<P> The present - day concept of the relatively longer ' week - end ' first arose in the industrial north of Britain in the early part of nineteenth century and was originally a voluntary arrangement between factory owners and workers allowing Saturday afternoon off from 2pm in agreement that staff would be available for work sober and refreshed on Monday morning . The Oxford English Dictionary traces the first use of the term weekend to the British magazine Notes and Queries in 1879 . </P>
<P> The present - day concept of the relatively longer ' week - end ' first arose in the industrial north of Britain in the early part of nineteenth century and was originally a voluntary arrangement between factory owners and workers allowing Saturday afternoon off from 2pm in agreement that staff would be available for work sober and refreshed on Monday morning . The Oxford English Dictionary traces the first use of the term weekend to the British magazine Notes and Queries in 1879 . </P>
when did the 5 day working week start
when did the 5 day working week start
early part of nineteenth century
early part of nineteenth century