9:25 The Story of an Object: Anno (Music, Maths and Movement School)

9:30 1752 Poetry Prize Presentation (2021): Elle Ifíè (Intercalary International School)

Big Ben and I jog down the spiral staircase, which is a bit naughty because you’re not allowed to run in a museum, but we’re athletes so we sometimes forget we’re not in training! We slow down before we reach the bottom stair. The 1752 Gallery is circular, its walls lined with objects in glass cases like teapots and snuff boxes and hanging ballads, poems they sang about prisoners to entertain the crowd before they were hung! But the museum assistants don’t make us sit in a circle, they make us sit in rows like in school, in case we accidentally hold hands in a Chrono and end up in another time and place! I don’t think they trust schoolchildren very much. I’m glad when they leave the room to go back to their offices.

The first session begins. The curator, Mrs Zhong, is small, wearing a black skirt suit and heavy black-rimmed glasses. She looks stern and has a slight accent.

‘Welcome to the 1752 Gallery. As you may know, 1752 was a very special leap year. Raise your hands if you know why.’

‘The 11-day leap,’ says Jake, without putting his hand up.

Mrs Zhong frowns at his disobedience. ‘Could anyone tell me the significance of the 11-day leap?’

I know the answer. On Wednesday September the 2nd 1752, EVERYONE in England leapt 11 days into the future! That night, Leaplings and Annuals went to bed and when they woke up, it was Thursday September the 14th! Leaplings didn’t hold hands in a Chrono and transport all the Annuals in the middle like luggage. This was a leap by law. The government changed from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar and to make it work, they cut 11 days in time!

But I don’t put my hand up to say this out loud because I’m so nervous about doing my reading. If I speak, the words will come out in the wrong order or jammedtogetherinonelongword-likeGerman.

I zone out of the discussion until Mrs Zhong says something about 1752 being the favourite holiday destination for Leaplings with The Gift and notices Big Ben has raised his hand.

‘Is that why Mrs Grayling goes there 23 times in 10 years?’

I look at Mrs Grayling. She’s gone bright pink but she’s smiling, knowing Big Ben didn’t mean to be unkind. Everyone knows she’s been to 1752 a lot but Big Ben’s the only one who’s kept tabs whenever she’s spoken about it. He must be feeling relaxed to ask a question in a place he’s never visited before. Mrs C Eckler twiddles her hair flower.

‘Perhaps, Mrs Grayling, you could tell the children about the Carnival of the Calendar.’