A question for my British readers: 1/6d?

[randy_byers]

Does the phrase "1/6d tickets" mean anything to you? This is from Steve Stiles' TAFF report. He is on a double-decker bus with Bill Burns, and he writes, "A conductor came up and asked us our destination. Two 1/6d tickets were purchased, and I wondered at that as it seemed that there must be easy ways to beat the system, getting more mileage for your money." Steve doesn't remember what 1/6d means (or meant), and I've never run into it before.

Comments

[hawkida.livejournal.com]

What year was it? If it's sufficiently old I'd guess it's 1 shilling and sixpence for the fare.

[randy-byers.livejournal.com]

It was 1968. Is "1/6d" the proper notation for "1 shilling and sixpence"?

[hawkida.livejournal.com]

I *think* so. But ask someone who was around then for a more certain answer! I understand it would probably be phrased as "one and six" if spoken.

[ajr.livejournal.com]

Yep, dates and notation all fit. Decimalisation didn't happen in Great Britain until 1971.

[daveon.livejournal.com]

Yep, date matches, IIRC correctly we went decimal in 1971. In the vernacular it would be said, "1 and sixpence."

People would know that the 1 related to a Shilling.

[dougs.livejournal.com]

Or even just "one and six".