Daily AncestorLady Day
Lady Day is March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, which was the first day of the legal year in England and its colonies until 1752.
Lady Day is the old English name for the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25. From the Middle Ages until 1752 the civil or legal year in England, Wales, Ireland and the American colonies began on that day, so March 24, 1750 was followed by March 25, 1751.
It was also one of the four quarter days, when rents fell due and contracts started or ended. Leases and accounts that mention Lady Day are giving a date, not just a holiday.
As seen in a recordClause in a colonial land lease
Rent due at Lady Day and Michaelmas, by equal portions
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Lady Day." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/dates-calendar/lady-day. Last checked 2026-10-01.