Fifty years of decimalisation

[matticus]

This is hilarious.
https://webcache.googleusercontent....endent-nation.html+&cd=18&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
or
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/...nalled-demise-proudly-independent-nation.html

Spoiler: the 40 year anniversary - just plain text

On Monday, February 15, 1971, Edward Heath’s government formally abolished the old coinage that had served for generations, replacing it with a new decimal system inspired by Napoleonic France.

Decimalisation: By 1971, Edward Heath, leader of the Conservative Party and the new man in Number 10, was obsessed with modernising Britain - and if that meant demolishing the legacy of the past, so much the better
Out went the shilling, the half-crown and the sixpence, with all their historic associations. In came a new, unfamiliar European-style currency — much to the outrage of millions of ordinary Britons.

Forty years on from ‘Decimal Day’, it looks a profoundly symbolic moment, marking the end of a proud history of defiant insularity and the beginning of the creeping Europeanisation of Britain’s institutions.

Like so many of the social and cultural changes of the Sixties and Seventies, it was remarkably undemocratic. Nobody ever voted for it; nobody ever asked the British people for their opinion.

Decimalisation was imposed from on high, the edict handed down by a political and intellectual elite indifferent to the romantic charms of history and tradition, but determined to turn Britain into a modern European state.

 

[Beebo]

I’m extremely disappointed with this thread as I thought “50 years of decimalisation” was going to be a sex and bondage novel for elderly accountants

 

[Drago]

I remember two coins from 1968,at infant/junior school.

What was a 40 year old man doing hanging round a junior school?

 

[swee'pea99]

This is hilarious.
https://webcache.googleusercontent....endent-nation.html+&cd=18&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk
or
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/...nalled-demise-proudly-independent-nation.html

Spoiler: the 40 year anniversary - just plain text

On Monday, February 15, 1971, Edward Heath’s government formally abolished the old coinage that had served for generations, replacing it with a new decimal system inspired by Napoleonic France.

Decimalisation: By 1971, Edward Heath, leader of the Conservative Party and the new man in Number 10, was obsessed with modernising Britain - and if that meant demolishing the legacy of the past, so much the better
Out went the shilling, the half-crown and the sixpence, with all their historic associations. In came a new, unfamiliar European-style currency — much to the outrage of millions of ordinary Britons.

Forty years on from ‘Decimal Day’, it looks a profoundly symbolic moment, marking the end of a proud history of defiant insularity and the beginning of the creeping Europeanisation of Britain’s institutions.

Like so many of the social and cultural changes of the Sixties and Seventies, it was remarkably undemocratic. Nobody ever voted for it; nobody ever asked the British people for their opinion.

Decimalisation was imposed from on high, the edict handed down by a political and intellectual elite indifferent to the romantic charms of history and tradition, but determined to turn Britain into a modern European state.

"...the decimal-lovers fantasised about a modernised Britain with all the quirks ironed out — a larger, colder version of Belgium"

Oh, we did, we did. We decimal-lovers.

'Belgium'?

 

[matticus]

50 years!

That's really crept up on me. It's amazing that there are people saying they can't help converting decimal figures into lsd in their head - they've had 50 years to get used to it!

Just amazing.

 

[guitarpete247]

"...the decimal-lovers fantasised about a modernised Britain with all the quirks ironed out — a larger, colder version of Belgium"

Oh, we did, we did. We decimal-lovers.

'Belgium'?

Can you say that??
Douglas Adams said it was the worst possible swear word in the whole of the universe.


"Rude Words
Belgium.
Less offensive words have been created in the many languages of the galaxy, such as joojooflop, swut and Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish."

 

[Archie_tect]

Someone will be along shortly to “take back control” and rescind decimalisation

Well it's over 50 years now... just about time for Farage to jump all over it with a big red bus...

 

[Sterlo]

Well it's over 50 years now... just about time for Farage to jump all over it with a big red bus...

Yeah, how many billions will we save by switching back to £sd

 

[matticus]

Yeah, how many billions will we save by switching back to £sd

A barrel of florins, I'd wager.

 

[Drago]

I pray to God that a campaign to bin decimalisation never arrives, because sure as eggs is an aggressive 'remain' campaign of rudeness, derision and threats will quickly see us counting to 240 again every time we go shopping. Simply adding one or two zeroes in my mind is quite enough for me, thank you very much.

 

[Pale Rider]

I don't remember when decimalization happened. However, I read Jack's Return Home (Get Carter) which was written about 1970

The author of the book said it was inspired by - not based on - the lives of cockney gangster brothers Michael and Vince Luvaglio, who liked to be known as Landa.

The pair of them came to the North East not long after the government legalised fruit machines, having been squeezed out of the same business in London by increasing competition.

One of their cash collectors, Angus Sibbett was thought to be skimming from them.

He was murdered in a shooting following a colourful car chase through County Durham involving a Jaguar E-type and a Mark 10 saloon.

Michael Luvaglio did time for Sibbett's murder, as did his associate Dennis Stafford.

I spoke to Stafford many years later, who told me the fruit machine business boomed for a few years.

It was the first time people had seen the machines, and demand was so high pub landlords had to ration each customer's time on them.

Michael Luvaglio continued to offend after being released from prison, doing further time for counterfeiting.

I last saw him at Durham Crown Court around 2000 when he stood trial for arson of a car outside his apartment in Stanhope Castle in Weardale.

Even in his 70s, he had a gangster aura about him, immaculately turned out with a long, Arthur Daley style overcoat.

His brother Vince moved back to London after the fruit machine business folded, working lawfully, as far as anyone knew, with young offenders.

What has any of this got to do with decimalisation?

Not a lot, except about 10 years ago a friend of mine bought a house known to have been occupied by a girlfriend of Luvaglio.

Digging the back garden, my friend found two large bags of sixpences.

Almost certainly part of the proceeds of the fruit machine business.

 

[swee'pea99]

The author of the book said it was inspired by - not based on - the lives of cockney gangster brothers Michael and Vince Luvaglio, who liked to be known as Landa.

The pair of them came to the North East not long after the government legalised fruit machines, having been squeezed out of the same business in London by increasing competition.

One of their cash collectors, Angus Sibbett was thought to be skimming from them.

He was murdered in a shooting following a colourful car chase through County Durham involving a Jaguar E-type and a Mark 10 saloon.

Michael Luvaglio did time for Sibbett's murder, as did his associate Dennis Stafford.

I spoke to Stafford many years later, who told me the fruit machine business boomed for a few years.

It was the first time people had seen the machines, and demand was so high pub landlords had to ration each customer's time on them.

Michael Luvaglio continued to offend after being released from prison, doing further time for counterfeiting.

I last saw him at Durham Crown Court around 2000 when he stood trial for arson of a car outside his apartment in Stanhope Castle in Weardale.

Even in his 70s, he had a gangster aura about him, immaculately turned out with a long, Arthur Daley style overcoat.

His brother Vince moved back to London after the fruit machine business folded, working lawfully, as far as anyone knew, with young offenders.

What has any of this got to do with decimalisation?

Not a lot, except about 10 years ago a friend of mine bought a house known to have been occupied by a girlfriend of Luvaglio.

Digging the back garden, my friend found two large bags of sixpences.

Almost certainly part of the proceeds of the fruit machine business.

Has anyone ever been called Vince without being a gangster?

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Has anyone ever been called Vince without being a gangster?

Not a gangster but certainly looks like one.

 

[Pale Rider]

Has anyone ever been called Vince without being a gangster?

That's a thought, but I'm not sure if Landa was ever convicted of anything, certainly nothing like his brother.

Landa certainly behaved himself after the fruit machines, and lived in relative anonymity under a different name, shunning all requests for interviews.

Again unlike his brother who revelled in his notoriety, rather like the Kray twins.

They fell out, Michael declined to go to his brother's funeral saying: "Why would I go to the funeral of a man I have no respect for?"

There was more murky goings on between Michael and his co-murderer Dennis Stafford.

After his release, Stafford gave a series of interviews saying he was living in fear, and he wanted Northumbria Police to do more to protect him from Michael.

Although as with all that mob, you would be wary of taking anything they say at face value.

 

[Dirk]

50 years!

That's really crept up on me. It's amazing that there are people saying they can't help converting decimal figures into lsd in their head - they've had 50 years to get used to it!

Just amazing.

I'm perfectly used to decimal, but when you were born into a system that you used every day through your formative years until you started work life, it's virtually impossible to toss it aside.
Nothing amazing about it, at all.