Dates on labels

[David Price]

Objecting to the heathen names of the months, such as March (based on Mars, the Roman god of war), Quakers instead referred to the months by their numbers.

Thus, 7th March 1840, would be written as 7th day, 3rd mo., 1840, or 3rd mo., 7th day, 1840.

For dates after the change from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar in 1752, January was the 1st month, February the 2nd, and so on.

(In the Julian calendar the year began on 25th March, so March was the 1st month, April the 2nd etc.)

[keith barnett]

very many thanks!