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5 myths about the clocks going back and the facts behind them

Part of Other Side of the Story

A teal coloured alarm clock surrounded by pumpkins

When do the clocks go back?

The clocks moved back one hour on Sunday 27th October, marking the annual move from British Summer Time (BST) back to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

It鈥檚 a very old tradition, dating back to 1916, but over the years, and especially in recent times on social media, there have been numerous myths and rumours surrounding the reasons why.

Does it make mornings darker? Is it only done in the UK? And What on earth does it have to do with Coldplay鈥檚 Chris Martin?

A teal coloured alarm clock surrounded by pumpkins

Myths about the clocks going back

1. The clocks going back makes mornings darker - FALSE
A tweet claiming that the clocks going back will lead to darker mornings.

It actually does the opposite! The days get shorter and darker in the Winter, so when we turn the clocks back, we don鈥檛 have to wait as long for the daylight in the morning.

2. Clocks used to go two hours ahead of GMT instead of one - TRUE
A tweet saying that in Summer during World War 2 clocks went 2 hours ahead - Known as British Double Summer Time

While this may sound absurd, it鈥檚 actually true. During World War Two, Britain created British Double Summer Time.

This meant that, during spring, clocks moved two hours ahead of GMT as opposed to one.

This began in 1941 and ended in 1945, though it did make a brief reappearance in the summer of 1947 due to severe fuel shortages. By extending daylight hours in the evening, it meant less fuel needed to be used on lighting during the day.

3. Daylight saving only happens in the UK - FALSE
A tweet complaining about changing the clocks forward/back on the basis no other countries do it.

There are actually 70 countries across the world who use clock changes, including New Zealand, Paraguay, all 27 EU countries, and the USA (though not in Hawaii and most of Arizona).

4. Daylight saving was proposed in the UK by Chris Martin's great-great-grandfather - TRUE
A tweet about the fact that daylight saving time 'invented' daylight saving time

In the UK, the first serious proposal about Daylight Saving Time came in 1907 from builder William Willet鈥 who also happens to be the great-great-grandfather of Coldplay frontman Chris Martin!

5. We change our clocks because of farmers - FALSE
A tweet blaming farmers for the changing of the clocks
A farmer walking through a field to a tractor at sunset

While this is a widely spread idea about the reason for the clocks changing, it鈥檚 actually false.

William Willet put forward the suggestion of moving the clocks forward during summertime (before being returned to normal in the winter) as a way to avoid the waste of additional daylight in the evenings.

The act was passed in British parliament (shortly after being passed in Germany) during World War One, as a way to conserve energy by taking advantage of the increased daylight.

A farmer walking through a field to a tractor at sunset
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