RE: Ordnance Survey Copyright

From: GROVES Peter <PeterGROVES[_at_]bdb-law.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 9 Jan 2003 10:38:59 -0000

OS maps and other products are protected by Crown copyright, and under section 163 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 protection of literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works lasts for 125 years from making or 50 years from commercial publication if that takes place within 75 years after the work is made. Copyright in the typographical arrangement of a published edition lasts for the regular term i.e. 25 years, and other copyright (in sound recordings, broadcasts and films) likewise lasts for the regular term.  

Crown copyright is administered by Her Majesty's Stationery Office but responsibility is delegated to various government agencies and departments: so the OS deals with copyright in what it produces. There's a statement of their licensing policies on their web site www.ordsvy.gov.uk <http://www.ordsvy.gov.uk> . (And some nice wallpapers you can download.)  

On the face of it, there should be no copyright issues to worry about, but OS start from the simple proposition that if it's a map (of the UK, at least) it must be theirs, and because they keep updating them they take a far-reaching view of the extent of their IP portfolio. Nevertheless, it's hard to see how they could claim any rights over an 1861 reprint of a work first published in 1086.  

Peter Groves
Bircham Dyson Bell, 50 Broadway, London SW1H 0BL Direct line 020 7170 0327

-----Original Message-----
From: Kernow62[_at_]aol.com [mailto:Kernow62[_at_]aol.com] Sent: 08 January 2003 11:53
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: Ordnance Survey Copyright

I am quite familiar with traditional copyright terms in the UK, but what about Ordnance Survey copyrights?

Specifically the Ordnance Survey published a zincograph version of the Doomsday Book in 1861.

Jim Thompson
Belerion Books

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Received on Thu Jan 09 2003 - 10:41:19 GMT