accounting period

[John P. New]

On Thursday, August 19, 2010 07:54:12 am Tarlika Elisabeth Schmitz wrote:
> 
> Whoever came up with 6th April?

Off-topic, but interesting:

The odd tax year dates in the UK have come about in much the same way the odd 
GnuCash reporting system has.

In brief:
From the Middle Ages to 1752, the beginning of the English calendar (and 
fiscal) year was on 25 March (Lady Day, one of 4 "quarter days" when all rents 
and debts were due).
In 1752, the UK adopted the Gregorian Calendar, which "shifted" the calendar 
by 11 days, and 25 March became April 5. The tax service, not wanting to miss 
out on 11 days worth of revenue, decided to keep the fiscal cycle of 365 days 
intact, and so the first tax year after the calendar switch started on 5 
April, and stayed that way until it was changed to 6 April in 1800 (because 
1800 had no February 29).

All this from several Wikipedia articles

John New