Bank Holiday ... long weekend

Here in the UK we have a three day Bank Holiday Weekend, and for many school children it also means it's the late May half term week. Yippee do I hear some say ... no more getting up for school, a break from the homework, (unless you have exams), no longer worrying about what to put in school lunch boxes … a more relaxed time ... perhaps enjoy some beautiful late spring flowers !

image from here

Talking of Bank Holidays - do you know their origin? Read more to find out ...

Most of us love Bank Holidays, as for the large majority of us, it means time off work. So who do we have to thank for extra days relaxing at home or seeing friends and family? Where do bank holidays originate from? Well the clue is in the name, let us guide you through the history of bank holidays.

The History of Bank Holidays in the UK
In 1871 the first law was passed to introduce bank holidays by politician and banker Sir John Lubbock. Under the Bank Holidays Act 1871 “no person was compelled to make any payment or to do any act upon a bank holiday which he would not be compelled to do or make on Christmas Day or Good Friday, and the making of a payment or the doing of an act on the following day was equivalent to doing it on the holiday.” 

What does this mean? It means thanks to Sir John Lubbock, a liberal in his time, we got more days off work! Before 1871, we only had 4 holidays: Christmas Day, 1st May (May Day), 1st November (All Saint’s Day) and Good Friday.

In England in 1871, Easter Monday, Whitsunday, first Monday in August and Boxing Day/St. Stephen’s Day became bank holidays.

Scotland & Ireland
Scotland was treated differently because of different traditions, for example at the time, New Year was a more important holiday there. So in 1871, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, first Monday in May, first Monday in August and Christmas Day became Bank Holidays in Scotland.

In 1903, the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act added 17th March, Saint Patrick’s Day, as a bank holiday, but only for Ireland.

Christmas & New Year’s Day
In England, we had to wait until 1974 for New Year’s Day to become a Bank Holiday. Can you believe it was as late as the 1970’s? Good Friday and Christmas Day were already recognised as holidays in England, Wales and Ireland. In fact they had been customary holidays since before records began.

Comparison To Europe
In the UK the number of Bank Holidays is relatively small compared to other European countries. However it all balances out because in most European countries if their Bank Holiday falls on a weekend, it does not differ to a weekday. This then makes the difference marginal between the UK and other European countries.
Read more about Bank Holidays here and here

For those in the USA it's your Memorial Day Weekend, more details here

If you may be looking for a tasty bank holiday meal, how about:-

Honey Roast Chicken

see the recipe details here

Dear reader, this blog offers a wide variety of articles and recipe ideas, but not all may be suitable for you. Always take account of your personal circumstances, needs, illnesses and medication you may be taking. Any allergies, or underlying health issues must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan