April Fool’s Day is believed to have originated in Germany and is often attributed to Gabriel Hoffman, who lived in Darmstadt during the 1860s. The day is celebrated in many countries with the execution of elaborate practical jokes on unsuspecting victims. April 1st is the accepted date, when both simple and sophisticated jokes are known to catch out the unwary or gullible.
There is evidence of a similar observance in the Gregorian calendar of 1582 and even earlier in ancient Rome, where a comparable practice may have taken place on New Year’s Day. Traditionally, April Fool’s jokes involved sending someone on a ridiculous errand.
A builder’s merchant might send an apprentice to obtain “sky hooks” or a “long wait” (weight), only to embarrass them later with the words “April Fool”. It is traditional for jokes and pranks to end by noon. Playing an April Fool’s joke after this time is said to bring bad luck. Over the years, some hoaxes have been extremely elaborate, even involving large television corporations.
In 1957, the BBC famously convinced viewers that Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. Footage showed spaghetti growing on trees, prompting many viewers to contact the BBC for advice on how to grow their own spaghetti. The BBC even suggested placing a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce to encourage growth.
April 1st is not an officially recognised holiday, but it is widely practised in the UK. Prince Charles is reported to have enjoyed April Fool’s Day, and until as recently as 2003 was said to cause havoc at Buckingham Palace. His favourite trick allegedly involved placing a whoopee cushion beneath unsuspecting members of the Royal Household, including his mother, Queen Elizabeth.
There have been many hoaxes and notable media mistakes over the years, along with countless April Fool’s Day spoofs on the internet. While often harmless, such pranks can sometimes cause financial damage or public panic if taken too far.
In Birmingham on April 1st 1986, a group of students became convinced that the Black Plague had returned to the city. The hoax was so convincing that hospitals were placed on full alert and 900 students were sent home.
The full scale of the hoax was not revealed until the following day, when embarrassed school committee members faced the media and issued an apology to parents.
In 2001, Birmingham Council became involved in an April Fool’s Day conspiracy relating to Pebble Mill on the Bristol Road. The council received what appeared to be official notification from the BBC claiming severe structural damage caused by an earth tremor.
The council acted quickly and arranged temporary accommodation for BBC staff at the Mailbox. The hoax was only discovered on the day of the proposed move, when a fax was received simply stating “April Fools”, accompanied by the original message.
Michael Johnson, Assistant Director, was later questioned by Channel 4 in an embarrassing interview in which he appeared bewildered and unaware of how the situation had unfolded.
April Fool’s Day is illegal in the People’s Republic of China, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Alaska, Cuba, and Bolivia.
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