Jo Ling wrote:
The 21st of June is the "first day of Summer" and ALSO midsummer's day, it
being the longest day in the year (the Summer solstice).

... and pretty stupid that sounds too! :-) Unless you're making a
comment about the length of our summer how can the first day of summer
also be "midsummer's day"


Who came up with the 24th of June? That's the feast of St Johann, if I
remember rightly, and now to do with being the first, last or middle day of
Summer.

The 24th of June is a "quarter day", a day on which, traditianally,
bills are paid and the name of that quarter day is "Midsummer Day".
This is what causes a lot of the confusion between 21st and 24th June
I think.

--
Chris Green )