More than three million households in the UK are estimated to have taken part in the ‘Lights Out’ event, remembering the night Britain entered the First World War a century ago.
The figures have been released by 14-18 NOW, organisers of ‘Lights Out’ and the Centenary cultural programme.
Director Jenny Waldman said: “I would like to thank all those who took part and helped to make it such a moving and fitting tribute to those who gave their lives in WW1.”
People were invited to display a candle or only a single light on the night of August 4th 2014 recalling the words of Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey on the eve of war: ‘The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit again in our life-time.’
As well as the millions who joined joined in at home, 14-18 NOW says 1,000 ‘Lights Out’ events were registered across the UK.
On social media, #LightsOut has had over 368 million impressions, received over 143,000 tweets, and was trending in the UK throughout the hour leading up to 11pm, the moment Britain declared war on August 4th 1914.
Landmark buildings in British cities were darkened including the Houses of Parliament, where only the clock face of Big Ben stayed lit.
In Liverpool, an image of a candle was projected onto the Royal Liver Building on the city’s waterfront.
A single light illuminated Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire.
More than 46,000 tweets and images have been uploaded onto the 14-18 NOW website.
Source: 14-18 NOW
Images: Peter Alhadeff, Centenary News
Posted by: Peter Alhadeff, Centenary News