Tom Riddle and history - 1937 to 1944 - Corrected 1938 - 1945

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 191073



--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Geoff" <geoffbannister123 at ...> wrote:
>
> 
> 
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Steve" <bboyminn@> wrote:
> 
> Steve:
> > > > Here is probably the most authoritative resource on all things Harry Potter -
> 
> > > > The HP Lexicon -
> 
> > > > According to this -
> 
> > > > " Tom Marvolo Riddle, Jr./Lord Voldemort:  Born of a witch mother (Merope Gaunt) and a Muggle father (Tom Riddle, Sr.) on December 31, 1926 [year is approximate]. ..." 
> 
> > > > Kids typically start school at age 11, to 1926 + 11 = 1937, and they go to school for 7 years, so 1937 + 7 = 1944. 
>  
> Geoff:
> > > Hmm. I shall have to contact the Lexicon on that one.
> > > 
> > >...
> 
> Steve:
> > With all due respect Geoff, we are not talking about 'any' school, we are specifically talking about Hogwarts, and we know specifically how Hogwarts works. 
> 
> Geoff:
> With all due respect, Steve, the quote was "kids typically start school at age 
> 11..." ...
> 
> The Lexicon figure is still wrong because to enter the First Year, a child 
> has to have reached the age of 11 in the preceding year. Tom Riddle was 
> born on 31st December so, using the date of 1926, he would be 11 on 
> 31/12/37 and so would not enter Hogwarts until September 1938 so, 
> ...

Steve:

Perhaps I should have said, kids typically start THIS SCHOOL at age 11. 

But, let's look back at the original question -

"I wonder if Tom Riddle went to Hogwarts around the time
of World War II?"

And the answer is YES, Tom's Howarts Year correspond to World War 2. The plus or minus one year has little relevance to answering the question. The answer is still YES either way.

Though you are right, being born after September 1, Riddle would not have entered school until the following year. So, 1938 to 1945 would be more correct, but again, either way, the answer to the question is YES. 

Steve/bboyminn