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Bank Holidays | Celebrating the traditional British day off
About this collection
Bank and public holidays are essential breathing spaces within the working year and welcome breaks from the treadmill of routine. Non-religious days off were introduced in 1871, and were later widened to include Easter and Christmas.
This collection looks back at how people have spent these days off, and reveals how some features remain constant (traffic and ice cream) while others have fallen out of favour (May Queens and Easter bonnets). However, one thing remains consistent throughout - the determination to have a good time.
Features
- Gridlock: Bank Holiday Hell
Gridlock: Bank Holiday Hell
Nick Ross presents a jam-busters' guide to beating the holiday traffic.
- News: Holiday Crowds Ignore Recession
- News: 1952 Gets a Noisy Welcome
- Bank Holiday Fair
Bank Holiday Fair
Remembering the magic and excitement of the Hampton Court fairground.
Bank Holidays Collection
- Programmes (25)
- Documents (3)
Flashback
London August Bank Holiday
A BBC news crew spend the day with holidaymakers around London.
News
A March Easter
A rainy Easter weekend appears not to have dampened the spirits of the nation.
News
Holiday Weekend: The Lighter Side
Festivals of light welcome bank holiday makers.
News
August Bank Holiday
Fun, frolics and some wacky ways to spend the August bank holiday.
News
Christmas Comes But Once a Year
The last bank holiday of the year is greeted with gusto.
News
1952 Gets a Noisy Welcome
Wild celebrations for a weekend New Year's Eve.
News
Bank Holiday Round-up
From deckchairs to funfairs, a round up of bank holiday activities across the country.
News
No-Passport Trip to Boulogne
Adventurous travellers venture out on an exotic, passport-free day trip to France.
Children's Newsreel
Easter Monday Walk
Girls and boys parade and race at Easter.
News
Easter Traffic
The great Easter getaway begins and traffic problems commence.
Panorama
Bank Holidays
Just how bad will the bank holiday traffic be 20 years from now - in 1984?
News
Holiday Crowds Ignore Recession
Holidaymakers defy the credit squeeze.
Nationwide
Southend Holiday
A pun-filled report on a bank holiday weekend in 'the Cockney Costa del Sol'.
Scarborough Bank Holiday
How the day went on a warm May bank holiday by the sea.
News
Britain's first Official May Day Bank Holiday
The new holiday is met with disgruntlement and half-heartedness.
Nationwide
Scarva
The annual 'Sham Battle' celebrations take place in Northern Ireland.
Bank Holiday Fair
Remembering the magic and excitement of the Hampton Court fairground.
South East at Six
Carnival Preparations
Notting Hill Carnival: 'it's a get-together thing'.
News
Notting Hill Carnival
A colourful children's procession takes place at the carnival.
Regional News
St Patrick's Day
Shamrocks and Mass feature on this regional bank holiday.
Gridlock: Bank Holiday Hell
Nick Ross presents a jam-busters' guide to beating the holiday traffic.
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