Bank Holidays
Welcome to my blog! Today, we will be looking at why we have bank holidays. Enjoy!
Bank holidays were first introduced by a man named Sir John Lubbock who was a scientific writer, banker and politician, and the first Baron of Avebury. (He is also reported to have studied ants and tried to teach his poodle how to read!). In 1871, he drafted the Bank Holiday Bill. When it became law, he created the first official bank holidays. Initially, it was just banks and financial buildings that would close, which is where the name comes from. But as time went on, businesses, shops, schools and the government all joined in.
People don't have to take off a bank holiday if they don't want to - it all depends on their job contract.
Royalty can also add extra bank holidays whenever they want if they feel like it. For example, the millennium bank holiday on 31 December 1999 and the Golden Jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 were extra special days when many adults got an extra day off work.
Here is a list of all the English Bank holidays:
- New Year's Day
- Good Friday
- Easter Monday
- Early may Bank holiday
- Spring Bank Holiday
- Last Monday in August
- Christmas day
- Boxing day
Aren't we so lucky to have these days off!
#onesockdays
Sir Lubbock sounds like a man that was interested in many things , fancy trying to teach his poodle to read ! Glad he introduced Bank Holidays they are a good opportunity for family's to spend time together.
ReplyDeleteI worked for the government and used to get the Queens birthday off and half a day for Maundy Thursday. Very interesting.
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