Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
Bank holiday - origin
English answer:
Bank Holidays Act 1871
Added to glossary by
Peter Coles
Feb 12, 2003 15:16
22 yrs ago
19 viewers *
English term
*****
Bank holiday
Non-PRO
English
Other
What's the etymologyÓ of the collocation? What does "Bank" stand for here? Does it actually refer to some bank or anything from economic realm or...?
Responses
| 5 +5 | Bank Holidays Act 1871 |
Peter Coles
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| 4 +5 | bank |
Mary Worby
|
| 5 | Bank holiday |
Empty Whiskey Glass
|
| 4 | Bank Holiday |
jerrie
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| 4 | one of legal holidays |
Nikita Kobrin
|
Responses
+5
11 mins
Selected
Bank Holidays Act 1871
The origins of this term are an act of the British parliament passed to reflect days when the Bank of England was closed and so other citizens could not be obligated to carry out financial transactions.
Before the year 1834, the Bank of England was closed on certain saints’ days and anniversaries, about thirty-three days in all. In 1834 these were reduced to four—Good Friday, 1st of May, 1st of November and Christmas Day. By the act of 1871, carried through the House of Commons by Sir J. Lubbock (afterwards Lord Avebury), the following were constituted bank holidays in England and Ireland—Easter Tvlonday, the Monday in Whitsun week, the first Monday of August, the 26th of December if a week-day; and by the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act 1903, March I7th as a special bank holiday for Ireland (see FEASTS AND FESTIVALS). In Scotland—New Year’s Day, Christmas Day, Good Friday, the 1st Monday of May, the 1st Monday of August. If Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on a Sunday, the next Monday following is the bank holiday. No person is 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 is equivalent to doing it on the holiday. By the same act it was made lawful for the sovereign from time to time, as it should seem fit, to appoint by proclamation, in the same manner as public fasts or days of public thanksgiving, any day to be observed as a bank holiday throughout the United Kingdom or any part of it, or to substitute another day when in any special case it appears inexpedient to the sovereign in council to keep the usual bank holiday.
Before the year 1834, the Bank of England was closed on certain saints’ days and anniversaries, about thirty-three days in all. In 1834 these were reduced to four—Good Friday, 1st of May, 1st of November and Christmas Day. By the act of 1871, carried through the House of Commons by Sir J. Lubbock (afterwards Lord Avebury), the following were constituted bank holidays in England and Ireland—Easter Tvlonday, the Monday in Whitsun week, the first Monday of August, the 26th of December if a week-day; and by the Bank Holiday (Ireland) Act 1903, March I7th as a special bank holiday for Ireland (see FEASTS AND FESTIVALS). In Scotland—New Year’s Day, Christmas Day, Good Friday, the 1st Monday of May, the 1st Monday of August. If Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on a Sunday, the next Monday following is the bank holiday. No person is 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 is equivalent to doing it on the holiday. By the same act it was made lawful for the sovereign from time to time, as it should seem fit, to appoint by proclamation, in the same manner as public fasts or days of public thanksgiving, any day to be observed as a bank holiday throughout the United Kingdom or any part of it, or to substitute another day when in any special case it appears inexpedient to the sovereign in council to keep the usual bank holiday.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Great!
Thank you all."
+5
4 mins
Mary Worby
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
&
English
United Kingdom
Friendly, reliable and accurate!
Native in: English 
Works in: German to English, French to English, English
Related KudoZ points
:
164
bank
Literally, bank holidays were the days when the banks were closed. Nothing mysterious!
HTH
Mary
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Note added at 2003-02-12 15:28:14 (GMT)
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Definition of bank holidays:
bank holiday
n.
A day on which banks are legally closed.
Chiefly British. A legal holiday when banks are ordered to remain closed.
So it would appear that, at least in Britain, the term originated because the banks were not allowed to open on these public holidays ...
HTH
Mary
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Note added at 2003-02-12 15:28:14 (GMT)
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Definition of bank holidays:
bank holiday
n.
A day on which banks are legally closed.
Chiefly British. A legal holiday when banks are ordered to remain closed.
So it would appear that, at least in Britain, the term originated because the banks were not allowed to open on these public holidays ...
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Enza Longo
4 mins
|
| agree |
Norbert Hermann
: not including Sundays :-)
4 mins
|
| agree |
John Bowden
6 mins
|
| agree |
zebung
7 mins
|
| neutral |
Peter Coles
: The origins of the word reflect special days when the Bank of England was closed. Other banks could open, but for many years chose not to do so.
11 mins
|
| agree |
scripka
4 hrs
|
7 mins
Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday means a day which is a Bank Holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 in the locality in which the works in question are situated.
It is a public holiday (everybody off work! - unless you choose/volunteer to go in/or get double time in lieu) when all the banks are closed
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Note added at 2003-02-12 15:27:18 (GMT)
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Bank Holidays in 2002
The Bank Holidays Act of 1871 introduced four designated holidays in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five in Scotland. For England, Wales and Northern Ireland these were Easter Monday, the first Monday in August, the 26th December, and Whit Monday. For Scotland these were New Year\'s Day, Good Friday, the first Monday in May, the first Monday in August, and Christmas Day. Both Christmas Day and Good Friday were traditional days of rest and Christian worship in England, Wales and Northern Ireland so they did not need to be included in the Act. In Northern Ireland a special Act of Parliament in 1903 added St Patrick\'s Day on 17th March and the Governor of Northern Ireland added \'Anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690\' (Orangemen\'s Day) on 12 July in 1926.
Bank holidays designated since the 1971 Act are appointed each year by Royal Proclamation. The Anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne bank holiday is proclaimed annually by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The 1871 Act was repealed 100 years later and its provisions incorporated into the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, which remains the statutory basis for bank holidays. The dates of bank holidays in Scotland are set out in Schedule I to the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 which does not require banks, or any other employer, to close on bank holidays. In Scotland public or local holidays are determined by local authorities (based on local tradition, without any statutory authority) after consultation with local business interests, in keeping with the Government\'s policy to avoid unnecessary regulation.
It is a public holiday (everybody off work! - unless you choose/volunteer to go in/or get double time in lieu) when all the banks are closed
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2003-02-12 15:27:18 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Bank Holidays in 2002
The Bank Holidays Act of 1871 introduced four designated holidays in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five in Scotland. For England, Wales and Northern Ireland these were Easter Monday, the first Monday in August, the 26th December, and Whit Monday. For Scotland these were New Year\'s Day, Good Friday, the first Monday in May, the first Monday in August, and Christmas Day. Both Christmas Day and Good Friday were traditional days of rest and Christian worship in England, Wales and Northern Ireland so they did not need to be included in the Act. In Northern Ireland a special Act of Parliament in 1903 added St Patrick\'s Day on 17th March and the Governor of Northern Ireland added \'Anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne in 1690\' (Orangemen\'s Day) on 12 July in 1926.
Bank holidays designated since the 1971 Act are appointed each year by Royal Proclamation. The Anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne bank holiday is proclaimed annually by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The 1871 Act was repealed 100 years later and its provisions incorporated into the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, which remains the statutory basis for bank holidays. The dates of bank holidays in Scotland are set out in Schedule I to the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 which does not require banks, or any other employer, to close on bank holidays. In Scotland public or local holidays are determined by local authorities (based on local tradition, without any statutory authority) after consultation with local business interests, in keeping with the Government\'s policy to avoid unnecessary regulation.
7 mins
Nikita Kobrin
Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania
Translator/Journalist/Voiceover Pro
Native in: Russian (Variants: Standard-Ukraine, Standard-Russia, Standard-Latvia, Standard-Lithuania, Standard-Belarus)
Works in: English to Russian, Russian
Related KudoZ points
:
35
one of legal holidays
legal holiday
Date: 1867
: a holiday established by legal authority and marked by restrictions on work and transaction of official business
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Note added at 2003-02-12 15:32:55 (GMT)
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Another meaning:
Bank Holiday
The temporary closing of a bank in the event that its obligations exceed its resources.
From: InvestorWords
Date: 1867
: a holiday established by legal authority and marked by restrictions on work and transaction of official business
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Note added at 2003-02-12 15:32:55 (GMT)
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Another meaning:
Bank Holiday
The temporary closing of a bank in the event that its obligations exceed its resources.
From: InvestorWords
Reference:
16 hrs
Empty Whiskey Glass
Your language solution
Native in: Bulgarian 
Works in: Bulgarian, English to Bulgarian, Russian to Bulgarian, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
61
Bank holiday
An official public holiday (on a day other than Saturday and Sunday) when all banks and post offices are closed, as well as most factories, offices and shops.At present the following days are bank holidays in England and Wales: New Year's Day (or the first working days after it), Good Friday, Easter Monday, the first Monday in May (May Day Bank Holiday), the last Monday in May (spring bank holiday), the last Monday in August (summer bank holiday, often known as the August Bank Holiday), Christmas Day (or the Monday after it, if it falls on a Saturday or Sunday) and Boxing Day (or the next working day following Christmas Day). There are some other bank holidays in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
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