Say hello to the Act that successfully set rules 1,050 years into the future – Calendar (New Style) Act 1750

The Calendar (New Style) Act 1750 deserves a double presence in contemporary knowledge. First, its authors deserve credit for what must be the most successful piece of future proofing legislation. Second, for the myth which illustrates how the powerful can ridicule the powerless.

Calendar (New Style) Act 1750 was the legislation that moved Britain, and British dominions, over to the Gregorian calendar, which was several days different from the previously used Julian calendar.

It includes a set of rules for which years should be leap years, complete with special provisions which come in every hundredth year and every four hundredth year. Those rules include a mention for the year 2800, an impressive 1,050 years in the future at the time of the Act – and rules which still look all set to work properly. Not much legislation can be said to be future-proofed quite so well.

As for the myth, it’s about the idea that people rioted over the Act. Under the Calendar (New Style) Act, the calendar was moved forward 11 days resulting, supposedly, in riots by daft people demanding back the 11 days which had been ‘stolen’ from them.

There are two problems with this.

It’s unlikely the riots actually occurred.

Moreover, there was genuine anger at the Act – and it was logical. Quite simply it inflicted a huge financial penalty on the poor who, due to the leap forward of 11 days, saw their incomes from daily or piece rate pay fall in that month, but were still charged the full rate for rent and the like. Those are very good grounds for objecting.