Why+the+Fifth+of+April+?


 * //__ Why the Fifth of April ? __//**

Some years ago I was curious as to why the English Fiscal year closes on the fifth of April when all other affairs relating to year ends are on the 31st of December and commence he new year on the 1st January.

I feel that this curiosity must have occurred in the minds of all English people, at one time or another, but because of business pressure etc., we forget the query and just accept the Revenue day of the 6th April being the commencement of a New Year.

However being of stubborn mind I did some considerable research in order to establish the reason for this date being the New Year of the Inland Revenue.

Before I commence the explanation however should the Inland Revenue ever read this report I request they read it in the manner it is written, and not to exercise there powers in making my future life unpleasant with forms, demands, etc..

In order to establish why the 6th. of April is, and now will probably remain forever the start of the Fiscal Year. We must accept two basic facts, and go back in time.

The Basics are :-
 * Number 1:- ** The sun passes along the equator and is always at the same position on the 25th of March. This is called the " Tropical Year ", and at the instance of passage on the 25th March it is called the " Equinox ".

** 5th April ** The 25th March as been called the " Feast of Annunciation " or " Lady Day ", and is traditionally a " Quarter Day ". this date was actually the beginning of the **New Year**; Not January 1st., but the 25th of March was New Years Day.

The other basic is that it takes the earth **365.242196**......days to pass over the Equinox.
 * Number 2:- **

Now having established and accepted these two basics, it is necessary for us to go back in time to the year 45 B.C.

The necessity to return to year 45 B.C. is that in this year Julius Caesar introduced the Julian Calendar.

This was based upon the assumption that the length of the year was :- 365 ¼ days

If one consider the mathematics at their disposal in those days this was a fair assumption.

So therefore if we list the assumed, and known facts we have :-

365.25 days = One Julian Year

365.2422..days = One actual Tropical year

Difference = 0.0078 days

This seemingly small error of 0.0078 days a year is however equivalent to an error of one day in every 128 years, or three ( 3 ) days in 384 years. This is so near to three days in 400 years that by omitting three Leap Years in every 400 years, The calendar can be corrected to within an error of a day in every 4,000 years.

By this time if you are still reading you will begin to question " What as this got to do with the 6th of April ?" , and is there any point on continuing reading this missive ?.

Although you may make this observation I have to unfortunately give you more background before we can begin to comprehend the 6th of April fracas.

In the 16th century A.D. the errors which had accumulated since 45 B.C. amounted to 12 ½ days.

If you so desire you may qualify the above simple arithmetic for yourself.

Therefore in the 16th century two gentlemen called Ghiraldi and Clavius approached Pope Gregory XIII, and after lengthy discussions they suggested that the years 1700, 1800, 1900, 2000, etc. should no longer be Leap Years, so eliminating the three days in every 400 years.

They also suggested a very controversial deed for that period, which was the removal of ten ( 10 ) days from the calendar thus bringing the calendar into line with the seasons, and also change the " Vernal Equinox " to the 21st March. Whereas the traditional Ladyday had been the 25th March.

The consternation suffered by various learned gentlemen as to how they would present this edict to the common populace in the dramatic and troubled period of the sixteenth century must have been enormous. However common sense prevailed and subsequently on the :- 5th October 1582 the Pope decreed that the next day would be the 15th October 1582, and also that the year would commence on the **1st of January** and not the 25th March. Furthermore he decreed that the years 1700, 1800, etc. would not have any Leap Years.

This was in line with the suggestions of Ghiraldi and Clavius

This decree brought all the seasons into line and caused considerable consternation to a lot of people who felt that ten days had been stolen from them, but could not establish who had taken them and where they were. There was considerable demand for them back. However the Pope's decree was final.

In England they were still smarting from the persecution of the English Christians 30 years earlier by the Inquisition, and were not disposed to follow the lead of Rome. In other words they said " NO "

In order not to appear to eager to follow Rome England waited 170 years before they allowed common sense to prevail over sectarian differences, and passed an Act of Parliament in the year 1750 introducing the new style Gregorian Calendar to commence on the 2nd. September 1752.

The following day was then announced to be the 14th September 1752, and that the "Legal New Year " would commence upon the 1st of January 1753

However in Scotland they had accepted the New Year to commence upon the 1st of January in the year beginning 1600.

It is interesting to note that between 1582 and 1752 historical documents have differing dates albeit they are on the same day.

For example the 3rd. of February 1684 in England would be the 3rd. of February 1685 in Scotland, and the 14th February 1685 in Rome.

My apologies to my reader for the aforegoing it is just "en passant" and has no bearing upon the 5th April.

To bring all the relevant factors bearing influence together we have to commence with the year 1752:-

Up to that year the legal year had run from Lady Day to Lady Day i.e. the 25th March as previously noted in the above facts.

Now the Inland Revenue a Treasury department being what they were and still are, decided they did not like this new fangled idea of changing the calendar and losing a number of taxable days.

Furthermore the moving of the new year from 25th March to 1st January would make it a very short year indeed, giving them less days to drink tea, and dream up new forms etc.

They consequently ignored everyone as usual, and went on balancing their books at yearly ( 365 days ) intervals which ensured the 25th March to the 25th March was the relevant year.

Unfortunately for the Inland Revenue in 1752 the intervening days from the 3rd of September to the 13th were erased from the calendar. Consequently making the 25th of March 1753 only 354 days after the 25th March 1752.

You will by now if you are still reading know what I am going to say. Yes the Inland Revenue ( Treasury ) ignored the world and carried on for :- ** __ 365 days. __ **

This brings the end of the Fiscal Year to the **__5th April__** and so consequently as to     **__Why the 6th of April.__**

** A single minded Treasury, ** ** or Julius Caesar ? **