Decimalisation Day, 1971

Hi Mick. Having done a quick internet search it appears shops metricated (is that a real word?) in the late 1970s. It was not linked to decimalisation of our currency, and it can be argued that many older people still think in imperial measures. And we still buy our beer and milk in pints, often travelling several miles to do so.

Yes, it's been a half-arted approach to metrication for decades in this country. Road signs in miles still, yet the marker posts on the edges of motorways are in km, I believe. Wine and spirits etc, even canned beer and cider is sold in cc or ml. Yet if it's on draught, it's still served in imperial pints and halves. But wine glasses in pubs are 125, 175 or 250ml. Fuel has been dispensed in litres for years, yet consumption is still quoted in mpg... and so on. No wonder people get confused, like my grand parent who never got decimal money for the rest of her life. She thought 14p meant 1/4 (1s 4d). Fortunately, I have always worked in both. Calculations are invariably done in SI units (easier), but if someone asks me what a certain gap is I'll say "6 inches... okay 150mm".

No Mick, I think there was quite a bit of time between the two. They used to print the equivalent weight of flour etc.in metric on the bags. Most men wouldn't have noticed as much as the women as their favourite cook books and recipes would be in the old measures. Here in the US most measures are done by the cup. It took me ages to realize that if you used the same cup it to measure the recipe would turn out all right anyway, either larger or smaller. I have conversion lists in the front of most of my old cook books - I suppose I should cross out the old amounts and add the ones I use most.

Thinking about Decimalisation Day, did anybody make a note of the prices of things at that time? It cost 35p to watch the City from the Kop, and 37.5p to stand under cover at the West End. I was paying 11p for a pint of mild and 12p for a pint of bitter in various Coventry pubs. On the day itself I bought a shirt from Marks and Spencer for £2.50; the way prices have changed since then that was a very expensive shirt. And I wish I'd bought a lot more beer at those prices!

Hi Belushi, I would have been 20 then, so must have been buying my own clothes, but genuinely cannot remember how much things were, apart from when I bought a pair of genuine Levi's at £9.00