Do you remember Decimal Day?

Pre-decimal currency was based on:

• 12 pennies – 12d = 1 shilling
• 20 shillings – 20s = £1
• 240 pennies – 240d = £1

Prices would be written in pounds, shillings and pennies, so an item costing 7 shillings and 2 pennies would be written as 7s 2d and marked up sale items as 7/2. The ‘s’ and ‘d’ represented Latin words ‘solidus’ and ‘denarius’. Half-crowns, farthings and half pennies were not in use in 1971, having already been ‘retired’ but there were threepence and sixpence coins.

Threepence – this coin was 12-sided and often called a ‘thrupence’ or a ‘thrupny bit’ and, if you were lucky, you may have found one in your Christmas pudding.

Sixpence – this was silver coloured and may have been used in Christmas puddings instead of a thrupence. It was worth the equivalent of 2½ (new) pence and you could still use it up to 1980. Maybe you kept one as a souvenir?

Shilling – this was popularly known as a ‘bob’ and was used in expressions such as ‘taking the King’s shilling’, ‘you look as if you’ve lost a shilling and found a penny’ and ‘a few bob short of a pound’. The shilling (which was the same size as the 5 pence coin) was legal tender until 1990.

Florin – this was worth two shillings or ‘two bob’ and remained in use until 1992. The 10 pence coin was the same size.

Ten shilling note – this was withdrawn on 20 November 1970.

With decimalisation, the pound was retained and kept its value but was now divided into 100 new pence, written as ‘p’. Five and ten pence coins were introduced in April 1968, and fifty pence coins in October 1969, which meant that the public was already familiar with some of the new coinage.

To publicise Decimal Day, a huge campaign took place and included the BBC broadcasting a series of 5 minute programmes called ‘Decimal Five’ and ‘New Money Day’ which was shown on 15 February 1971, ITV showed a drama called ‘Granny gets the Point’ and Max Bygraves recorded a jaunty song called ‘Decimalisation’.

Articles included in the Gazette covering D-Day were:

D-Day Will Add To P.O. Worries (29 January 1971)

The postal strike has entered its second week with a ‘no change’ situation in Bideford.

Counter service at the head post office is almost normal apart from the fact, of course, that postings cannot be accepted.

With Decimal Day looming, post office worries must be amplified. Prior to the strike the intention was to close all offices from 1pm on Friday, February 12th, until 9am on the following Monday. In that time everything sold would have to be changed and accounted for which would be a vast undertaking even if things were normal.

Those renting Council properties can expect a reduction in their rent as Decimalisation Means Rent Cut - By A Fraction (12 February 1971)

150 OAPs See The Point! (19 February 1971)

It was ‘back to school’ for about 150 members of the Bideford No. 1 branch of the Old Age Pensions Associations who, at a special meeting organised by their leader, Mrs D A Pascoe, were taught how to handle decimal currency. 

Their teachers were Inspector S Nicholson and Mr T White of the Southern National Omnibus Co. With the aid of blackboard, chalk and the new coins they soon dispelled mystery, and there were light-hearted moments.

Vice-chairman Mr W Tithecott thanked the speakers and Mrs Huxtable and the committee served tea.

199 valuable decimal stamps? (19 February 1971)

A Bideford stamp dealer, Miss Rosemary Phear, of Brookfield Street, bought 70 new decimal stamps on Monday for use of first-day covers – and then went back and bought the rest of the sheet.

Reason was that she noticed there were no phosphor bands on the stamps and she believes this could make them valuable. Miss Phear was lucky, for in the meantime only one more stamp had been sold from the 200-stamp sheet.

County Rate up 5½P (19 February 1971)

Torrington Rural Rate Prospect (19 February 1971) 

Local eateries such as the Elizabethan Club and Restaurant and Tantons Hotel advertised their menus using decimalised costs - Grapefruit Surprise for 35p and Sunday lunch for 67 1/2p, whereas Chopes aided its customers by providing post and pre decimalisation costs - pantie girdles for 50p (10s).

Births announced in the Gazette on 26 February 1971 included Jana Grigg born at NDDHMU to Raymond and Lorraine born on 15 February.

Later Developments

The term ‘new pence’ or ‘new penny’ ceased after ten years in 1982 as it was deemed it was now not ‘new’. In the same year, the 20p coin was introduced. The half penny coin introduced in 1971 was not legal tender after December 1984 as inflation meant it was of little use and the pound coin was issued in 1983 which led to the pound note being demonetised on 11 March 1988.

References used are Wikepedia, Family Money, Coins of the UK, and Gazette newpapers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimal_Day