Poem ~ London Lights Out - Tuesday, 6 October 1914

The Secretary of State of the Home Department,

Empowered under the Defence of the Realm Act,

1914, regulation 7a, issued an order in regard,

To the following war provisions – Sections of lights

In all brightly lit bridges, squares and London streets,

Will be extinguished – to break groups of lights.

Those remaining switched on should be made lower,

Or made darkened from above - either by shading,

Or painting over upper parts of light bulbs – but if fog

Prevails, normal street lighting will then be resumed.

The order goes on to say that illumination of all kinds,

Used in shop fronts and advertising - as in sky signs,

Or lettering, are to be extinguished. Any intense lights

From within shop fronts are also to be reduced.

For night illuminations of tall buildings, the windows

Will need to be shrouded; although moderate lights,

Made at irregular intervals can be left uncovered.

Any large roof lit spaces should also be reduced,

To either a minimum glow or be completely covered.

All lamps along the waterfronts are to be darkened,

As far as possible, in preventing water reflections.

In street markets or anywhere else, collective flares,

Are all to be prohibited from any kind of usage.

The instructions include an emergency clause.

The rule, via Police Commissioner or Admiralty,

To extinguish lights in any sudden need will be done,

With immediate effect - the orders given apply

Between the hours of sunrise and sunset.

Such rules for the district of the Metropolitan Police,

And city of London will start from October 1^st, to be

Enforced For one month, as said by the Metropolis

Commissioner of Police, by the name of E.R. Henry.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1914. Lights in London – New Police Notice. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 6 Oct. p.6. Col.3. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11137100/Daily-Telegraph-October-6-1914.html [Accessed: 6th October 2014].

Mann, J., 2014. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 6 October 2014). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11137100/Daily-Telegraph-October-6-1914.html

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