were operated, by shifts and changes in social usages, and by the development of the Council's policies towards the matters to which they related.

The Council was the authority responsible for the grant of licences to cover the safe keeping of petroleum spirit, petroleum mixture, and carbide of calcium, which is used to produce acetylene. Leaking petrol tanks were located and the leakage stopped before accident could occur. Disused tanks were rendered safe from danger of fire and explosion, and the Council kept records of all disused tanks remaining in the ground.

In addition the Council exercised powers over the storage of inflammable liquids and dangerous businesses such as varnish making, oil boiling and wax polish manufacture. The Council was an authority under the Explosives Acts, but the statutory requirements relating to safety distances made large stores of explosives impractical in London. The Council was principally concerned with the registration and inspection of shops where fireworks were stored.

Duties of control and registration of highly flammable celluloid stores were given to the Council in 1915. Between the two world wars very large stocks of cinematograph film were stored in London, mostly in the Wardour Street area, where film renters' premises were situated. The Council's celluloid inspector had to ensure that the safety precautions laid down in the Act were properly observed. The quantity of celluloid and nitro-cellulose cinematograph film in the county became greatly reduced, and by 1963 there were only about 60 stores registered. The films stored were mostly of historic interest or were used to print safer stock from the original nitro-cellulose films.

Archival history

LCC/PC/PET 1872-1960 Collection 0.78 linear metres LCC , London County Council x London County Council

The term 'public control', as used in the Council's organisation, embraced various services of a regulative character, mostly exercised by some form of licensing control. Largely unobtrusive in their operation, and producing no spectacular effects, they were all carried out in the public interest and, in some respects, for the protection of the public or certain sections of it.

Their administration was conditioned by trends in the legislative provisions under which they were operated, by shifts and changes in social usages, and by the development of the Council's policies towards the matters to which they related.

The Council was the authority responsible for the grant of licences to cover the safe keeping of petroleum spirit, petroleum mixture, and carbide of calcium, which is used to produce acetylene. Leaking petrol tanks were located and the leakage stopped before accident could occur. Disused tanks were rendered safe from danger of fire and explosion, and the Council kept records of all disused tanks remaining in the ground.

In addition the Council exercised powers over the storage of inflammable liquids and dangerous businesses such as varnish making, oil boiling and wax polish manufacture. The Council was an authority under the Explosives Acts, but the statutory requirements relating to safety distances made large stores of explosives impractical in London. The Council was principally concerned with the registration and inspection of shops where fireworks were stored.

Duties of control and registration of highly flammable celluloid stores were given to the Council in 1915. Between the two world wars very large stocks of cinematograph film were stored in London, mostly in the Wardour Street area, where film renters' premises were situated. The Council's celluloid inspector had to ensure that the safety precautions laid down in the Act were properly observed. The quantity of celluloid and nitro-cellulose cinematograph film in the county became greatly reduced, and by 1963 there were only about 60 stores registered. The films stored were mostly of historic interest or were used to print safer stock from the original nitro-cellulose films.

Acquired with the records of its parent body, the London County Council.

Records of the London County Council Public Control Department relating to the storage of petroleum, celluloid and explosives, 1872-1960, including correspondence with the Home Office as to necessity for an amendment of the Petroleum Acts; report of the Select Committee of the House of Lords on the Petroleum Bill; the London County Council (Celluloid, etc.) Act, 1915 and Code of Practice; report of the Departmental Committee on Celluloid; suggested Legislation for control of storage of manufactured celluloid articles; conferences at the Home Office on adequacy of existing celluloid law; increase in size of cine reels; projectors; Celluloid Storage Committee papers and report; pamphlets and abstracts concerning celluloid; wartime measures for celluloid storage; notices regarding manufactured celluloid articles; fires involving celluloid; Explosives Registers and street index to premises registered for storage of explosives.

LCC/PC/PET/01: General files; LCC/PC/PET/02: Explosives registers; LCC/PC/PET/03: Reports.

Available for general access.

Copyright: City of London
English

Fit

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

For further information on the history of the LCC please see Achievement: A Short History of the London County Council by W Eric Jackson (1965), LMA Library reference 18.0 1965, The London County Council 1938, LMA Library reference 18.7 SER 4, and The Youngest County: A description of London as a county and its public services, 1951, LMA Library reference 18.0 1951.

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. April to June 2009 Demography Registration Information media Film media Management Business management Business practice and regulation Regulation Law Legislation Fuels Petroleum Safety Safety measures Fire prevention Dangerous materials Explosives LCC , London County Council x London County Council Public Control Department , London County Council Home Office London England UK Western Europe Europe

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Acquired with the records of its parent body, the London County Council.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the London County Council Public Control Department relating to the storage of petroleum, celluloid and explosives, 1872-1960, including correspondence with the Home Office as to necessity for an amendment of the Petroleum Acts; report of the Select Committee of the House of Lords on the Petroleum Bill; the London County Council (Celluloid, etc.) Act, 1915 and Code of Practice; report of the Departmental Committee on Celluloid; suggested Legislation for control of storage of manufactured celluloid articles; conferences at the Home Office on adequacy of existing celluloid law; increase in size of cine reels; projectors; Celluloid Storage Committee papers and report; pamphlets and abstracts concerning celluloid; wartime measures for celluloid storage; notices regarding manufactured celluloid articles; fires involving celluloid; Explosives Registers and street index to premises registered for storage of explosives.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

LCC/PC/PET/01: General files; LCC/PC/PET/02: Explosives registers; LCC/PC/PET/03: Reports.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Available for general access.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright: City of London

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area