Author Topic: Measurements old and new  (Read 9103 times)

Offline Smiffy

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #26 on: January 16, 2020, 01:33:11 PM »
I know what you mean, pr1uk. The old imperial units - although not as practical, feel to me more relatably "human" and not as coldly scientific.

Offline pr1uk

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #25 on: January 16, 2020, 07:20:01 AM »
I always work in feet and inches and really only understand fahrenheit, sad I know to some but that's me

Offline MartinR

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #24 on: January 10, 2020, 10:54:33 PM »
DTT, I suspect you may be a bit younger.  I was taught imperial units and how to do long multiplication/division on them in AY 1966/7.  My brother who was 2 years behind me was taught metric.

Offline DaveTheTrain

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #23 on: January 10, 2020, 09:32:11 PM »
I was in primary school when the changeover from Imperial to Metric units occurred. As I recall, we spent one term learning pounds and ounces, pints and quarts, the next it was all kilos, grams and litres



You must be a similar age to me Stuart, I am 53.  I always say that I was taught neither imperial weights or metric weights as the teachers were not allowed to teach the old stuff and did not really understand or have the resources to teach the new.  As a consequence I don't understand pounds and stone one iota and have only the vaguest notion of kilos and grams... and I am an engineer!

KeithG

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #22 on: January 10, 2020, 07:11:53 PM »
Forgot to say an easy way to remember what a Metre is in Imperial is that is all the "f's".....
free foot free and free eighths.


This the builders way and not for the holier than thou?

Offline MartinR

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #21 on: January 10, 2020, 04:47:28 PM »
As virtually always, things are not quite that simple.  The metric system was rationalised by British Association for the Advancement of Science based on c.g.s (centimetre, gram and second) units in 1874.  The Italians produced another rationalised system based on MKS (metre, Kilogram and second) in 1901.  Both systems were in use until 1960 when the International Committee for Wieghts and Measures (CIPM after the French translation) developed the International System (SI, French again) out of the MKS.  To bring things up to date, the International System of Quantities (ISQ) is based on the SI system and is defined in ISO 80000.
On the continent they have long been used to the cgs system and don't see why they should change to new-fangled units, and so retain the use of the centimetre. In the UK we are transitioning to ISQ approved SI, and so we eschew the cm as old-fashioned and non-standard.
You're quite right about familiarity.  There are plenty of other instances of established standard being forced into metric, or else simple accepted.

Two small points.  (1) A small typo: 2440mm = 244cm = 2.44m. ;)   (2) The standard abbreviation for an old penny was "d", not "p", so your prices should have been 1s 10d and 2s 11d, or as more commonly written 1/10 and 2/11.  I too learnt to do my arithmetic whilst the beer flowed.  If you were having problems you just pulled the handle more slowly!

KeithG

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #20 on: January 10, 2020, 04:04:23 PM »
Having left school in 1963 and started my apprenticeship as a Carpenter & Joiner at 16yrs i was soon around 1965/66 using Metric with Imperial measurements.


We were always told "do not convert or mix the two but work with one or the other".......i found the transition very easy if those rules were carried out.


The trouble in this country is we used the Metric system in millimetres when in fact although the system is Metres it is Centimeters that is used on the Continent.


By using it in the correct way long calculations are easier as the result or workings is already x10 less to be written down because of the decimal point.....
eg: 2440mm = simply 2.44cm


I believe the reason people convert is because they do not have any idea how much 300mm looks like but if you said 12" then they have a better idea?


It is the same for Centigrade and Fahrenheit people do not know what 10 degrees C feels like but they do 50 F.....of course now that these Metric systems have been used for so many years they have been used more that the Imperial measurements so one learns.


However there are still some leftovers from the Imperial times of measurements and that is when purchasing mainly wooden sheet materials like Hardboard or Chipboard/MDF etc.
The reason the sizes are odd like 2440mm x 1220mm is because all the older machinery for producing these items were was Imperial and so therefore 8 feet x 4 feet is the size and still now machines are produced for this size.


However i do remember when i had a bad car accident in 1969 to help get myself back on my feet and working i was a barman at a pub just on the corner of our road and when first starting to try and add up 1s 10p and 2s 11p etc for rounds of drinks was difficult for me as paper and pencil i could do anything maths wise but not mental arithmetic.
The landlady saw i was in difficulties and said "you should add it up while you are pouring the beer out from the pump" which did give a longer time especially Guiness ?
When decimalization came in i found it a doddle....




Offline MartinR

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #19 on: January 03, 2020, 08:36:38 AM »

Offline stuartwaters

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #18 on: January 03, 2020, 06:30:01 AM »
Never heard of the Pursers Pound - do you know what the origin of this was? I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a way of reducing expenditure.


That's exactly what it was Smiffy, which is why the striking seamen were demanding it's abolition.
"I did not say the French would not come, I said they will not come by sea" - Admiral Sir John Jervis, 1st Earl St Vincent.

Offline Smiffy

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #17 on: January 02, 2020, 11:33:33 PM »
Never heard of the Pursers Pound - do you know what the origin of this was? I wouldn't be surprised if it was just a way of reducing expenditure.

Offline stuartwaters

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #16 on: January 02, 2020, 08:14:36 PM »
I was in primary school when the changeover from Imperial to Metric units occurred. As I recall, we spent one term learning pounds and ounces, pints and quarts, the next it was all kilos, grams and litres.


As an aside, on the subject of short measures, one of the causes of the Great Mutiny in 1797, when the fleets at Spithead and the Nore went on strike, was the 'Pursers Pound', used to measure out the men's provisions. This was 14 ounces rather than 16 and the abolition of the Pursers Pound was one of the Mutineers demands.
"I did not say the French would not come, I said they will not come by sea" - Admiral Sir John Jervis, 1st Earl St Vincent.

Offline AlanTH

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #15 on: January 02, 2020, 09:41:52 AM »
Probably totally irrelevant to the discussion but I was taxi driver (Vokes Taxis, Wimbles etc) about the time decimalisation of our currency was introduced.
Very easy to pick up and brought the UK into line with just about all those we dealt with. But for us who dealt with cash on a daily basis it sounded the death knell to a nice little perk (read rip off) of foreign sailors or tourists like Yanks who came into the Medway Towns.
If the fare was less than 10 bob and most times it was back in the 60s, the driver (meaning me) only every gave change up to 10 shillings if they offered a pound note for the ride.
Just a quick count into their hot little hands of the change and that was it. They never sussed they were being ripped off. :) Nice little tip of 10 bob every time. :)
The only ones you couldn't do it to were Aussies (the lot I've lived with for nearly 50 years) as they had our currency of pounds shillings and pence!
AlanTH.

PS. Of course I'd never do such a thing these days......

Offline Invicta Alec

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #14 on: January 01, 2020, 10:21:07 PM »

Offline smiler

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #13 on: January 01, 2020, 05:49:56 PM »
   I'm always converting back to old money,when I pay 75p for a paper and think 15 bob. I only used to get twelve and a tanner (62 1/2p) for a morning and an evening round put together for my 1958 paper rounds,

Offline MartinR

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Re: Measurements old and new
« Reply #12 on: January 01, 2020, 04:20:03 PM »