We didn’t always do this. Between 1916 and 1925, Britain tried double summer time during WWII. That meant clocks were two hours ahead in winter.
It caused chaos. Farmers hated it. School children had to walk to class in pitch-black mornings. The milkmen went on strike.
Why do the clocks go back? What British Summer Time is for and when it
Today, the debate rages on. Some want permanent summer time. Others want to stay on Greenwich Mean Time forever. The sun can’t decide either.
The Scottish Problem
Here’s a juicy detail: Scotland hates the clock change. Why? Because in winter, the sun doesn’t rise until 9:30 AM in the far north.
If we kept summer time all year, Scottish kids would go to school in total darkness. That’s terrifying and dangerous. So, we keep changing the clocks to balance things.
In summer, the sun sets after 10 PM in the Shetland Islands. You can play cricket at midnight. It’s magical but bizarre.
