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shillings/pounds
i'm too young to know what shillings were! when did shillings (and whatever else the money was called) change to pounds and why?
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The country went decimal in 1971 or 2, can't remember exactly, my Fab 208 had both prices on it for ages before we swapped. I know that it didn't happen quickley, both coins were used initially and that was confusing but it was because there was to be this one currency, and now there is but we aren't using it lol
It was Pound , Shillings and Pence {LSD don't ask} up until 15th Feb 1971.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_Day
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_Day
Early 70's when them damned politicians started to ruin the country.
There were; 12 pence to a shilling and 20 shillings to a pound.
We had names for coins.
6d (pence) piece was a tanner, a shilling was a bob. there was a 2 shilling piece some of which were called a Florin but not many. (incidentally the florin was the first attempt at decimalisation, being one tenth of a pound) A � crown being 2 shillings & six pence, a ten bob note (50p) and various other local names which we have now lost. Not forgetting a Guinea which was 1 pound & 1 shilling or 21 shillings (�1.10) OH. a penny was divided into Halves ( a halfpenny) and quarters ( a farthing). I can remember buying a loaf fo bread (large) for 11 pence 3 farthings.
There were; 12 pence to a shilling and 20 shillings to a pound.
We had names for coins.
6d (pence) piece was a tanner, a shilling was a bob. there was a 2 shilling piece some of which were called a Florin but not many. (incidentally the florin was the first attempt at decimalisation, being one tenth of a pound) A � crown being 2 shillings & six pence, a ten bob note (50p) and various other local names which we have now lost. Not forgetting a Guinea which was 1 pound & 1 shilling or 21 shillings (�1.10) OH. a penny was divided into Halves ( a halfpenny) and quarters ( a farthing). I can remember buying a loaf fo bread (large) for 11 pence 3 farthings.
If you want to know why we changed try to make sense of Bellringers explanation and then try to add up say 2 pounds 5 and sixpence, 1 pound 3 and tuppence, eighteen bob and see what change you should get from a fiver.
I think the answer's half a packet of mangle-worzells or something.
Anyway despite the fond rememberances of a few of the older generation who have trouble accepting change it was clearly a ridiculous system that had just evolved over hundreds of years and had reached the end of it's life and needed to go and join groats and the like in that great accounting house in the sky.
Now if we can just do the same with inches, pounds, acres, furlongs, chains, leagues, fathoms, poles, pounds ounces....
To look at English counting systems anybody would think we elvolved with 12 fingers
I think the answer's half a packet of mangle-worzells or something.
Anyway despite the fond rememberances of a few of the older generation who have trouble accepting change it was clearly a ridiculous system that had just evolved over hundreds of years and had reached the end of it's life and needed to go and join groats and the like in that great accounting house in the sky.
Now if we can just do the same with inches, pounds, acres, furlongs, chains, leagues, fathoms, poles, pounds ounces....
To look at English counting systems anybody would think we elvolved with 12 fingers
Remember what you could get for 12 and a half pence? Cinema 2 1/2p etc. I remember having a day out in Rhyl, including rail fare on 50p = 10 shillings! That was around 1958! Those were the days! Try telling that to todays kids they'd never believe you! And dad used to come home and thrash us with barbed wire - if we was lucky! lol
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