Records of the Coal Utilisation Council

Records of the Coal Utilisation Council relating to the promotion of the better use of coal are in COAL 20

• Coal Utilisation Council, 1932-1939
• Coal Utilisation Council, 1951-1972
• Coal Utilisation Joint Council, 1939-1951

Topics

Coal

The Coal Utilisation Council was founded in 1932 to promote the better use of coal. This involved both the improvement of standard domestic heating, and more economical heating by the wider and more efficient use of coal and smokeless solid fuels. The council was a national organisation which was supported by the producers and distributors of solid fuels and by the manufacturers and distributors of heating and cooking appliances which used them.

The Coal Utilisation Council was fully representative of the coal and solid fuel appliance industries. It consisted of a president and representatives of various interested bodies, including at different times the Mining Association of Great Britain, the National Council of Coal Traders, the Coal Merchants' Federation of Great Britain, the British Coal Exporters' Federation, the Chamber of Coal Traders, the Co-operative Union Ltd., the British Ironfounders' Association and the National Coal Board. Its finances were drawn largely from the National Coal Board, from coal and coke merchants and from suppliers of coal burning appliances.

The council had a number of committees, including a finance committee, a technical and education committee and a management committee, in addition to which there were also local committees, sixteen in number in 1938-1939. It produced a journal for some years and also market research reports. Between 1939 and 1951 it was known as the Coal Utilisation Joint Council, but then reverted to its earlier title. The Coal Utilisation Council was wound up in December 1972 with its work being taken over by the Solid Fuel Advisory Service in January 1973.