RESIDENTS on England’s most patriotic estate have backed calls for St George’s Day to become a Bank Holiday.
A petition signed by 75,000 people is calling for Brits to get the day off on April 23 each year to celebrate all things English.
Credit: © The Sun
Credit: © The Sun
Credit: © The Sun
The campaign has now got the thumbs-up from residents on the Kirby Estate in Bermondsey, south east London.
Kirby is decorated with England flags and bunting all year round – along with a mural of its Lionesses namesake Fran Kirby.
Longtime resident Clive Boyton, 62, said a St George’s Day bank holiday would be a chance to showcase English hospitality.
He said: “People might have ideas about the estate from seeing the flags.”
“But we have every nationality you could think of here – Moroccans, Colombians, Ukrainians.”
“I have German family myself and I’ve lived and worked all around the world.”
“What I think is special about England from my travels is that we welcome everyone, we give everyone a chance to become English.”
“That’s why I like that we fly the St George’s flag and have the murals on the estate.”
“We’re proud of how people can come from anywhere and feel proudly English.”
“St George’s Day should be a Bank Holiday – it would a chance for different people to come together and celebrate.”
“I’m amazed it isn’t already a Bank Holiday, it should obviously be one.”
Another foreign-born estate resident named Brian also backed the calls – saying he is “proud to be English.”
Brian added that he would be glad for an extra day off – though he does not know what he’d do with it.
The campaign for the April 23 Bank Holiday started with a petition launched by east London pensioner John Kelly.
Who was St George?
ST GEORGE is the patron saint of England – but he was actually born more than 2,000 miles away.
George was born in the 3rd century AD in the Roman province of Cappadocia, which is now part of modern-day Turkey.
Given the modern Englishman’s love of Turkish kebabs, hair transplants and dentistry, it’s a fitting origin story.
George was a squaddie in the Roman army and was executed after bravely refusing to make a pagan sacrifice.
The story about George killing a dragon only started doing the rounds 500 years after his grisly end.
English people have been celebrating St George’s Day on April 23 since Saxon and Viking times.
Medieval kings like “Hammer of the Scots” Edward I and French-bashing Edward III made George a symbol of English courage.
In Shakespeare’s play Henry V, the war hero king tells his troops: “Cry God for Harry, England and St George!”
But we share our patron saint with Portugal, Ethiopia and the Italian cities of Venice and Genoa.
After all, as Kirby Estate man Clive Boyton says, anyone can be English if they want.
In the preamble to the petition, John writes: “St. George’s Day is an important day for English heritage and culture.”
“Yet it is not recognized as a national holiday in England. St. George has been the patron saint of England since the 14th century.”
“His emblem, a red cross on a white background, is incorporated into the Union Jack flag – representing unity among nations in the UK.”
“Recognising this day as a national holiday would provide an opportunity for people across England to celebrate their history.”
“It would also acknowledge their unique contribution to the United Kingdom.”
“We believe that it is time for England to celebrate its patron saint with a dedicated public holiday on St. George’s Day.”
Calls for St George’s Day bank holiday
St George’s Day takes place on what is believed to have been the legendary soldier’s death in 303AD.
While many countries mark their patron saint’s day with a national holiday unfortunately St George’s Day isn’t one in England.
Over the years there have been numerous calls to make St George’s Day a bank holiday in England.
On St George’s Day 2017, Jeremy Corbyn said that a Labour government would make all four British saints’ days into holidays for the whole UK.
While leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage also backed making St George’s Day a bank holiday.
St Patrick’s Day and St Andrew’s Day are already bank holidays in Ireland and Scotland respectively.
But England and Wales do not have a national holiday for their respective saints – St George and St David.
The Feast of St George takes place in Trafalgar Square, London, every year, filled with food, music, and market stalls.
April 23 is also recognised as the anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death.
Credit: © The Sun
Credit: © The Sun
Credit: © The Sun