Genealogy Chat

Just to point out, September was the seventh month, October the eighth, November the ninth and December the tenth month. The first three letters (or four for September) of these months relate to their position in the calender. Thank goodness they didn't swap months about or we'd all be in a right muddle!

JUST WATCH THIS PAGE!!!...............................I don't know the answer either :(, but shall endeavour to find out LOL I'm sure you are right though with regards to the calenders! Viv

I hope you dont mind Shelli, I have copied your missive for when I get back far enough for it to affect me. My family history programme allows for entries in both Julian and Gregorian callenders, and calculates ages accordingly. Thanks for taking the trouble to find it for us.

Bob no just to confuse us further they used the same months as we do, in same order but just numbered differently so January is the 10th month instead of 1st.... confused???? you soon will be LOL

Ok! Ok! I give in LOL (We are assuming that the months were entered as numbers and not words) Bob

have a look at this site is explains all about calendars...... http://webexhibits(.)org/calendars/year(.)html Margaret sorry I cheated!!! I googled becasue I knew the info but not the facts and always believe in backing what I say.... then I copied and pasted!!!

Shelli and Crista You type faster than me :-) Margaret

Sorry, Bob from Redditch, but it is right. Until 1752, England used the Julian Calendar where the year started on March 25th. Hence: September (sept is 7) October (8) December (10). After that date we use the Gregorian Calendar. If you search parish registers before 1752 you will see that the records for each year start on 25th March and end 24th. Very confusing when viewed for the first time. So, that child was 8 months old when he/she died. Margaret

have searched and found this.......... The Calendar act of 1751... In the year 1752 the British Parliament and King George II corrected several problems with the then current Julian calendar. The correction was first adopted by Pope Gregory XIII in October of 1582. However, adoption of the Gregorian Calendar outside of Catholic countries was delayed as Martin Luther (the original) had nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the door of his church on October 31, 1517. This started the Protestant Reformation, which was still ringing strong enough in 1582 to make most Protestant countries resist "bowing" to any Papal decree. Only after the problems had been growing for about 200 additional years did Great Britain adopt the Gregorian Calendar. The law was passed in 1751 and implemented in 1752. Great Britain was actually an early-bird in the list of Protestant countries. Some countries delayed adopting the Gregorian Calendar till the 1900s. The Calendar Act addressed two major issues: The Julian calendar was eleven days ahead of the earth's actual position due to its lack of Leap Years. This correction added the 100/400 year exceptions we use today along with dropping eleven days out of September of 1752 to bring the calendar back into agreement with the earth's position. See the following calendar. The Act also change the beginning of the year from March 15, as used by the government for legal purposes, to the popular date of January 1, which was used by the populace and many other nations. The Calendar Act also addresses many legal and religious issues associated with making the change sorry but there was no way i was gonna try and translate that lot!!!! are you also aware that to bring the above changes onto place several days were lost in some years to allow these changes Shelli

Viv, has given us a lateral thinking puzzle. The wonders of the internet...... "Until England adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752 the new year began on 25 March and the year ran from then to the following 24 March" Crista

YES it is possible back in the old days unsure when exactly the calendar year started at easter/april time, so january would be the 10 month of the year appox instead of the first . At some point it was changed to become the calendar we know today but the finaical year stayed where the old year started hence the fin yr running form Apr - Apr Shelli

Sorry to disagree but I don't think that's right. It looks more likely that the stonemason got the date wrong and no one noticed. January is 8 months after May... Bob

That will "stump" my mates at the pub ! Bob

Hi, Yes. During Cromwell's "reign" the church year began at Easter so January wasn't the first month. Gwynne

Betty and Lucy were touring the west country on holiday. Lucy was particularly fond of old country grave yards and in one found an extraordinary gravestone. It was that of a child who according to the inscription was born 15th May 1658 and died aged 8 months on 24th Jan the same year is this possible!!