Money Matters

Ever wonder what money in Victorian England was worth? This fascinating article highlights how money was written and its value of this time. For example money was written out like this: 16/ = 16 shillings (which equals 4/5 of a pound sterling), and a pound (£) was worth about $11.00 for much of the period. Before the recent introduction of decimal currency, British money was written in the following order: pounds/shilling/pence (or £/s/d). Prices less than one pound generally appeared as shilling/pence (e.g., 10/6). There are certain requirements when determining ones class as well. One will be considered part of the middle class when one is able to acquire at least one servant. As an estimate to how much a pound was worth one can assume roughly $100 dollars today. An interesting fact concerning class and money is that so much of a gap was put between the classes that one’s salary would have to increase greatly in order to move up in class.

                        - Emily Dodd

http://www.victorianweb.org/economics/wages.html

http://usuaris.tinet.org/klunn/money.html