We came across this plaque in Richmond upon Thames where the date of death is given as a fraction. Why would this be?
by londonapprentice
We came across this plaque in Richmond upon Thames where the date of death is given as a fraction. Why would this be?
by londonapprentice
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Uncertain which year perhaps? If the stone was put up many years later.
We’d never do this today, but they are saying he died as one year (1687) transitioned to the next (1688).
BTW, worth a read: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Brouncker,_3rd_Viscount_Brouncker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Brouncker,_3rd_Viscount_Brouncker). Quite a life. He was a treasurer of the royal household, an expert chess player, an Oxford graduate, a member of Parliament, expelled from the House of commons for treason, disinherited by his own brother “for reasons I think not fit to mention,” called by Samuel Pepys “a pestilent rogue, an atheist, that would have sold his king and country for 6d. almost,” and a man who preferred “Orange seller girls.”
I’m sure we’ve all mixed up 4th January with 15th November from time to time.
Put up after 1752 maybe? January 4th 1687 would have factually been in that year at the time but if they were trying to be accurate after the calendar change then I guess you could argue it was actually 1688 (as until 1752 the new year started in March, not January). Bit of a mad thing to do but it’s all I can think of.