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Bank holiday and British Summer Time history

 

Bank holidays were first introduced by the Bank Holidays Act of 1871, which designated four holidays in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five in Scotland. These were Easter Monday, the first Monday in August, the 26th December, and Whit Monday (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and New Year's Day, Good Friday, the first Monday in May, the first Monday in August, and Christmas Day (Scotland). In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, both Christmas Day and Good Friday were traditional days of rest and Christian worship (as were Sundays) and did not need to be included in the Act.

Two additional days were subsequently appointed in Northern Ireland: St Patrick's Day (17 March) by a special Act of Parliament in 1903 and 12 July (Anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690), by the Governor of Northern Ireland in 1926.

The 1871 Act was repealed 100 years later and its provisions incorporated into the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, which remains the statutory basis for bank holidays. The following changes were introduced both then and subsequently:

  • 1971 - Whit Monday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (which could fall anywhere between 11 May and 14 June) was formally replaced by a fixed spring holiday on the last Monday in May. The last Monday in August was formally made a bank holiday in place of the first Monday in August in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In both cases, this followed a trial period of the new arrangements between 1965 and 1970

  • 1973 - 2 January was created an additional bank holiday in Scotland by the 1971 Act. However, the provision did not come into effect until 1973.

  • 1974 - New Year's Day became an additional bank holiday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and Boxing Day became an additional bank holiday in Scotland.

  • 1978 - the first Monday in May in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the last Monday in May in Scotland, became additional bank holidays.

Bank holidays designated since the 1971 Act are appointed each year by Royal Proclamation. The Anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne bank holiday is proclaimed annually by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

British Summer Time

For 2006-2010 inclusive, the summer-time periods begin and end respectively on the following dates at 1.00am Greenwich Mean Time:

  • in 2006: the Sundays of 26 March and 29 October
  • in 2007: the Sundays of 25 March and 28 October
  • in 2008: the Sundays of 30 March and 26 October
  • in 2009: the Sundays of 29 March and 25 October
  • in 2010: the Sundays of 28 March and 31 October
  • in 2011: the Sundays of 27 March and 30 October

Since 1981 EC Directives have prescribed the start and end dates of summer time in all Member States. There have to date been eight Directives which have set summer-time arrangements for fixed periods. The Summer Time Act 1972 sets the appropriate dates in the UK and summer-time orders have been made as necessary to implement the European Directives. The 9th EC Directive prescribes the start and end dates of summer time as the last Sundays in March and October respectively. These dates are in line with those already operating in the United Kingdom. The 9th Directive provides that these start and end dates should apply indefinitely.

Implementation of the 9th Directive in the UK is through an Order in Council under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972, which amended the relevant sections of the Summer Time Act 1972. The Order came into force on 11 March 2002.

Proposals have been made from time to time about changing the UK's time zone to Central European Time. However, any changes would need to have full regard to the effect on business and transport links with other countries, on health and safety issues such as road traffic accidents, and on social and community life. Although there could be some advantages, adoption of Central European Time in the UK would result in later sunrise in winter, affecting particularly outdoor workers and people in the north of England and Scotland.

There are no current plans to change the UK’s time zone.

 

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