The origins of April Fool’s Day are obscure, and much debated (code for nobody really knows). It has been suggested that the change to the Gregorian calendar was behind it, those adhering to the old Gregorian version being regarded as fools; it is strangely said to be the day when Noah sent the raven to find land – a fool’s errand at that time; in France they say that it dates from a king, Charles IX, who changed the first day of the year from April 1 to January 1, those not falling into line being derided for foolish behaviour.
In this country, unlike say France and the USA, it is traditional for pranks to end at noon; those carrying on afterwards being themselves dubbed April Fools however successful their jokes.
In less sensitive (and litigious) times it was a common occurrence for apprentices, juniors and the like to have their legs pulled on April Fool’s Day: being told to go to the stores and ask for a long stand was one regular; decorators would get their new juniors to go for striped paint.
Schoolchildren did (probably still do) carry out unsubtle pranks like pinning ‘Kick Me’ signs to people’s backs. But for once the best of the nation comes from Fleet Street and TV land in London .
The Guardian always seems to make a special effort, memorably (using British insularity against us) featuring a holiday report on San Serriffe in the seventies; and very recently announcing that the paper would only in future appear on Twitter (be careful what you wish for). Reports that Big Ben was to go digital in 1980 were perhaps technologically of the moment, but surely fooled few; whereas The Daily Mail (not normally associated with fun perhaps) scored a bull with the 1982 story about copper wire in certain bras interfering with radio signals.
The all-time classic was of course Panorama in 1957 broadcasting a report on the spaghetti harvest in Italy, a tale believed by the British in their naive millions, or so we are told, because Richard Dimbleby and the BBC simply wouldn’t lie, would they?
More British Institutions
Afternoon Tea
Allotments
April Fools Day
Big Ben
Binge Drinking
Black Cabs
Bonfire Night
British Sense of Humour
Brown Windsor Soup
Burns Night
Cadburys
Castles
Changing the Guard
City of London
Coronation Street
Cowes Week
Cricket
Crufts
Dad’s Army
E-Type Jag
Eccentricity
English Country Garden
Fish and Chips
Fish Fingers
Fox Hunting
Full English Breakfast
Gin and Tonic
Glastonbury
Glorious Goodwood
Grand National
Grouse Shooting
Harrods
Highland Games
Hogmanay
James Bond
John Bull
King Arthur
Land Rover
Lloyds of London
London to Brighton Veteran Car Rally
Marks and Spencer
Monty Python
Morecambe and Wise
Old School Tie
Oxbridge
Panto
Picnics
Pimms
Point-to-Point
Punch and Judy
Queueing
Real Ale
Red Arrows
Red Telephone Boxes
Remembrance Poppies
Robin Hood
Rolls Royce
Royal Ascot
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Savile Row Suits
School Discos
School Sports Day
Seaside Piers
Speakers’ Corner
Stag Nights
Stiff Upper Lip
Strawberries and Cream
Street Markets
Summer Festivals
Sunday Roasts
The Archers
The BBC
The Beano
The Boat Race
The Brass Band
The British Bobby
The Bulldog
The Church of England
The Cup Final
The Curry House
The English Rose
The Garden Shed
The Honours System
The Kilt
The Last Night at the Proms
The London Bus
The Mini
The National Trust
The NHS
The Oak
The Pub
The Queen’s Speech
The Rolling Stones
The Royal Christmas Message
The Spitfire
The V Sign
The Village Fete
The Weather
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Trooping the Colour
Village Greens
Wedgwood
Wellington Boots
Wimbledon
Wine Gums
Yeomen of the Guard
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