{"id":86,"date":"2021-10-22T17:52:44","date_gmt":"2021-10-22T15:52:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/?p=11848"},"modified":"2021-10-22T18:11:13","modified_gmt":"2021-10-22T16:11:13","slug":"daylight-saving-time-uk-when-do-the-clocks-change-and-why-do-we-change-them","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/daylight-saving-time-uk-when-do-the-clocks-change-and-why-do-we-change-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Daylight Saving Time UK: When do the clocks change and why do we change them?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Daniel Graham\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 22 October 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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As the nights grow longer and the 31st October approaches, we prepare to put the clocks back and regain our lost hour from spring. Here is our guide to daylight saving in the UK, looking at when and why the clocks change.<\/p>\n

Why do we change the clocks?<\/h3>\n

The policy was first introduced on 17th May 1916 in an attempt to save fuel, namely candles and coal, during World War One. Daylight Saving Time (DST) became permanent when\u00a0parliament passed the Summer Time Act, which became known as British Summer Time (BST).<\/p>\n

The campaign to use BST was first started in 1907 by a British builder called William Willett from Kent who wanted the country to make the most of the daylight hours in the summer months and save vital fuel. He wrote the pamphlet \u2018The Waste of Daylight\u2019 arguing the case for daylight saving time. Willett at first wanted the clocks to be changed by 20 minutes every Sunday in April and then reversed by 20 minutes on four Sundays in September, however this was revised to the simpler one-hour change that we know today.<\/p>\n

Sadly, Willett never lived to see the passing of the Summer Time Act as he died of influenza in 1915.<\/p>\n

Everyone appreciates the long light evenings. Everyone laments their shrinkage as the days grow shorter, and nearly everyone has given utterance to a regret that the clear bright light of early mornings, during Spring and Summer months, is so seldom seen or used.