Time Travellers: Historic Clocks Adjusted for Brighter Evenings at Kingston Lacy
As the nation gears up to welcome longer days with the clocks springing forward, a dedicated team of volunteers at a magnificent 17th-century country house has been meticulously tending to a collection of historic timepieces. This annual ritual, a subtle nod to the impending arrival of British Summer Time (BST), ensures that even the most venerable of clocks are aligned with the modern world.
Kingston Lacy, a Grade I-listed mansion nestled near Wimborne Minster in Dorset, boasts an impressive inventory of antique timekeeping devices. Among its treasures is the remarkable ‘eight day’ Tavern clock, a testament to craftsmanship from 1780. Created by clockmaker John Hardy, this particular piece is a rare survivor, a stark contrast to many of its less reliable contemporaries. It stands proudly in the Servants Hall, a space that echoes the grandeur of the property’s original construction around 1663.
The volunteers’ careful work extends beyond the Tavern clock. They have also painstakingly set a smaller, yet equally fascinating, ‘repeater’ clock. This intricate device, dating back to 1688 and crafted by the 17th-century horologist Francis Raynsford, has a unique mechanism: its cord is pulled to prompt it to strike the preceding hour. This elegant clock resides in the Spanish Room, a space that has witnessed centuries of history within the manor, which was home to the esteemed Bankes family for over 300 years. Today, this magnificent estate is under the stewardship of the National Trust.
The transition from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to British Summer Time (BST) occurs annually at 1am GMT on the last Sunday of March. This shift effectively moves the nation’s time zone forward by one hour, a practice also known as Daylight Saving Time. The core principle is to transfer an hour of natural daylight from the early morning to the evening, resulting in later sunrises and sunsets.
The Dawn of British Summer Time
The concept of adjusting clocks to make better use of daylight isn’t a new one. The idea was first formally proposed in 1907 by William Willett, a builder from Surrey, in a pamphlet titled “The Waste of Daylight.” Legend has it that Mr. Willett’s inspiration struck during his early morning horse rides, when he observed many people still asleep despite the sun being well and truly up. He advocated for a system of moving clocks forward by four 20-minute increments throughout April.
Willett’s proposal, championed by the great-great-grandfather of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, eventually gained traction. However, its implementation was significantly delayed by the outbreak of World War I. It wasn’t until 1916 that the Summer Time Act was finally introduced, stipulating that between spring and autumn, legal time would be set one hour ahead of GMT. This measure was particularly crucial during WWI, as the nation sought to conserve coal by maximising the use of natural daylight.
Evolution of British Timekeeping
Since its initial introduction in 1916, the British time zone has undergone further adjustments. During World War II, a period of “British Double Summer Time” was implemented between 1939 and 1945. This meant that clocks were advanced by two hours during the summer months, while winter clocks remained one hour ahead of GMT, a strategy aimed at boosting productivity in a time of national crisis.
A more significant, albeit temporary, shift occurred between 1968 and 1971 when former Prime Minister Harold Wilson trialled “British Standard Time.” During this period, clocks were advanced permanently, without the subsequent return to GMT in the autumn. This controversial move was eventually overruled following a free vote in the House of Commons, paving the way for the familiar system of clock changes we observe today.
The arrival of BST signifies the official start of lighter evenings, a welcome change for many. As the days lengthen, the countdown to the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, begins in earnest. By June, the UK can expect to bask in over 16 hours of daylight daily, with sunrises occurring before 5 am and sunsets stretching past 9 pm, a testament to the enduring legacy of an idea conceived over a century ago.
