Comments on: Lsd - another memory of the seventies

by: philh

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:35:55 +0000

On viewing an old TV series recently released on DVD I was struck by the interesting historical perspective unwittingly captured by it. The series “Public Eye” about a private enquiry agent (Frank Marker) was made around the late sixties/early seventies spanning the era of decimalisation of UK currency. Although fictional it seems a reasonably good reflection of the times.

I was intrigued by the testament it gave to how well that change-over was handled. Marker often engaged in money talk with his clients and when he was shopping for himself. His daily charge of “6 guineas” a day became “6 pounds 30 new pence” and eventually just “6 pounds 30″

There was also a hint of those who, at first, resisted it by continuing to talk in old money. On the same line of thought another TV series about the police (Juliet Bravo) broadcast in the early eighties also contained an interesting moment about metrication. A police seargent asked a local farmer of he could supply some potatoes. He asked for some 20 kg bags. The farmer replied by converting it to cwt. “You haven’t gone metric then Sid?” said Seargeant Beck. To which the farmer gave a reply that indicated he was hoping that if he ignored it, it will all go away!

Such is the contrast.

by: George Carty

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 12:09:05 +0000

Would decimalization have been less problematic if Britain had used the “ten-shilling” approach like Australia and New Zealand, rather than keeping the pound?

by: Alex Bailey

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:15:19 +0000

It was interesting to see the parallels between some of the potential issues given at the time and the reasoning used today to avoid conversion to metric - at least the potential for the untimely death of a monarch isn’t being used this time around!

The sixpence is a good example of why we should dispense with the old as quickly as possible though - it took 9 years to withdraw it and although I was too young to remember D-day I do remember wondering why on earth something called “sixpence” was only worth two and a half!

by: Ezra Steinberg

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 18:35:01 +0000

I notice this quote from the old BBC report on decimalization of the currency (from the link provided in the post):

‘Chairman of the British Bankers’ Association decimalisation committee, Bernard Sharpe, made clear old coins would not last.

“There is no case whatever for the retention of the sixpence in a decimal currency system, except for sentimentality for the ‘dear old tanner’,” he said. ‘

Makes me think of the current issue of retaining the pint for draft beer and bottled milk. A similar attitude towards them as towards the old sixpence would send the pint packing in a thrice.

Once again, the core lesson of the successful decimalization of currency in the UK (or of metrication in Australia, South Africa, etc.) is completely lost on the current government.

Perhaps this anniversary of decimalization is an opportunity to talk to the media again to remind people that the same approach is needed now to finish metrication and end the muddle once and for all.