Another feeling old thread - pre-decimal currency

[youngoldbloke]

Six of chips and a shilling fish was the standard order around our way. 12d to a shilling, 2/- = florin, 2/6 = half a crown, 10/- = 10 bob, 20/- to a pound = 240d. It made learning the 12 times table relevant, and why not? 12" = 1 foot etc, 3 feet to the yard, 1760yds to the mile - and 16oz to the pound, 14lbs to the stone, 112lbs to the hundredweight, and so on . Then there were fluid onces - 20 to the pint , 2 pints to the quart etc ........ I once worked out how all the pre-decimal weights and measures related to one another, It all made perfect sense at the time, but I can't remember how ........

 

[simon.r]

Six of chips and a shilling fish was the standard order around our way. 12d to a shilling, 2/- = florin, 2/6 = half a crown, 10/- = 10 bob, 20/- to a pound = 240d. It made learning the 12 times table relevant, and why not? 12" = 1 foot etc, 3 feet to the yard, 1760yds to the mile - and 16oz to the pound, 14lbs to the stone, 112lbs to the hundredweight, and so on . Then there were fluid onces - 20 to the pint , 2 pints to the quart etc ........ I once worked out how all the pre-decimal weights and measures related to one another, It all made perfect sense at the time, but I can't remember how ........

And that's before we get into rods, perches, poles, furlongs, chains...

 

[TVC]

Number two all over for me, at 65 my hair is growing as fast as it was when I was a young whippersnapper. As for the currancy, I remember getting my change in decimal currancy for the first time from the works canteen, also getting a shilling pocket money and having to save sixpence of it.

My hair grows just as fast as it did when I was young, just not necessarily in the same places.

 

[simon.r]

My hair grows just as fast as it did when I was young, just not necessarily in the same places.

I'm not a huge Jonathan Ross fan, but I did like one of his gags - "What on earth is going to happen in my life that makes my ear and nasal hair grow as soon as I get to 50?"

 

[guitarpete247]

I remember a story of a Maths teacher being asked (in the early 80's) why he was still teaching £/s/d. He told the inspector that he thought it might come back.
I also remember that 2/6 was also known as "half a dollar".

 

[simon.r]

I also remember that 2/6 was also known as "half a dollar".

I remember my Grandad saying that. Way before my time, but I think this was based on a steady exchange rate of 5 shillings = one dollar, 1£ =4$. 1930's??

 

[smutchin]

When I was a kid, I never understood why all the coins had 'NEW PENCE' on them - some of the coins didn't look very new to me; in fact some of them looked very well used. No one thought to explain that there had ever been any other kind of money.

I was part of the generation who suffered from the shambolic, half-hearted approach to metrication, being taught one system in school then having to deal with a totally different system in the wider world. I would buy a 'quarter' of sweets from the shop without really having the faintest idea what a 'quarter' was. As far as I knew, it was the SI unit for measuring sweets.

 

[simon.r]

When I was a kid, I never understood why all the coins had 'NEW PENCE' on them - some of the coins didn't look very new to me; in fact some of them looked very well used. No one thought to explain that there had ever been any other kind of money.

I was part of the generation who suffered from the shambolic, half-hearted approach to metrication, being taught one system in school then having to deal with a totally different system in the wider world. I would buy a 'quarter' of sweets from the shop without really having the faintest idea what a 'quarter' was. As far as I knew, it was the SI unit for measuring sweets.

But in the wider world there are still times when it's necessary to use imperial units. A 6" gas main that was laid in 1950 is still a 6" pipe. No amount of rounding up or down will make a 150mm fitting work on it!

 

[Blue]

I just about remember farthings from the days when fruit salad chews were 4 to the 1d

Couldn't find an image of the old wrappers.

 

[ufkacbln]

Polos!

One of the few advantages to decimalisation!

A packet wes 3d (old pence) and under the rules cost 1p (New Pence) which was 2.4 old pence

So for about 6 weeks we bulk bought Polos before the price increase came in

There were other similar examples, but imagine buying a 5 packet (multipack) of Polos for 5 p


It is now £1.32 and you only get 4 packs!

 

[Dirk]

To this day I still convert decimal coinage back to 'proper' money whenever I buy something. It's just something I've always done without thinking, ever since decimalisation. I don't find it the slightest bit odd.
I miss the colloquial names for our coinage - tanner, bob, florin etc.
It's quite shocking though at times when I'm in, for example, a cake shop and I realise that I've just been charged 18 bob (18s = 90p) for a fruit scone. That was 15% of my weekly wage when I started work!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Number two all over for me, at 65 my hair is growing as fast as it was when I was a young whippersnapper. As for the currancy, I remember getting my change in decimal currancy for the first time from the works canteen, also getting a shilling pocket money and having to save sixpence of it.

No2 for me as well although it's getting a bit scarce on top.

Was sitting under a red umbrella thingy at the pub this afternoon scoffing scratchings with my pint and marvelling at the sheer amount of calories packed into such a tiny bag when Lovely Wife says:

"that canopy is making your scalp look red"

Says it all really.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

To this day I still convert decimal coinage back to 'proper' money whenever I buy something. It's just something I've always done without thinking, ever since decimalisation. I don't find it the slightest bit odd.
I miss the colloquial names for our coinage - tanner, bob, florin etc.
It's quite shocking though at times when I'm in, for example, a cake shop and I realise that I've just been charged 18 bob (18s = 90p) for a fruit scone. That was 15% of my weekly wage when I started work!

I don't do that with money though I do it every time with measurements - the ever increasing number of money consuming grandchildren get irked by this.

 

[further]

Since when did haircuts have a number ?

 

[youngoldbloke]

Since when did haircuts have a number ?

Generally talking about the code number of the guide we attach to clippers when trimming our hair. In the summer I'll use a No 3 all over, then No 2 to tidy up the back and sides. No 2 is 1/4" for example. Been doing it for a long long time - since skinhead times (not that I was one). Must have saved a fortune in barbers charges.

"Hair clippers have adjustable length settings and removable length guards so that you can cut your hair in a uniform length easily and quickly. These guards are all numbered and each number correlates to a specific length."

Wahl Hair Clipper Sizes
Blade Guide Comb Size (inches) Size (mm)
1045 1/2 1/16 UMC*
00000 1 1/8 0,4
0000 2 1/4 0,6
000 3 3/8 0,8
0A 4 1/2 1,8
Modified 0A 5 5/8 1,8
1 6 3/4 2
1A 7 7/8 2,8
1,5 8 1 3,8
2 / / 6
3,5 / / 8"