Money in Great Britain and Ireland during the mid-1920s

[chimbleysweep]

Setting: Great Britain and Ireland, 1924-1927
Searches and sources: Combinations of history of money in Great Britain, currency in Great Britain 1920s, history of currency, currency use 1920s Britain, Current Value of Old Money, Measuring Worth, the wiki page on coins of pound sterling, as well as numerous books set in Great Britain, both fiction

Comments

[felis_ultharus]

Others have given you the answer, but I can't resist quoting Neil Gaiman's and Terry Pratchett's Good Omens:

NOTE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND AMERICANS: One shilling = Five Pee. It helps to understand the antique finances of the Witchfinder Army if you know the original British monetary system:

Two farthings = One Ha’penny. Two ha’pennies = One Penny. Three pennies = A Thrupenny Bit. Two Thrupences = A Sixpence. Two Sixpences = One Shilling, or Bob. Two Bob = A Florin. One Florin and one Sixpence = Half a Crown. Four Half Crowns = Ten Bob Note. Two Ten Bob Notes = One Pound (or 240 pennies). One Pound and One Shilling = One Guinea.

The British resisted decimalized currency for a long time because they thought it was too complicated.

[chimbleysweep]

<3 It's been so long since I read it that I completely forgot this was in there.

[donald_r_oddy]

Something nobody has mentioned is foreign currencies (including the punt). It would be relatively difficult to get money changed outside the main bank branches in major cities. A local bank would buy after making a phone call to head office but wouldn't have any foreign money.

There are also notes issued by some Scottish and Northern Irish banks which wouldn't generally be accepted outside those places.

For working people most of their wages goes on rent and food with regular bills (electricity and gas) and clothing being saved up for. There was a lot of second hand furniture and clothing in circulation.

Bread in 1919

[anonymous]

Can anyone please tell me how much a loaf of bread cost (on average) in the UK in 1919???