There's No Time Like The Present
Or is there...? Back in 1752 something rather spooky happened. The Gregorian calendar was introduced - and people lost 11 days - September 3rd to 13th inclusive. Mobs gathered in London demanding the 11 days back. The old Julian calendar, set up by Julius Caesar had become increasingly out of kilter with the seasons, (a bit like me archiving my weblog every month), and the Government decided to switch to the more accurate Gregorian calendar used in Europe, (and it'll be The Euro and no more £'s, eh?). Pope Greg, (1502 - 1585), but actually pope from 1572 until his death, introduced the new calendar in 1582 in Europe. He also founded the idea of having proper cemeteries as well. What a guy.
Because it was named after Pope Gregory XIII, the new system was thought to be a Catholic plot. In the City of London, bankers objected to the confusion caused by the change and the next time their taxes were due - on March 25th - they refused to pay. Instead they paid 11 days later, on April 5th, which is still a crucial marker in the tax year in the UK.
I wonder if.........
- employers deducted 11 days pay from that months salary?
- All endurance records occurring over the month of September had to be discounted from 'Ye Olde Guinessy Booke Of Recordes' ?
- anybody with a birthday between Sept 3rd - Sept 13th 1752, couldn't get a birth certificate? Of course, they wouldn't have been able to get their driver's license later in life either...;)
- that was the Chinese year of 'the schmuck' ?
- all electrical goods got 11 days taken off their guarantees........and......
- anything bought between those dates couldn't be guaranteed, because those days didn't exist?
- early September weddings had to be re-done?
(...oh - if you wonder anything yourself......please keep the list growing). But I think the most important think I wonder about deleting 11 days off the calendar is does this explain why year on year the tax office becomes slower and slower in letting you know you have a tax rebate coming to you?
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