Moving Day (1830)

Bapopik at AOL.COM Bapopik at AOL.COM
Sun Aug 29 23:44:25 UTC 2004


"Moving Day" (May 1st) is an old New York tradition largely forgotten today. I thought that I'd beat OED even more by Early American Newspapers, but perhaps I missed a hit? I quickly looked for stories dated around May 1st of the 14 "hits."


(OED)
MOVING DAY, n.
    1. The day of a move to a new residence; (U.S.) the day on which leases normally expire in a particular city or region (in New York, May 1), frequently associated with household removals.

  1832 J. F. WATSON Hist. Tales N.Y. 123 ‘Moving day’ was, as now, the first of May. 1852 W. B. JERROLD & W. H. WILLS Househ. Words 2 Oct. 62/2 Being ‘moving’ day, it rains. 1855 Knickerbocker 45 585 In the southern part of New-Jersey, one who rents or purchases a house or farm usually takes possession of the same on the twenty-fifth day of the present month [sc. March], which is therefore denominated ‘moving-day’. 1947 Pasadena (Calif.) Star-News 9 Sept. 16/6 Moving days are ahead for several county departments in the Hall of Records and Hall of Justice, Los Angeles. 1973 National Observer (U.S.) 3 Feb. 7/1 When our moving men finally showed up (‘removals’ in their business, whether you are coming or going, and on moving day we hardly knew which we were) we received another language lesson. 1992 Canad. Living Aug. 13/2 Don't have a garage sale too close to moving day.


(AMERICAN PERIODICAL SERIES ONLINE)
Timidity.
Workingman's Advocate (1829-1830). New York: May 8, 1830. Vol. 1, Iss. 28; p. 0_3 (1 page):
We dislike, above every thing, (except "moving day," vulgarly called "_May_ day,") _a milk and water politician_.



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