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Petroleum Act 1862
Act of Parliament
Long title An Act to provide for the Safe-keeping of Petroleum.
Citation 25 & 26 Vict. c. 66
Territorial extent  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Dates
Royal assent 29 July 1862
Commencement 1 October 1862
Repealed 1871
Other legislation
Amended by Petroleum Act 1868
Repealed by Petroleum Act 1871
Status: Repealed

The Petroleum Act 1862 was an important law passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Its main goal was to make sure that petroleum, also known as oil, was kept safely. This was because petroleum could easily catch fire and cause explosions.

Why This Law Was Needed

Large amounts of petroleum started to be produced in the United States in 1859. This happened when oil wells were drilled in Pennsylvania. Within just two years, petroleum was being brought into the UK. By 1862, about 9 million gallons (over 40,000 cubic metres) of petroleum oil were imported from the United States.

People became worried about how this new oil was being stored. They were concerned about the risk of fires and explosions. Because of these dangers, the UK decided to create its very first law about petroleum safety in 1862.

What the Petroleum Act 1862 Did

The Petroleum Act 1862 officially became law on 29 July 1862. The law stated that it was important "to provide for the safe-keeping of petroleum and certain products thereof that are dangerous to life and property." This meant that the law aimed to protect people and their belongings from petroleum, which could give off flammable (easy-to-burn) fumes at low temperatures.

Key Rules of the Act

The Act had several important rules to keep everyone safe:

  • What is Petroleum? The law defined petroleum as any oil that gave off flammable fumes below 100°F (37.8°C).
  • Storing Petroleum Safely: You couldn't store more than 40 gallons (about 182 litres) of petroleum. This amount also couldn't be kept within 50 yards (about 46 metres) of a house or a building used for storing goods. To do so, you needed a special permit called a licence.
  • Getting a Licence: Local authorities were in charge of giving out these licences. If someone was refused a licence, they could ask the Secretary of State to review the decision.
  • Penalties for Breaking Rules: There were fines and other punishments for people who didn't follow the rules in England, Ireland, and Scotland.
  • Searching for Petroleum: The law also allowed for searches to make sure petroleum was being stored correctly.

What Happened After the Act

After the law was passed, local councils put out advertisements in newspapers. These ads told people who kept petroleum about the new rules and what would happen if they didn't follow them. For example, the Metropolitan Board of Works placed ads in the London Daily News in October 1862. Traders who had obtained a licence also put out ads to let people know.

The demand for petroleum kept growing. Most of the oil trade was in London and Liverpool. By 1869, it was estimated that London alone stored about 780,000 gallons (over 3,500 cubic metres) of petroleum.

However, the original Petroleum Act 1862 wasn't perfect. A special group in Parliament, called the Parliamentary Committee on Fire Protection, was set up in 1867. They looked into how to protect people and property from fires. They found that the 1862 Act wasn't working as well as it should. One of their suggestions was to update the law. This led to the creation of the Petroleum Act 1868, which made changes to the earlier law.

Finally, the Petroleum Act 1862 was replaced by a newer and more complete law, the Petroleum Act 1871.

See also

  • Petroleum Act
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