The clocks go back on Sunday, gloomily marking the official end of British Summer Time and the start of the dark and dreary seasons. But whilst I’m sure you’re all well aware that daylight savings is a thing, what you may not be quite so clued up on is how and why it actually came to be. So, make yourselves comfy, folks – because it’s time for a Secret London history lesson.
We actually have a Londoner to thank for the statutory law of Daylight Saving Time. William Willett was a builder from Chislehurst who was taking a summer morning horseback ride through Petts Wood back in 1905 and noticed just how many homes had their curtains drawn. It occurred to him that it might make sense to move the clocks forward before each summer began to create an extra hour of time for recreational opportunities. In 1907, Willett created a pamphlet, campaigning for the idea of advancing time in the spring and reversing it back in the autumn. Not only would this give folk an extra hour in the morning to enjoy throughout the summer, it would also lower lighting costs.
Daylight Saving Time around the world
Plenty of people got on board with the idea, including the likes of Winston Churchill and Arthur Conan Doyle. But whilst Willett wanted to incrementally adjust the time twice a year, it was Conan Doyle that suggested moving it by a single hour. Their bill was unfortunately defeated a fair few times in the years following. But Willett was clearly a very determined chap, as he continued campaigning across the UK, Europe, and even America until he sadly died of influenza in 1915.
Just a year later, the act was finally accepted due to the fact that Britain was running rather low on coal during World War I. Those in charge realised that Willett was perhaps onto something and that changing the time would mean less need for coal. Germany was the first country to pass the official Daylight saving Time bill. They did so on April 30, 1916, Britain followed swiftly after on May 17, and the rest is history, really.
Approximately 70 countries across the globe now observe daylight saving – all thanks to a Londoner. Who’d have thought it? William Willett is honoured in his local area in the form of a pub called The Daylight Inn, a plaque on his former home, and a memorial sundial in Petts Wood – the very place it all started.
