The Time Britain Skipped 11 Days

Everyone has had the experience of losing a few hours, whether it’s being engrossed in an activity, taking a nap, or from an alcoholic-fueled bender, but what about 11 whole days? That’s precisely what happened in Great Britain in 1752 when, via an act of Parliament, they did the unthinkable in timekeeping—they skipped 11 days straight!

A Calendar Conundrum

For over 600 years, England had been ringing in the New Year not on January 1st but on March 25th – Lady Day. This day wasn’t just a random pick; it was tied to the Feast of the Annunciation, marking Gabriel’s announcement to Mary about the birth of Christ. This date had its practical reasons, too, aligning neatly with agricultural cycles.

But in 1750, England decided to align with the rest of the world, adopting January 1st as the start of the year, just as Scotland had done 150 years earlier. This switch to the Gregorian Calendar (already in use elsewhere) meant saying goodbye to the Julian Calendar, which had been around since 46 B.C.!

The 11 Lost Days

Here’s where things get really interesting. The Julian Calendar had a tiny error in calculating the solar year, causing a slip of a day every 128 years. By 1752, this error added up, and Britain found itself 11 days behind Europe. To fix this, Parliament decided to skip 11 days! Imagine going to bed on September 2nd and waking up on September 14th! That’s exactly what happened in 1752 for Great Britain and her colonies.

Riot or Myth?

This abrupt shift led to a popular myth that there were widespread riots, with people demanding their 11 days back. However, most historians now agree that the so-called “calendar riots” were more fiction than fact. Sure, there was some grumbling and confusion, especially with shifting religious holidays (Christmas briefly fell on January 6th!), and some folks even worried this change shortened their lives!

The Impact on Dates

This calendar shift had some quirky consequences. For instance, George Washington’s birthday changed from February 11, 1731, to February 22, 1732! Although he wasn’t opposed to celebrating on both dates. Researchers often find dual dating in records from this period, marked as “1731/32.”

Art Reflecting Myth

The myth of the “calendar riots” was popularized by William Hogarth’s 1755 painting “An Election Entertainment.” This artwork, humorously depicting election day antics, featured a banner reading “Give us our Eleven Days” and is believed to be the primary source of this riot myth.

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