The lamps are going out facts for kids
On the night before the United Kingdom joined World War I, a very important British leader named Sir Edward Grey said something famous. He was the Foreign Secretary, which means he was in charge of how Britain dealt with other countries. He told a friend, "The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time." This powerful statement was first written down in Grey's own memories in 1925. Many people thought it perfectly described the start of the First World War. It also showed how much the war would change the world and its cultures forever.
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Where Did the Famous Quote Come From?
Sir Edward Grey's Own Words
Sir Edward Grey wrote about his famous quote in his book called Twenty-Five Years 1892–1916. He remembered saying it on August 3, 1914. He was standing by a window in his office at the Foreign Office. It was getting dark outside, and the street lamps were just starting to turn on. He recalled telling his friend:
A friend came to see me on one of the evenings of the last week — he thinks it was on Monday, August 3rd. We were standing at a window of my room in the Foreign Office. It was getting dusk, and the lamps were being lit in the space below on which we were looking. My friend recalls that I remarked on this with the words: "The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time."
The Friend Who Heard It
In 1927, a man named John Alfred Spender said he was the friend Grey was talking about. Spender was an editor for a newspaper called the Westminster Gazette. He remembered meeting Grey twice during the "twelve days" before the war started. He saw Grey again late in the evening on August 3, 1914. They were looking out the window at the sunset over St. James's Park. As the first lights came on along the Mall, Grey said those memorable words to him.
How the Quote Is Used Today
Remembering World War I
Sir Edward Grey's quote has been used many times to sum up the start of World War I. It helps people understand how serious and sad the war was. A German writer named Ludwig Reiners even wrote a book about the war called The lamps went out in Europe. This shows how important Grey's words became.
Modern Commemorations
In 2014, the United Kingdom remembered 100 years since World War I began. Grey's words were a big part of this special event. On August 4, 2014, between 10 and 11 at night, many lights were turned down. This happened in public places and in people's homes. Lights were also slowly dimmed during a special service at Westminster Abbey. It was a way to remember the "lamps going out" at the start of the war.
Winston Churchill's Speech
Years later, on October 16, 1938, Winston Churchill gave a famous speech. He called it "The Defence of Freedom and Peace (The Lights are Going Out)." In his speech, he used a similar idea to Grey's. He said, "The stations of uncensored expression are closing down; the lights are going out; but there is still time for those to whom freedom and parliamentary government mean something, to consult together." Churchill was talking about the dangers facing freedom in Europe before World War II.
