This is a classic example of people not getting a joke.
There is a completely false belief, that is still perpetuated, that when the calendar changed in England in 1752 people rioted because they had lost eleven days of their lives. In fact, they had very good reasons to be angry. True, some were worried about dates passing, and many were angry at changing saints days and the introduction of a 'Papist' calendar.
But mostly the were concerned because they faced a serious financial problem. And there were probably no riots at all.
They were being charged the same rent and rates for the quarter, but had eleven fewer business days in which to earn money. A complete con by the landowners. And a disaster for the working public - it did create a lot of protest, but no riots. It went to Parliament and eventually, in a victory for common people over the landowning class, a law was passed which required alteration of the rent and rates.
Then, soon after that, it was in a political cartoon made about the following election. But later, missing this context, some people took it seriously and didn't get the satire. I have still seen this idea in textbooks even now, perpetuating the idea of silly superstitious people instead of justifiably angry rent-payers.
It is called
satire guys, not news reporting!
