The Gregorian calendar, as of the start of 1751, is eleven days ahead of the Julian calendar, which will remain in localized use until 1923.

In Britain and its colonies, 1751 has only 282 days due to the Calendar (New Style) Act 1750 (c.23) (also known as Chesterfield's Act after Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield).

An Act of the Parliament of Great Britain, it reforms the calendar of England and British Dominions so that the new legal year begins on 1 January rather than 25 March (Lady Day); and it adopts the Gregorian calendar, as already used in most of western Europe.