RiffRaff Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 I recently read somewhere that when decimalisation came in goods cost twice as much or more. I'll have to try and find it out again so I can quote word for word and give the source of info. I was working in London during February '71, the month that everybody had been dreading because of the change to decimalisation. The nation had been treated to nightly 5 minute-or-so TV broadcasts for months prior to the change, with lessons on how and why '6d' was going to be 2.5p, a quid was going to be 100p instead of 240d, and so on... There were some great stories around too : shopkeepers who were going to refuse to accept the new currency was one story I recall, and there was also concern as to how folk were supposed to use the 'old' half-crown (2/6, or 12.5p to you!) Bear in mind that all the old coins didn't just disappear overnight - you'd still have 'old shillings' and other silver coins mixed up with the new-fangled decimal jobs! On the actual day of change (sorry!) I remember getting off the tube at Gloucester Road station, and struggling up to ground level, where there was a news kiosk....usually busy, but this evening there was a 10 yard queue! When I finally made the front, I asked for my pack of 20 'No.6' cigs (which had previously cost 4/- [that's four shillings to those that don't know!), expecting to have to pay the equivalent, i.e. 20p... Confusion reigned! The seller insisted that it was 40p and not 20p, and hence a lengthy discussion started! We'll never know how many 'fell for it' and paid double for everything they bought, or whether it was a genuine misunderstanding on behalf of the shopkeeper! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janner Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 I only once was in possesion of a big white £5 note ( they ceased to be legal tender in 1957) people used to write their names and address on them. The reason for doing this, I think was because they were easily forged. The Germans forged large quantities of them to destabalise Britain's economy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summer1955 Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 On the actual day of change (sorry!) I remember getting off the tube at Gloucester Road station, and struggling up to ground level, where there was a news kiosk....usually busy, but this evening there was a 10 yard queue! When I finally made the front, I asked for my pack of 20 'No.6' cigs (which had previously cost 4/- [that's four shillings to those that don't know!), expecting to have to pay the equivalent, i.e. 20p... Confusion reigned! The seller insisted that it was 40p and not 20p, and hence a lengthy discussion started! We'll never know how many 'fell for it' and paid double for everything they bought, or whether it was a genuine misunderstanding on behalf of the shopkeeper! i was working in a post office when the decimal first came in and i was on the side that sold cigerettes sweets cards and some household things and toys. the main cigerettes prices i remember were park drive plain 5 for 5 1/2p and tipped 5 for 5p sovereign were 10 for 9p and no 9s were 10 for 9 1/2p. i remember that a lot of chocolates went up in price especially if they were 3d which made them 1p in new money and they all seem to change prices. i used to feel sorry for the pensioners mainly, many time they just used to hand you some money and say take it out of that love. i am sure some people probably took more as it was so easy to. i never did. i used to many time try to tell them what each coin was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discovery Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 I can remember when bus fayres were 2p in the 70's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppins Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 I use to stop and buy 5 woodbines every day at a little hole in the wall on Commercial st, the matches were bigger than the cigs back then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiffRaff Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 i was working in a post office when the decimal first came in and i was on the side that sold cigerettes sweets cards and some household things and toys. the main cigerettes prices i remember were park drive plain 5 for 5 1/2p and tipped 5 for 5p sovereign were 10 for 9p and no 9s were 10 for 9 1/2p. i remember that a lot of chocolates went up in price especially if they were 3d which made them 1p in new money and they all seem to change prices. i used to feel sorry for the pensioners mainly, many time they just used to hand you some money and say take it out of that love. i am sure some people probably took more as it was so easy to. i never did. i used to many time try to tell them what each coin was. Just shows you! At the time, my mum and dad used to smoke "posher" cigs than No.6 - (seem to recall even smaller ones available then as well - No.10's?) - which had been 4/10d for ages... Can't remember whether it was due to a forthcoming budget or decimalisation, but I remember my old man saying that he was going to definitely stop smoking "if they ever reach 5 bob"! He never did, of course.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sycamore66j Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 It's amazing how everything goes up in price over the years, I left school in 1958, my first wage as a shop assistant was £2 16 shillings, terrible ain't it. i left school in 1974 aged 16 and my first wage as an apprentice welder at william greens of ecclesfield was £14.94 pence.i used to give my mum £5 and the rest was all mine!! and it seemed like a fortune. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyer Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 dont worry about it I started work for 12 bob a week ,gave mum 10, and I'm sure on this forum some remember working for a chicken two turnips & a bunch of carrots:hihi: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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