British factfile: Holidays in the UK

In Britain you can hear different words about the days when most people do not go to work and celebrate different traditions or simply relax. These days off are called common law holidays официальные праздничные дни, bank holidays _{нерабочие дни} and public holidays _{официальные нерабочие дни}. Why? What’s the difference?

We can find an explanation in history and law.

Before 1834 about thirty-three saints’ days and religious festivals were celebrated as holidays, but in 1834 only four were left: 1 May, 1 November, Good Friday _{Cтрастная пятница} and Christmas Day. The name “bank holidays” first appeared in 1871 in the Bank Holidays Act, which was introduced _введен by a politician Sir John Lubbock – a Liberal MP _{member of parliament – член парламента}. A banker, scientist and social reformer, Sir John Lubbock aimed to ease the life of the working class people when he suggested introducing days off, which were not religious holidays. As banks were closed, all people had a day off _{выходной}. English people were so thankful that they called the first Bank Holidays “St. Lubbock’s Days”.

After that, public holidays were renamed or added to the calendar of different UK countries in different years from 1903 to the present time.

Very often the two words – bank holidays and public holidays – are used interchangeably _{взаимозаменяемо} in everyday life, although legally there is a difference. Strictly speaking, bank holidays are holidays when banks and many other businesses are closed for the day. Public holidays are holidays, which have been celebrated for many years through custom _обычай and tradition. In fact, whether holidays are bank or public, is written in the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, which replaced the Bank Holidays Act 1871.

If a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, it is usually celebrated on the next working weekday, called “a substitute _{заменяющий} public holiday”. Extra bank holidays are created by Royal proclamation _{по королевскому объявлению}. For example, the wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Lady Diana Spencer on 29 July 1981, the Golden Jubilee of Elizabeth II on Monday, 3 June 2002 and the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton on 29 April 2011 were made extra bank holidays.