Those who read my post last week will remember that I was born in the village of Ketton. You may even remember the blue car in this picture.
That blue car in the distance was near Mr Robinson's, the cobbler's house.
The monument in the centre contains a water tap at the far side. It was erected to commemorate the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887.
But I am in danger of digressing from this week's prompt
which contains three 'coppers.'
The house on the left in the photo of Stocks Hill is occupied by the village policeman. It just so happens that I knew three of its incumbents before I left the area - PCs Swann, McDonald and Hodgkinson, and the latter's daughter (over whom I will draw a discrete veil)
All this was was nearly 60 years ago - a time, in those pre-decimal days, when the currency of the realm was based on pounds, shillings and pence .
As a boy I was always pleased to have three coppers in my pocket.
Why is it that these designs beat the modern coppers every time?
OK, officer - I'll go quietly, no need for handcuffs, to check the links at Sepia-Saturday-251.
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| Stocks Hill, Ketton looking down the High Street |
The monument in the centre contains a water tap at the far side. It was erected to commemorate the golden jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887.
But I am in danger of digressing from this week's prompt
The house on the left in the photo of Stocks Hill is occupied by the village policeman. It just so happens that I knew three of its incumbents before I left the area - PCs Swann, McDonald and Hodgkinson, and the latter's daughter (over whom I will draw a discrete veil)
All this was was nearly 60 years ago - a time, in those pre-decimal days, when the currency of the realm was based on pounds, shillings and pence .
As a boy I was always pleased to have three coppers in my pocket.
 |
| A Farthing (1/4 of a penny) |
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| Halfpenny (Ship design) |
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| Britannia on the reverse of the one penny coin |
(Images scanned by Retroplum; created by HM Government))
Why is it that these designs beat the modern coppers every time?
OK, officer - I'll go quietly, no need for handcuffs, to check the links at Sepia-Saturday-251.
17 comments:
Another clever play on words.
In some ways American coins have become MORE interesting with national parks featured on the back of quarters.
ah! Now this colonist knows what a farthing is.
Ah - you're making us learn something! I'm not sure how a farthing equates to American coins, but we hardly use pennies any more. There's usually a little dish by the cash registers in most places & folks just throw their pennies in there for someone else to use.
The farthings look like they were especially made to appeal to children. I wonder how the value of a British penny compared to an American penny.
My favourite was the farthing because of the little wren (although it was worth less than the others).
The farthing design is very charming. We still throw pennies in a piggy bank and cart down to the automatic counting machine once a year or so. The pig holds about ten dollars - buys a bottle of wine at Costco. I like the coppers theme.
How lovely to see some of the old coins again. The Jenny Wren on the farthing and the portcullis design on the thruppnee bit were always my favourites – they just don’t make them like that anymore. Thanks for the memories.
'Ello, 'ello, 'ello. What's all this then, Bob? Very clever sir, very clever.
Just wonderful. Now why didn't I think of that. My grandfather's watch chain with its attached pennies. I could have photographed that. But it was lovely to see your shiny old coins.
Ha'pennies, farthings, pennies, thruppences, sixpences, bobs and two bobs - all gone. Now our lowest value coin is the five cents and it doesn't even have a nickname!
Oh Gawd....I am slow....I got all the way to the end before I made the connection....derrr...as we say in Australia. Well done! And beautiful things they are too those coppers.
I don't think many of us Americans would think of coppers as coins...so I appreciate being taught a new "double meaning."
I great "take" on this week's theme - I never thought of the word "coppers" and it was nostalgic to see you coin photographs. I can just about remember farthings.
Christmas is coming. The goose is getting fat. Please put a penny in the old man's hat.
If you haven't got a penny, then a ha' penny will do. If you haven't got a ha' penny, then God bless you!
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Can't help it, Bob. That coin put this song in my head.
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Ha ha, three coppers! Great pun! Well done Bob!
Isn't English a wonderful language with all it's variations...no wonder people find it hard to learn. We no longer have any coppers but there are some stashed in my memory box since, like you, I pre-date decimal currency? No farthings though. Best lend you some of our Aussie coin designers ;)
Very good. The police are generally referred to as the cops here, but it seems the origin of the term copper is in dispute. As Lorraine says, they did away with 1 & 2 cents here a few years back, and now everything is rounded up or down. Things are still priced at say $1.99, but you pay $2. In the UK recntly I found myself surprised to still get snall change :-)
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