Top 10 Places to Visit in London

London has so many great places to see. These are the ones I would recommend:

1. Take a ride on the London Eye
   The big wheel which gives you a panoramic view of London
2. Changing of the guard
   Buckingham Palace and Whitehall. I prefer Whitehall as you can get closer to the guards.
3. See a Musical – They’re amazing
4. Tower of London and Tower Bridge
   Home to the Crown Jewels, the Tower of London is over a thousand years old.
5. Hamleys
   The worlds biggest toy store
6. Shop at Picadilly Circus
   Follow this link to watch a video
7. Covent Garden
   Street entertainment, shopping and nightlife
8. British Museum
   Best museum for history – See the Rosetta Stone
9. Madam Tussauds
   Wax models of the famous
10. Take a trip down the Thames to Greenwich
    See many sites along the river. Greenwich is the home of Greenwich Mean Time

Have you been to London? wht was your favourite place to visit?

Further information

Facts and information about London

Essential Information (Practicalities)

What to See in London – many more attractions

British Summer Time is here

Did you move all your clocks and watches forwards one hour? In the early hours of Sunday 29 March, the UK moved from Greenwich Mean Time to British Summer Time. We will now have an extra hour of daylight in the evening.

Britain will remain on British Summer Time from the end of March to the end of October.

Time difference between the UK and other countries

• Sydney, Australia is now 10 hours ahead
• Japan is now 8 hours ahead
• Thailand is now 6 hours ahead
• France is now 1 hour ahead
• New York, USA is now 5 hours behind
• Los Angeles, USA is 8 hours behind

Further reading
When do the clocks change in the UK includes why we change our clocks
When do other countries change their clock?
Day Length What is day length? Day Lengths in the UK
Day Length around the World How does latitude effect Day Length?

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England celebrates St. George

For many year England’s National Day, St George’s Day on 23 April, has passed by with only small pockets of celebration and little acknowledgement of the day. A survey by the Government agency revealed that 82 per cent of the public know that St George’s Day falls on 23 April, but fewer than 20 per cent of the population actually celebrates the occasion.

This year, London’s Mayor Boris Johnson, has said “St. George’s Day has been ignored in London for far too long. We have much to be proud of in this great country, England has given so much to the world, politically, socially and artistically. St. George’s Day is a time to celebrate the very best of everything English and the Cross of St George will proudly fly outside City Hall on 23rd April.”

London will be celebrating St. George’s Day with a week long celebration on English culture starting with traditional English events such as Morris Dancing, Maypole dancing, Punch and Judy show at the V&A Museum of Childhood. For information on other events visit our St George’s Day events in 2009 page.

A new national song for England, reflecting English customs, ideas and creativity in contemporary times will be given its first airing on St George’s Day. At present, England’s official national song is the British National anthem.

This year, St George’s Day falls on a working day and so many English people will be going to work as normal. Unlike other countries, including Ireland, England’s national day is not a public holiday.

How to celebrate St. George’s Day

1. Wear a red rose for England  in your jacket lapel. As the national flower of England, the rose is a symbol of patriotic pride


2. Read the “Legend of St. George and the Dragon”


3. Fly the flag of St. George. Many official buildings will fly the flag on St. George’s Day


4. Attend on the many St. George’s Day events taking place throughout England


5. Go a pub crawl and support the English pubs, which are under a threat from closure.


6. Eat fish & chips, England’s favourite take away meal.

Where and how will you be celebrating St George’s Day 2009?
Please leave a comment below

Further reading
St George’s Day
St George’s Day events in 2009
National Song of England
Celebrating the UK National Days
The Legend of St. George and the Dragon
The Real St George
What is England Famous for?
Symbols of England
Questions about St George
Why can’t we write about England?
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Carling Sunday 29 March 2009

Email from a visitor

I am trying to find some information on “Carling Sunday” As a boy in the North East I recall eating Carlings the Sunday before Palm Sunday. Do you have any nformation regarding this – tradition, would appreciate some info. It may be contected to Caring Sunday – a German celebration to appreciate Mothers!
Regards – Excellent website.
Bob Nesbitt

Carling Sunday, in the North East of England, is traditionally the fifth Sunday in Lent, a week later than Mothering Sunday. This year it will fall on 29 March 2009

It is custom on this day to eat fried peas or carlings. “The origin of eating fried peas on Carling Sunday, seems to be wrapped in complete obscurity but local tradition, however, gives a possible origin to this old and still prevailing custom. A famine was raging in Newcastle and a ship laden with food foundered on the north east coast, losing its cargo of peas. This was washed up and greatly appreciated by the communities, so the custom was perpetuated in commemoration of that event. The carlings are soaked overnight in water, boiled well then fried in butter and served with vinegar and bread and butter. “
(Information from the Bishop Auckland Discovery Centre)

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Have you spotted the new British coins in circulation?

Seven of the United Kingdom’s coins – 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p and £1 coins – have new innovative designs on the reverse and are now in circulation alongside original designs. Have you spotted any of the new coins?

The coins, when put together, create parts of the Shield of the Royal Arms.

1p shows part of the harp or Ireland and a lion’s head from England
2p Rampant lion representing Scotland
5p mixture of all parts of the shield
10p Two Lions representing England
20p back end of a lion representing England
50p Harp representing Ireland and two lions representing England
£1 shows the complete Shield of the Royal Arms
(Wales is not represented on the shield. find out why here)

The £2 coin remains unchanged.

Follow this link to learn more about British money

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Line of Succession to the British Throne

Line of succession to the British throne could be changed to make it fair to women and Roman Catholics. Downing Street (the home of the UK Prime Minister) has today confirmed that there are plans to discuss the changes to rule of succession with Buckingham Palace. At present, the succession to the British throne is regulated by the 1701 Act of Settlement and discriminates against women and Roman Catholics.

Women
A woman can only become Britain’s head of state if she has no brothers (like the present Queen) or after every other male option has been exhausted. The latter applies to the Queen’s second-born child, Princess Anne, the Princess Royal who has to take her place in the line of succession after her younger brothers Andrew, Duke of York and Edward, Earl of Wessex. If the Act was changed to give royal daughters equal rights, Princess Anne would become fourth in line, behind Prince Harry. Currently she comes after the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex, and their children. Follow this link to find out more

A poll for the BBC today showed 89% of people in favour of women having an equal right to inherit the throne.

Roman Catholics
The Act of Settlement of 1701 states that only Protestant descendants of Princess Sophia – the Electress of Hanover and and granddaughter of King James I – are eligible to succeed. Roman Catholics or those married to Roman Catholics are automatically excluded.

A poll for the BBC today showed 81% of people in favour of the law being changed to allow the heir to the throne to marry a Catholic.

Changing the law of succession is not as easy as you think
In England, the monarch is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, the established church after Henry VIII broke from Rome in the 1530s. The monarch is also known as the “defender of the faith”, ironically a papal title awarded to Henry VIII shortly before his break with Rome.

Is it time for the monarch not to be Supreme Governor of the Church of England but instead to have a more neutral relationship with all faiths? Living in the 21st Century, we expect discrimination to be removed. Prince Charles, the next in line to the throne, is known to be keen to modernise the monarchy and has spoken about being a “defender of faiths” rather than Supreme Governor of the Church of England and “defender of the faith”. So watch this space, it looks likely changes to the succession will mostly like happen.

Does Britain want to become a republic?
The BBC asked whether, after the end of the reign of the current Queen, Britain should continue with the monarchy, or become a republic. Of those questioned, 76% said they would want Britain to keep the monarchy, against 18 per cent who said they would favour a republic. Some 6% said they did not know.

Who will be the next UK Monarch?
A question we are often asked is who would be the new King or Queen if Prince Charles would not survive his mother. Many people think that the throne in that case would pass on to Prince Andrew. Not true, the next in line to the throne is Prince William.
Follow this link to find out more about the line of Succession

PM and Palace ‘discussed reform’ BBC News

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500th Anniverary of Henry VIII’s Accession to the Throne

2009 is the 500 year anniversary of King Henry VIII’s accession to the throne. He was proclaimed king on 22 April 1509 and crowned king on 24 June 1509. Henry VIII is famous for, among other things, his six marriages and dismantling 1000 years of religion to create a national church for his country

There are many events taking place around England to celebrate the event.
http://tudorhistory.org/files/henry500.html

Highlights include:

‘Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill,’ from 3 April to 17 January 2010 at The Tower of London

8 Apr 09-18 Apr 10. A special exhibition to mark 500 years since Henry VIII’s accession to the throne – Windsor Castle

On Saturday 20 June 2009, King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon depart from the Tower of London, accompanied by a flotilla of traditional oared craft, to arrive at Hampton court for 3pm for feasting fun and games.

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National Song for England

The BBC has teamed up with Arts Council England to create a modern national song for England. Unlike the other countries in Britain, England does not have an official national song, other than the British National Anthem, which represents the whole of the UK.

Ireland, Scotland and Wales have definitive anthems which reflect their respective countries.

• Ireland – Amhrán Na bhFiann (The Soldier’s Song)
• Scotland – Flower of Scotland and Scotland the Brave
• Wales – Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land Of My Fathers)

The British National Anthem is not wholly English as it incorporates all the countries that make up the United Kingdom, so why not an anthem that is singularly English.

The new anthem for England is the work of Sam Dunkley, a folk musician, who has written the music and lyrics after talking to the old and young about England. The new song is ‘intended to reflect English customs, ideas and creativity in contemporary times’, and will be given its first airing on St George’s Day (England’s National Day).

However, does England need a new song when it already has its own traditional and patriotic songs? Up until now many people have wanted the official anthem of England to be either William Blake’s Jerusalem or Edward Elgar’s Land of Hope and Glory, (sung before England’s Rugby matches). Would it not be better to stick with a more traditional song?

I personally feel it is great we can celebrate Englishness. (England is the only country in Britain not to have its own national song and parliament.) The new song for England, is part of a wider programme of events about Englishness under the banner ‘Made In England’ that are scheduled to talk place on and around St George’s Day.
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Lady Day & Waffles

Lady Day, 25 March is the British name for the Christian festival of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. Until 1752 it was the beginning of the new year in England, and it is still a quarter day (date for the payment of quarterly rates or dues).

In Sweden, the 25 March is Waffle Day, or Våffeldagen. It traditionally falls , and heralds the beginning of Spring. It is a Swedish custom to welcome the season change by serving waffles all day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Clocks change Spring 2009

In the UK we all change our clocks and watches by one hour, twice a year. The next time this will happen is on Sunday 29 March 2009 when we will add an hour and go onto what is called British Summer Time.

We’ve been changing our clocks forwards and backwards in the UK since 1916. William Willett, a businessman and keen horse-rider – first proposed the idea of British Summer Time in 1907 in a pamphlet entitled ‘The Waste of Daylight’. Willett had noticed that the summer mornings light was wasted while people slept, and that the time would be better utilised in the afternoon by putting the clocks forward. After campaigning for years the British Government finally adopted the system a year after Willett’s death.

When do other countries change their clocks?
European Union – Most countries change their clocks on the last Sundays of March and October.
North America and most of Canada on the second Sunday in March and the first Sunday in November.
Egypt, Namibia and Tunisia are the only African countries who observe daylight saving.
New Zealand and parts of Australia are the only countries in Oceania that currently put their clocks forwards and backwards.

Please let us know when you change your clocks.

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Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race

The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race takes place on Sunday 29 March 2009 and has been described by some as the world’s longest surviving sporting challenge. It is an annual event, which takes place on the River Thames in London, between students from these the Oxford and Cambridge universities.

Set to begin at 15:40 on the 29 March 2009 BST, the 155th boat race will run from near Putney Road Bridge and conclude a few yards downstream from Chiswick road bridge. Click here to see a map of the route

The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race has a history dating back to 1829 and was the brainchild of friends Charles Wordsworth – nephew of poet William and a student at Oxford – and Charles Merivale – who attended Cambridge. Charles set a boating challenge to his friend, which resulted in the birth of a tradition which continues today, over 170 years after the first race.

Oxford won the grueling 4.25 mile race in 2008 for the third time in five years – though overall, Cambridge current leads with 79 victories to Oxford’s 74.

Official website
http://www.theboatrace.org/

Mother’s Day around the World

Mother’s Day is celebrated at different times of the year in countries around the world. Most countries celebrate Mother’s Day in May.

We have created a new page on our website about when Mother’s Day is celebrated in different countries. Many of our visitors have shared how they celebrate Mother’s Day.

www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/mothers/

Please leave a comment to tell us how and when you celebrate Mother’s Day in your country.

Mother’s Day in the UK
www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/easter/mothers.htm

Mother’s Day or Mothering Sunday – join the discussion

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Team GB Football team

Team GB is the Great Britain and Northern Ireland Olympic Team. It is the UK team consisting of athletes from the nations of the UK (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England). The UK participates as a single country in most sports except, from 1972, the world’s oldest and most popular – football. (There was a Team GB team represented at the Olypmics from from 1908 to 1972)

It was announced today that a Team GB football squad will take part in the London 2012 Olympics. It may seem strange, but this announcement to enter a Team GB football has caused a row even though the team could include players from all four UK nations Why?

Some people think that having Scottish, Welsh, or English footballers in ‘Team GB’ might jeopardise each nations separate status. All three have their own football teams representing their country. If they merge, some people are concerned that these national teams will disappear.

“Mr Sutcliffe (sports minister) said football’s international ruling body FIFA had given written assurances that a UK side in 2012 would not affect the national teams.” Press Association

Personally, I feel a Team GB football team is a great idea as it would consist of the best players from each of the nations. However, I do not agree with an all English Team GB. If UK team is to be enter then it must represent all nations in the UK.

“A UK football team will take part in the London 2012 Olympics even if it consists entirely of English players, says sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe”

England is not Team GB in the same way that England is neither Great Britain nor the United Kingdom.

Links
BBC News report on the announcement

The difference between England, Britain and the UK

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Daylight Saving Time

I’m in Toronto, Canada and your site was very helpful in finding out when the time changes in England. We moved our clocks forward last night (2.00 a.m. March 8). You were the first site in my Google search! Thank you. Now you know how many hour apart we are – it is usually 5, but we won’t be 5 hours different until you change your clocks at the end of March.

 

In the UK, we add an hour, and go onto what is called British Summer Time, on the last Sunday in March.

British Summer Time (BST) begins at 1am on Sunday 29 March 2009

Since 1996, all member states of the European Union change their clocks on the same date and at the time. Summer time is now in force from the last Sunday in March until the last Sunday in October.

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