Person    | Male  Born 10/8/1856  Died 4/3/1915

William Willett

Categories: Property, Social Welfare

Property developer. Born Farnham. Died at home in Chislehurst. Conceived the idea of Daylight Saving in 1905 and lobbied for it until his death. It was taken up by Parliament but failed to become law, until the need to save coal during WW1 made it necessary.

Royal Museums Greenwich produced the document ‘Walking the Willett Way’ to accompany their exhibition on British Summer Time: “William Willett, together with his father (also William, 1837–1913) were house-builders by trade, and were responsible for developing several streets of high-class houses near Sloane Square for the landowner, the Earl of Cadogan. The Willetts carried out a wholesale redevelopment of the area in the 1880s and 1890s. . . . Above number 7 Lower Sloane Street, now the Head Office of Hamptons, you can see the original ‘Willett’ sign on the stone fascia, and inside Hamptons, if you ask nicely, you may be able to see an original 1920s bronze portrait bust of William Willett, lent by Colchester Museums.“

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
William Willett

Commemorated ati

William Willett - Chislehurst

William Willett, 1856 - 1915, noted house builder and initiator of British Su...

Read More

William Willett - W3

Hamptons International, the estate agents, occupy William Willett’s former es...

Read More

Other Subjects

Hughes Mansions

Hughes Mansions

Flats built in honour of Judge Thomas Hughes. On 27 March 1945 part of the building was destroyed by the last V2 rocket to hit London (another one fell on Orpington, Kent on the same date), killing...

Building, Property, Tragedy

2 memorials
New Delhi

New Delhi

Capital city of India. It succeeded Calcutta as the capital of the country. The foundation stone of the city was laid by George V, Emperor of India during the Delhi Durbar of 1911. It was designed ...

Place, Property

1 memorial
James William Jerram

James William Jerram

James William Jerram was the second child of George Jerram (1834-1904) and Rachel Jerram née Young (1833-1901). He was born in Shirley, Hampshire, and his birth was registered in the 1st quarter of...

Person, Property

2 memorials
35 St Martin's Street

35 St Martin's Street

Three storey terrace house. Lived in by Isaac Newton 1710 - 1725, although he owned it until his death in 1727. When it was demolished the panelling of the front parlour was reconstructed as the Is...

Building, Literature, Property

1 memorial
Clissold Park and House

Clissold Park and House

Built as Paradise House, or Newington Park House, in the late 1700s for Jonathan Hoare. William Crawshay (1764 – 1834) bought it in 1811. He objected to his daughter's choice of a husband so it was...

Place, Gardens / Agriculture, Property

2 memorials

Previously viewed

J. Bolton

J. Bolton

Coaching Department

Person

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Johnny Morton

Johnny Morton

Member of Eton Manor Boys Club who died in WW2 on active service.

Person

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Frederick Field-Richards

Frederick Field-Richards

Priest. Born Hackney, the eldest son of Frederick Richards and grandson of Anne Richards.  Arrived in Newlyn in 1869 as a lay helper. Through his efforts the bridge and east window to St Peter's Ch...

Person, Religion

1 memorial