What happen in September 1752

Introduction

September 1752 was a month unlike any other in the history of the English-speaking world. That year, 11 days were literally erased from the calendar in Britain and its colonies, causing confusion, resistance, and even rumored riots. This unusual event was the result of a long-overdue reform: the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, which replaced the outdated Julian calendar that had been in use since Roman times.

To understand what happened in September 1752, why it occurred, and how it impacted society, we need to delve deep into the historical, political, religious, and astronomical contexts of the time. This comprehensive article covers everything—from the origin of the Julian calendar to the Gregorian reform, and from public reactions to long-term consequences.

1. The Calendar Before 1752: Julian Origins

The calendar used in Britain before 1752 was the Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BCE. It was designed to match the solar year with a structure of 365 days and a leap year every four years, making an average year length of 365.25 days.

However, the actual solar year is about 365.2422 days, which means the Julian calendar drifted from the true solar time by about 11 minutes per year. This seemingly small error added up to one day every 128 years, and by the 16th century, the calendar was out of sync with the seasons by about 10 days.

2. The Gregorian Calendar Reform

To address the growing discrepancy, Pope Gregory XIII introduced a new calendar in 1582, known as the Gregorian calendar. The main changes were:

Drop 10 days from the calendar to realign it with the seasons.

Modify the leap year rules:

A year is a leap year if divisible by 4.

Except if divisible by 100, unless also divisible by 400.

This reform meant that while 1600 was a leap year, 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not, correcting the long-term drift.

Most Catholic countries adopted this change quickly, but Protestant and Orthodox nations resisted, seeing it as a papal imposition.

3. Britain’s Delayed Adoption

Britain, being a Protestant country, refused to adopt the Gregorian calendar for over 170 years. This led to growing issues:

Date discrepancies between British and European records.

Trade complications across nations using different calendars.

Astronomical confusion due to the shifting equinoxes.

By the 18th century, Britain was 11 days behind the rest of Europe, and it became clear that reform was necessary.

4. The Calendar Act of 1750

To address this, Parliament passed the Calendar (New Style) Act of 1750, which had two main components:

Switch to the Gregorian calendar.

Change the start of the legal new year from March 25 (Lady Day) to January 1.

These changes would take effect in 1752.

5. The Missing Days of September 1752

To synchronize the calendar, 11 days had to be dropped. The key implementation occurred in September 1752:

September 2, 1752 was followed by September 14, 1752.

Days from September 3 to 13 did not exist in Britain and its colonies.

This sudden jump was mandated across England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and British America (including what would later become the United States).

6. Public Reactions and Urban Legends

Fear and Confusion

People were understandably confused:

Some believed they had lost 11 days of their lives.

Workers feared lost wages.

Debtors and creditors were uncertain about payment schedules.

“Give Us Back Our Eleven Days!”

A popular myth claims that riots broke out, with people shouting "Give us back our eleven days!" However, historians have found little evidence of widespread violent protest. This phrase likely gained traction through the satirical painting by William Hogarth titled An Election Entertainment (1755), where it appeared on a banner.

7. Effects on Society and Business

Legal and Financial Implications

To avoid disputes, the Act specified how to handle legal documents and contracts:

Dates in documents before the calendar change were marked as “Old Style” (OS).

Dates after were marked as “New Style” (NS).

Many documents from that era contain both forms (e.g., February 11/22, 1751).

Taxation and Rents

Taxes and rents, often due quarterly, were adjusted to compensate for the missing days. For example, a quarter's rent was not reduced by 11 days, but the due date was shifted.

8. The Change of the New Year’s Day

Before the Act, the British new year legally began on March 25, known as Lady Day, which was linked to religious observances.

After the change:

The new legal year began on January 1.

Dates between January 1 and March 24 before 1752 can seem confusing—what we might call February 10, 1751, they might have called February 10, 1750 (OS).

9. The Broader Global Context

By the time Britain adopted the Gregorian calendar:

Catholic Europe had been using it since 1582.

Protestant Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands had adopted it by the early 1700s.

Sweden used a transition calendar before fully switching in 1753.

Russia didn’t switch until after the 1917 Revolution.

Greece switched as late as 1923.

Thus, Britain was relatively late but still ahead of some.

10. The Change in British America

The American colonies (which would become the U.S.) followed the change in 1752 along with Britain:

Benjamin Franklin, then a printer in Philadelphia, wrote humorously that those born between Sept 3–13 had “no birthday” that year.

The switch helped standardize records, almanacs, and cross-Atlantic trade.

11. The Impact on Religious Observances

Easter and other movable feasts had been misaligned for centuries under the Julian system. The Gregorian calendar restored their proper timing based on astronomical calculations tied to the vernal equinox.

The reform also allowed uniformity in Christian observances across much of Europe—though the Eastern Orthodox Church retained the Julian calendar for religious dates.

12. Long-Term Outcomes

Greater Synchronization

Unified dates across Europe enabled scientific collaboration, better navigation, and unified historical timelines.

Standardization of Recordkeeping

Historical and genealogical research became easier as record dates became consistent.

Reduction in Errors

The refined leap year rules reduced long-term seasonal drift.

13. Modern Legacy and Misunderstandings

Even today, people encounter the oddities of the 1752 change:

Old documents list two dates.

Historians must specify whether dates are OS or NS.

Software dealing with historical dates must account for the 11-day gap.

The myth of widespread riots still circulates, though scholars note a lack of credible evidence.

14. Timeline Summary

Year Event

45 BCE Julian calendar introduced by Julius Caesar

325 CE Council of Nicaea sets Easter rules

1582 Pope Gregory XIII introduces Gregorian calendar

1582–1700s Catholic countries adopt the new calendar

1750 British Parliament passes Calendar Reform Act

1752 Britain and colonies drop 11 days in September

1753+ Scandinavian and other Protestant nations follow

1918–1923 Eastern Europe adopts the Gregorian calendar

15. Conclusion

The changes in September 1752 were far more than a clerical adjustment—they were the culmination of centuries of misalignment, scientific progress, religious tension, and practical necessity. What seemed like a simple deletion of 11 days was in fact a profound transformation in how people across Britain and its colonies viewed time, history, and their place in the world.

Though it may have caused temporary confusion and anxiety, the reform brought long-term order and standardization that modern society continues to benefit from today.

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