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Civil aviation

A 1930s poster advertising Imperial Airways, which developed air routes across the world.

A 1930s poster advertising Imperial Airways, which developed air routes across the world.
©TopFoto

In 1919, Cabinet excluded civil aviation from the terms of the Ways and Communications Bill, and ended any prospect of nationalisation. Civil aviation was legally sanctioned and regulated by the Air Navigation Act of 1919. The sector developed independently of government control and consisted of small, undercapitalised companies.

Related documents

Imperial Airways and interwar developments

Ministry of Ways and Communications. 19 February 1919 (PDF, 2.505MB)

Ministry of Ways and Communications. Note by General Seely. 14 February 1919 (PDF, 0.244MB)

Air Navigation Bill. 24 April 1920 (PDF, 32.796MB)

Subsidies to Civil Aviation. 29 Jul 1920 (PDF, 2.202MB)

Civil Aviation. 7 May 1920 (PDF, 4.379MB)

Civil Aviation. Proposed Subsidy to Aerial Transport Companies. November 1920 (PDF, 2.858MB)

Civil Air Transport. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Air. November 1923 (PDF, 0.463MB)

The Future of British Commercial Air Transport. 25 January 1928 (PDF, 3.301MB)

Committee on the Future of British Air Transport. Report. 23 December 1927 (PDF, 1.804MB)

Report of Committee set up to Consider Development of Civil Aviation in the United Kingdom. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Air. 20 January 1937 (PDF, 4.784MB)

Report of Committee set up to Consider Development of Civil Aviation in the United Kingdom. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Air. 2 February 1937 (PDF, 0.689MB)

The Establishment of a Civil Air Licensing Authority in the United Kingdom. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Air. 10 December 1937 (PDF, 0.396MB)

Report of Committee of Inquiry into Civil Aviation. Note by the Minister for Co-ordination of Defence. 8 March 1938 (PDF, 15.980MB)

Imperial Airways and British Airways. Memorandum by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Air. 3 November 1938 (PDF, 0.590MB)

Post-war regulation and growth

Civil Aviation Policy. Memorandum by the Minister of Civil Aviation.12 October 1945 (PDF, 0.648MB)

Civil Aviation Policy. Report by the Chairman. 24 October 1945 (PDF, 1.709MB)

Civil Aviation. 26 October 1945 (PDF, 1.476MB)

Civil Aviation. 18 March 1946 (PDF, 2.220MB)

Progress of Civil Aviation under the Present Administration. Memorandum by the Minister of Civil Aviation. 27 January 1950 (PDF, )

Civil Aviation. 27 May 1952 (PDF, 0.961MB)

Civil Air Transport. Note by the Secretary. 26 May 1952 (PDF, 0.411MB)

Co-existence of public, mixed and private sectors

Civil Aviation Policy. Note by the President of the Board of Trade. 3 November 1969 (PDF, 7.652MB)

Civil Aviation Policy. 19 March 1970 (PDF, 2.608MB)

The Second Force Airline. 30 July 1970 (PDF, 2.820MB)

The 'Second Force' Airline. Memorandum by the President of the Board of Trade. 29 July 1970 (PDF, 0.958MB)

Policy Guidance to the Civil Aviation Authority: Draft White Paper. Note by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. 17 February 1972 (PDF, 3.018MB)

Development of airports

Aerodromes in the United Kingdom. 1 July 1947 (PDF, 1.411MB)

Aerodromes in the United Kingdom. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs. 28 May 1947 (PDF, 4.599MB)

Civil Aviation. 13 June 1961 (PDF, 2.129MB)

Civil Aviation. 27 July 1961 (PDF, 1.158MB)

Civil Aerodromes: White Paper. Memorandum by the Minister of Aviation. 21 July 1961 (PDF, 1.346MB)

Gatwick Airport. Memorandum by the Minister of Civil Aviation. 22 July 1952 (PDF, 0.660MB)

Gatwick Airport. Memorandum by the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation. 14 June 1955 (PDF, 0.486MB)

Gatwick Airport. Memorandum by the Secretary of State for Air. 14 June 1955 (PDF, 0.408MB)

Search using Imperial Airways Civil Aviation Authority Civil Aviation Authority

Further reading

Endres, G.G., British Civil Aviation (London: Ian Allen, 1985)
Aldcroft, D.H., British Transport since 1914: an Economic History (Newton Abbot: David and Charles, 1975)
Aldcroft, D.H., Studies in British Transport History, 1870-1970 (Newton Abbot: David and Charles, 1974)

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