Broadening out from London, some other interesting (hopefully) stuff about Britain.

• What are the Cinque Ports and how many are there?
• Bank Holidays
• Slang Names for British Currency

What are the Cinque Ports and how many are there?

The Cinque Ports (literally the five ports) is a  traditional confederation of English Channel ports in southeast England, formed during the 11th. Century to furnish ships and men for the King's service. Of the original five ports - Hastings, New Romney, Hythe, Dover, and Sandwich there were later added the "ancient towns" of Winchelsea and Rye with the privileges of "head ports". More than 30 other towns in the then counties of Kent and Sussex were also attached to the head ports.

Until the 14th. Century the Cinque Ports provided the permanent nucleus of the royal fleet. They were probably first associated in the reign of Edward the Confessor (1042-66) for the defence of the coast and the cross-Channel passage. After the Norman Conquest of 1066, their importance grew and, in return for ship service their privileges were increased to reach their zenith in the 13th. and 14th. Centuries.

They were first jointly granted liberties by charter in 1278. After the 14th. Century they lost their monopoly or sea power, and, although they continued to contribute to the navy, this function was unimportant by the time of the threat of invasion from the fleet known as the Spanish Armada in 1588.

Their decline was accelerated by the changing (sea-encroached or silted-up) coastline, and today only Dover remains an important port.

The highest officer of the Cinque Ports is the lord warden, who is also constable of Dover Castle and has Walmer Castle as his official residence. The Court of Admiralty of the Cinque Ports holds a jurisdiction from Shore Beacon on the north side of the Thames Estuary in Essex to Redcliff, near Seaford in Sussex.

In 1940 the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, became Lord Warden. During his many wartime journeys Churchill travelled incognito as 'Colonel Warden'. On Churchill's death in 1965 Sir Robert Menzies, the Prime Minister of Australia followed as Lord Warden. He was succeeded on his death by Admiral of the Fleet Lord Mountbatten. When that famous sailor was murdered in 1979, the title of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports was conferred on the Queen Mother.

Bank Holidays

Holidays in England and Wales fall in to three categories: "Common Law" (or "Public") holidays; "Statutory" (or "Bank") holidays; and "Holidays by Royal proclamation".

The "Common Law" holidays are Good Friday and Christmas day. If Christmas day falls on a weekend, it is observed on the following Monday.

The "Statutory" (or "Bank") holidays are Easter Monday, the last Monday in May, the last Monday in August, and Boxing Day. If Boxing Day falls on a weekend, it is observed on the following Monday, unless Christmas also falls on a weekend, in which case Boxing Day is observed on the following Tuesday.

Holidays designated by Royal proclamation are New Year's day (since 1974) and the first Monday in May (since 1978). When New Year's day has fallen on a weekend, the Queen has traditionally designated the following Monday as a proclaimed holiday.

It is commonly accepted (but inaccurate) English usage to refer to all eight of these days as "Bank holidays". To my knowledge, no one has yet tested this wording in court with respect to service level agreements, maintenance contracts, delivery notices, consulting agreements, and so forth.

Note also that under UK employment law, there is no *statutory* right for an employee to take holiday or to receive compensation for a holiday. The awarding of paid holidays is established in the terms of employment between an employee and his or her employer.

Slang names for British Currency

A "bob" was one shilling. Although the currency unit was lost in 1971, the phrase, "that will cost you a few bob" is still used. Some of the slang for the 10s coin was transferred to 50p coin, as in "cows". Other slang terms are listed in the table below.