An unexpected effect of the change of calendar in 1752

Abstract

• IN 1752 in the backward country of Great Britain the calendar was eleven days out of phase with the sun. Midsummer Day (for the purpose of this article 22 June) fell on 11 June. That day could be described as 11/22 June. What happened in 1752 was that Britain caught up with the enlightened countries of Europe and adopted the Gregorian calendar which they had been using for two centuries. Consequently, the day after 2 September was 14 September (that is, 2/13 was followed by 3/14 September). The mob, however, feeling that this procedure savoured of black magic rioted and shouted 'Give us back our eleven days'.