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| Friday 31 Dec 2004: New Year's days |
| Only since 1752, the New Year in England starts on the first of January, before that, the official first day of the year was the 25th of March. This change was instigated by the adoption of the Calender Act of 1751, which introduced the Gregorian Calender to the "British Dominions" (including the 13 American Colonies). Scotland had already changed to 1 January in 1600. In the Netherlands, the (occupying) Spanish governor Requesens ordered that change in 1575. |