Prices of everyday things in the past

[classylady60]

I wonder if anyone can help me here please. I need to find prices of ordinary things for the UK in 1946 and 1947 (would be handy for other years gone by too). Things like, bread, milk, beer, chocolate, all foods, newspapers, wages...etc etc.

I see there are sites for these things in the USA but cannot find them for Britain. Does anyone know where I can find these prices please, it would help me greatly if I could look them up.

Many thanks to all who can help.

xx

[Zen]

http://eh.net/hmit/ppowerbp/

[classylady60]

Many thanks for that link, unfortunately I have trawled that before with no luck.. either I'm looking in the wrong place or they really don't have what I want.

Thanks again... anymore help would be appreciated.

xx

[Ethel]

Fascinating subject! Strangely the info is hard to come by.

There is some prices or foodstuffs in table 2 of this link relating to 1947 (and other years).



http://www.statistics.gov.uk/articles/economic _trends/ET626_CPI.pdf


I hope it helps, but I will keep looking,

[Ethel]

This gives prices during WW II, so a little earlier than you specified. It may be useful though.
Food and petrol were still rationed in 1946.



http://www.worldwar2exraf.co.uk/Online%20Museu m/Museum%20Docs/Cost%20of%20living%202.htm

[reinganum]

I went to the spare room and checked my copy of Radio Times for September 1946 (every home should have one!) and found some prices as follows (from the ads):

Three Nuns pipe tobacco, 2s7d per ounce
Kiwi shoe polish, 4d and 8d per tin
Toothbrushes (Tek brand), Nylon 1s10d; bristle 2s10d
Table-top mains radio (Murphy model A104) �31.11.1 (this included �5.11.1 purchase tax)
Morphy-Richards door chimes 49/6 or 57/-
Fertiliser, 2/9d for a 7lb bag
Sunlight soap, 3�d a bar
Pepsodent toothpaste, 1/3d and 2/2d a tube
Gumption household cleaner, 1/- and2/- a tin

Ads during and just after WW2 were rather peculiar because many things were in very short supply; during the war for obvious reasons, but after the war nearly all manufactured goods had to go for export to earn valuable foreign exchange.

Sorry if the range of goods is rather peculiar, but it was all I could lay my hands on at short notice! Many ads did not give price of the items.

Another thing which is often now forgotten is that shops could not discount branded goods � they had to sell at the manufacturer's price (it was known as Resale Price Maintenance). This did not end till around 1964. Many goods before that date carried the price on the packet.

Hope this helps.

[classylady60]

Gosh thanks reinganum.... what a lovely load of different things you found.... certainly wish I had a copy of the Radio Times from that era.. what interesting things it must show. Do you happen to be able to give me some programmes from it too please as that would help with what I'm doing? Taking a liberty I know, but asking just in case you don't mind. Thanks again, it is most helpful. Thanks Ethel too, everything helps in this sort of thing as these answers seem very hard to come by for this country yet in the USA they are widely available.

Appreciate all your hard work.

xx

[dantheman123]

When I caught the bus to school in in 1976 it was 2p but then it went up to 5p So I walked and spent the money on crisps. Also we could return milk bottles and get back the 1/2 p deposit.

[reinganum]

Glad to have been of help, Classylady.....

First thing is that in 1946-47 hardly anyone had TV. TV had been suspended during the war and only resumed for Victory Day, 8 June 1946. Even then, TV was only available in London and up to about 30 miles out; the Midlands got TV just before Christmas 1949. Most people were able to get TV by the time of the Coronation in June 1953. Only one channel till ITV started in 1955!

Most people therefore looked to radio for their entertainment. The BBC channels in general were (on average) more "highbrow" than they are now, and many people tuned to Radio Luxembourg for popular music (did you see The story of Light Entertainment on BBC2 last Saturday night?)

However, one area where BBC always excelled was comedy. Most popular programmes just after the war would have included ITMA a sort of sketch show, and </>Much Binding in the Marsh a sitcom based around a fictitious RAF base.

Housewives' Choice, a record request programme (just about the only place you would have heard popular music) started in March 1946.

Dick Barton � Special Agent, a 15-minute thriller serial (with nightly cliffhangers) was probably the most popular programme around that time.

I'll post up some more prices of things when I get back home � I'm at work at the moment!! By the way, Radio Times cost 2d in 1946 and most newspapers were 1d or 1�d.

I assume you are already aware of sites where you can compare old prices with present -day values.

[classylady60]

Hi again reinagnum

Once again many thanks for your stupendous help I'm touched you are still searching for me thank you. <blows a kiss>

I have come across sites where you can compare the prices, but really all I want are the actual prices of things like you've given me... will help no end when I do my memory books for friends who will be 60 this year and next.

I appreciate your help, thank you.

xx

[abslad]

Classylady60

I may not be able to add anything at the moment but you have requested exactly what I need myself. Perhaps we can share our knowledge?

Will you email me at [email protected]?

Regards

John