Just in Time

[Heartland]

December 1st 1847 was an important date for the Bridgewater Trustees  and the Old Quay Company - their passenger and goods boat scheduled departures were altered from local time to Greenwich time. This time discrepancy varied across the country as is seen another advert for the opening of the Trent Valley Railway.

The difference between Greenwich Time and Birmingham time was 7 minutes; with Manchester and Preston, 10 minutes and with Chester/ Liverpool 12 minutes.

So a boat travelling between Runcorn and Manchester gained or lost two minutes passing through the different time zones until time was standardised!

 

[Taslim]

1 hour ago, Heartland said:

December 1st 1847 was an important date for the Bridgewater Trustees  and the Old Quay Company - their passenger and goods boat scheduled departures were altered from local time to Greenwich time. This time discrepancy varied across the country as is seen another advert for the opening of the Trent Valley Railway.

The difference between Greenwich Time and Birmingham time was 7 minutes; with Manchester and Preston, 10 minutes and with Chester/ Liverpool 12 minutes.

So a boat travelling between Runcorn and Manchester gained or lost two minutes passing through the different time zones until time was standardised!

 

Two minutes! Nothing, and anyway if you went there and back it would even out.  Pity the poor souls in 1750 when 'they' changed from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar.

Everybody lost ten whole days from their lives!  I'm surprised there wasn't a riot..... OH! There was.

[Heartland]

Oh dear, yes, must have caused some consternation for those boating Sir Andrew Woods Canal in Fife. Ten days late for Church in Largo- grounds for excommunication, no doubt.

In fact when the Calendar changed the the start of the year also changed, as those interested in geneology will recall. Instead of the year starting in April, it now commenced in January. Those following River Navigation history such as the Warwickshire Avon, Severn and Trent will note that in looking at records such as State Papers.