Old Guides to Stafford

RobUSA

Well-Known Forumite
Found this on ebay and bought it from a man in Croatia (?)

I think it’s around 1953/54.

Quite an interesting read. Oh the hopes they had.

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Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
There were so many more opportunities in the old days.

You're going to struggle to get by being a twine merchant these days, even if it's part-time and you have a second job.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
A very old handbook guide to Stafford my Dad gave me when I was a kid. Published in 1906 price sixpence (as you can see.) I've used a couple of pix on the Stafford Nostalgia thread. As a kid I defaced it a bit, I drew cannons on the battlements of Stafford Castle. There's quite a few pix in it, all more than 100 years in the past. Looking through it is like staring at an alien planet .... :eek:

HandbookCover.jpg


I'm not sure what sixpence represents in today's prices. I figure in 1906 it was 'real' money.
HandbookOpener.jpg
 

Raven

Well-Known Forumite
6d in old money ?
There were two 6d to make a shilling and 20 shilling to make a pound.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
What I meant is what would sixpence (2½ new pence) buy you then compared to what it would buy you now. I'm old enough to remember buying beer at 2 bob a pint. (One and six in the Labour Club.) :pint::hmm:
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
What I meant is what would sixpence (2½ new pence) buy you then compared to what it would buy you now. I'm old enough to remember buying beer at 2 bob a pint. (One and six in the Labour Club.) :pint::hmm:
The internet suggests that 2.5p in 1906 would be equivalent to 312.5p today.

So, your tanner would be worth three quid and half a crown today.

What the tanner would buy then is a rather different question, and harder to answer.
 

Mudgie

Well-Known Forumite
I tried to find a copy of this guide online but all I found was this from 1975.

View attachment 11393
Oooops here we go again!!! Sorry
As Branch Treasurer at the time ( and until 2000 ) I remember it well, 1500 printed by George Street Press for £315 and a reprint of 500 for £87.
Active members loaned money to the Branch to cover the initial printing costs.
 
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Mudgie

Well-Known Forumite
A very old handbook guide to Stafford my Dad gave me when I was a kid. Published in 1906 price sixpence (as you can see.) I've used a couple of pix on the Stafford Nostalgia thread. As a kid I defaced it a bit, I drew cannons on the battlements of Stafford Castle. There's quite a few pix in it, all more than 100 years in the past. Looking through it is like staring at an alien planet .... :eek:

View attachment 11396

I'm not sure what sixpence represents in today's prices. I figure in 1906 it was 'real' money.
View attachment 11397
6d then is probably about £3 now.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
Interestingly my Handbook shows it was printed and published at 39 Greengate St which if I remember right recently stood for a long time as an empty shop. I have an idea the original offices of the Staffordshire Advertiser newspaper were there, although when I worked for them their editorial dept was in Salter Street and the admin offices were in Mount Street .. (next to the La Roma Cafe.) The paper was at that time printed in Shrewsbury. That was in 1964/65. :hmm:
 
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