In fact, post-industrial Britain was actually enjoying bank holidays a whole nine years before France, which created its first national holiday (Bastille Day) in 1880. Although, of course ...

When it comes to bank holidays, the month of May is where it's at. May contains two bank holidays for all four nations of the UK. The first is known ... “May Day in Britain springs from much ...

Up until 1971 it always took place on the first Monday of August ... and banker Sir John Lubbock who authored the Bank Holidays Act of 1871, which made these four public holidays official.