While investigating the things that have happened throughout time in September, I discovered an alarming thing! 

In 1752, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the American colonies all officially implemented the Gregorian Calendar which had first been developed by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. It would replace and correct a minor error in the Julian calendar. Because of this change, September 3^rd, 1752, never in fact happened and nor did the next eleven days.  The calendar simply jumped from September 2^nd to September 14^th. 

People began rioting in England believing that the government had stolen eleven days of their lives because, in fact, it would mean that nothing happened in world history between September 2^nd and September 14^th, 1752.  September 3^rd to the 13^th never existed that year.  At the same time, the New Year was moved from March 25^th, in the Julian calendar, to January 1^st, in the Gregorian calendar, as it is celebrated today.

The Gregorian calendar, we are told, also has a flaw in it, but the mistake only occurs for one day every 4000 years, so it is not of great importance. George Washington was the one who suffered by this calendar change. His birth date is recorded as both the 11^th  February, 1731 and the 22^nd February 1732, and this caused confusion for celebrating his birth date in future years.

The Gregorian Calendar (from the days of Pope Gregory) had been proposed by an Italian physician named Aloysius, and was first adopted by Italy, Spain and Portugal in February of 1582.  Catholic Germany changed from Julian to Gregorian in 1583, but Lutherans in Germany did not adopt the new calendar until 1699.  England finally adopted the new calendar in 1752 followed by Sweden in 1753, Japan in 1873, China in 1912, and Greece as late as 1923.

Are you thoroughly confused by now?

If in fact September 3^rd never existed, here are just a few things we could eliminate from history.  The date in 1939 when Britain declared war on Germany. The date in 1940 when high-definition colour T.V. was first shown.  The final episode of “What’s My Line?” in 1967.  The date that John Lennon left the United Kingdom for New York and never returned.  And the date that Hurricane David, a strong Atlantic storm, killed over 1,000 people in 1979. I’m sure there must be many others.

And what about the people who died on that date, such as both King James 1 of England (1603-1625) who died on September 3^rd at the age of 92, and Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector of England, who died at the age of 59 on September 3^rd, 1658. And in 1934 on September 3^rd, Cory Booth, who was the seventh child of William Booth, became the first woman general of the Salvation Army.

In Monaco, September 3^rd is known as Liberation Day; in San Marino it is Founding Day; in Tunisia, it is known as Memorial Day and in Qatar in 1971 it was declared Independence Day. Did any of these things really happen?

In America, Canada, Guam and Virgin Islands, Monday September 3^rd was designated as Labour Day in 1894.  Now Labour Day falls on the first Monday in September, which is not necessarily the 3^rd, and this is probably a good idea.

After all, September 3^rd doesn’t really exist, does it? And if that were true, a whole lot of other history would also be obliterated.

I hope you weren’t born on September 3^rd!!