That's because, on June the 23rd of that year, Tim Berners-Lee began work on ENQUIRE, the system that would eventually lead to the creation of the World Wide Web almost exactly ten years later.
If that was thrilling news for those with one foot in the future, there was bad news for those with one foot stuck in the past - especially those who could only count in multiples of six - because, on June 30th, the pre-decimal sixpence coin was withdrawn from circulation, never to return. Wasn't the sixpence virtually indistinguishable from the 5p piece? What monetary madness was this?
It's a good thing we had these things to keep our minds occupied because we certainly weren't getting all the 2000 AD we needed to fill our time. The dread reality was that June 1980 was the second consecutive month in which only two issues of the galaxy's greatest comic were published.
However, judging by the covers of the two issues that were unleashed that month, it's clear to see The Empire Strikes Back was starting to make its impact upon the world. It is interesting to see the cover of Prog 165 talking about, "Star Wars 2." Does this mean there was a time when describing the film as The Empire Strikes Back would lead to people not knowing what you were referring to? What a strange and unfamiliar land the past truly was.
Steve-
ReplyDeleteThere was a Christmas song that I was taught in elementary school which I believe is British. We sang it in pageants. It went:
"Christmas is coming,
The goose is getting fat,
Please to put a penny,
In the old man's hat."
"If you have no penny,
A hay-penny will do,
If you have no hay-penny,
Then God bless you."
I assumed that the coin was half a penny. Wow. And I thought I was poor.
That's not still in existence, is it?
I have a feeling that this disturbing period of industrial action might have been the point that I stopped regularly picking up 2000AD. This sort of thing seemed to happen frequently with little or no explanation in the affected comics, frustrating for a 10 year old who already felt a week between issues was a painful wait.
ReplyDeleteKilldumpster, sadly, the half penny was scrapped sometime around thirty years ago because no one could see what use it was.
ReplyDeleteTimothy, I manfully battled on with my 2000 AD reading. In fact, I'm not sure I even noticed the reduced schedule. I certainly have no memory of it.
Sixpences would be tricky to distinguish from today's 5p coins, Steve, but you're forgetting that 5p coins (just like 10p and 50p coins) were much bigger back in 1980. A 10p coin was huge.
ReplyDeleteThinking about it, you're right. Wasn't an old 5p coin about the size of a modern 10p coin?
ReplyDeleteYes - I'd say about that. And there must have been some old one shilling pieces the same size hanging around for a few years that were worth 5p in shops.
ReplyDeletePre 1947 Sixpences were made of silver, which is why they were (are) often used in Christmas puddings. Apparently they're safe to use in food, assuming you don't choke on one.
ReplyDeleteDW
From what I understand, the sixpence was worth two and a half new pence, was this the case right up until 1980? Because I have absolutely no memory of ever spending one.
ReplyDeleteI think a new pound was worth 240 old pennies, so it would suggest that an old sixpence was worth 2.5 new pence. Whether that was how it worked in practice, I'm afraid I can't remember.
ReplyDeleteYes, a sixpence was worth 2.5 new pence. And old shillings were worth 5p and old two bob pieces 10p. Shillings and two bobs were very similar in size, if not identical, to the new 5p and 10p coins. Old pennies and thruppences weren’t worth integer multiple sizes of 0.5p so were taken out of circulation straight away. I don’t remember ever using a "ten bob note" so I imagine they were taken out of circulation close to D-day.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, though, how did we ever get by with a currency of 12 pence to a shilling and 20 shillings to a pound? If we ever changed back, a significant proportion of the population just wouldn't be able to the change from a fiver after buying a frappucino. It's a shame they didn’t have pocket calculators back in the 60s. A calculator that worked with pounds, shillings and pence would be a quaint antique piece.
After reading your currency conversion dilemmas I think it is only fair that the same demons cooked up the USA (and yours?) length measurements? 12 inches = 1 foot, etc.
ReplyDeleteMy french wife, raised on the metric system, curses to no end when she has to break out a measuring stick and start looking at 1/4 inches, 1/16 inches, etc. instead of 10ths.
I argue it help keeps the mind sharp... anyone can divide by 10. But to consistently divide in half is mentally stimulating.
Same with cooking volume: 2 cups = 2 pints = 1 quart, 4 quarts = 1 gallon...
And the chef's favorite: 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.
Dangermash, I seem to remember people having Ready Reckoners, which were some sort of cardboard device, with tabs you could pull, to tell you what your total bill would be, as you added items to your shopping basket.
ReplyDeleteCharlie, it's a total mess in Britain. Some things are measured in metric units and some in Imperial units. For about the last forty years, no one in schools has been taught how to use Imperial measures, which means they don't understand any of it, even though it's still being used. Personally, I don't have a clue how many yards there are in a mile or how many pounds there are in a ton. As for what an acre is...
Steve BITBA needs your musical insight today!
ReplyDeleteI always look forward to your UK perspective!
ReplyDeleteI shall see what I can do.
ReplyDeleteYou done did a lot!
ReplyDeleteI've seen that "Christmas is coming" song on greeting cards. I think it is an old nursery rhyme, and, from the "ha' penny" reference, I would assume it is British.
ReplyDeleteThere was also a Bing Crosby song that may have been based on the same source. It still gets played on the "oldies" stations during the holiday season in December.
Christmas is a comin' and the cider's in the keg
If I had a cup of cider then I would not have to beg.
If you cannot spare a cup for me then half a cup will do
If you do not have a half a cup, then God bless you.
Christmas is a-coming and the lights are on the tree
Could you spare a turkey leg for poor old me?
If you do not have a turkey leg, a turkey wing will do,
If you do not have a turkey wing then God bless you.
I do not have to worry, I do not need to fret
The more you give at Christmas, the more you get.
God bless you, gentlemen, God bless you
If you do not have a thing to spare, then God bless you.
TC-
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the elaboration! Never realised that there were extra stanzas to one of my Christmas favorites.
Even though I'm a agnostic evolutionist, I still love the theme of Christmas.
Happy Christmas in July, everybody!!
Steve I am jonesing for your column! Help!
ReplyDelete