biker Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Who or what decides that a New Year starts on 1st January? You would think that it started the day after the shortest day. I realise that the big Pagan festival celibrating the end of the shortest day was highjacked by the church and became Christmas.A day is 1 rotation of the earth,a year is a full lap of the sun,so is it an astronomy thing? Puzzled,or am I just stupid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzy Q Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Julius Caesar decided it mate! I only read it in The Star this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave650 Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Yep we have the roman calendar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biker Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 Julius Caesar decided it mate! I only read it in The Star this week. Thanks for the answer.I wonder what made him decide.Did the Star give any explanation for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biker Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 Yep we have the roman calendar. Thanks for your answer.I wonder why he decided on 1st January. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PopT Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 I've posted the following item about the start of the New Year as I thought it explained the changeover from the old dates to the new. It will also be of interest to people who are tracing their families back to note the start of the years were different pre 1752. Hope it is of interest Biker? Differences between the start of the year When recording British history it is usual to use the dates recorded at the time of the event with the year adjusted to the start on the 1 January. So for example the Battle of Hastings is universally known to have been fought on 14 October 1066. But the start of the Julian year was not always 1 January and was altered at different times in different countries. From the 12th century to 1752, the civil or legal year in England began on 25 March (Lady Day)[7] so for example the execution of Charles I was recorded at the time in Parliament as happening on 30 January 1648 (Old Style).[8] In modern English language texts this date is usually recorded as "30 January 1649" (New Style).[1] A full conversion of the date into the Gregorian calendar is 9 February 1649, the date by which his contemporaries in some parts of continental Europe would have recorded his execution. The OS/NS designation is particularly relevant for dates which fall between the start of the modern year (1 January) and the start of the contemporary year, which was 25 March in England up until 1752 (see Julian year article). During the transition years between the first introduction of the Gregorian calendar on continental Europe and its introduction in Britain, contemporary usage in England started to change.[4] In Britain 1 January was celebrated as the New Year festival,[9] but the "year starting 25th March was called the Civil or Legal Year, although the phrase Old Style was more commonly used."[4] To reduce misunderstandings on the date, it was normal in parish registers for a new year heading after 24 March, for example 1661 had another heading at the end of the following December indicating "1661/62". This was to explain to the reader that the year was 1661 Old Style and 1662 New Style.[10] PopT Happy Days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biker Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 I've posted the following item about the start of the New Year as I thought it explained the changeover from the old dates to the new. It will also be of interest to people who are tracing their families back to note the start of the years were different pre 1752. Hope it is of interest Biker? Differences between the start of the year When recording British history it is usual to use the dates recorded at the time of the event with the year adjusted to the start on the 1 January. So for example the Battle of Hastings is universally known to have been fought on 14 October 1066. But the start of the Julian year was not always 1 January and was altered at different times in different countries. From the 12th century to 1752, the civil or legal year in England began on 25 March (Lady Day)[7] so for example the execution of Charles I was recorded at the time in Parliament as happening on 30 January 1648 (Old Style).[8] In modern English language texts this date is usually recorded as "30 January 1649" (New Style).[1] A full conversion of the date into the Gregorian calendar is 9 February 1649, the date by which his contemporaries in some parts of continental Europe would have recorded his execution. The OS/NS designation is particularly relevant for dates which fall between the start of the modern year (1 January) and the start of the contemporary year, which was 25 March in England up until 1752 (see Julian year article). During the transition years between the first introduction of the Gregorian calendar on continental Europe and its introduction in Britain, contemporary usage in England started to change.[4] In Britain 1 January was celebrated as the New Year festival,[9] but the "year starting 25th March was called the Civil or Legal Year, although the phrase Old Style was more commonly used."[4] To reduce misunderstandings on the date, it was normal in parish registers for a new year heading after 24 March, for example 1661 had another heading at the end of the following December indicating "1661/62". This was to explain to the reader that the year was 1661 Old Style and 1662 New Style.[10] PopT Happy Days! I didnt realise this.Thanks for the info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Douglas J Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Give us back our eleven days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.