The Times 'history' column on Saturday carried a piece from 1959 about the then imminent demise of the farthing.
That takes me back! As children we loved farthings for their size & their friendly robin.
Sixpence weekly pocket money went a lot further if it could br doled out in farthings. But only, I think, if you liked sweets (once they came off the ration). Blackjacks, Trebor chews, space ships, liquorice shoe laces, sweet cigarettes .... only common children had bubble gum.
I used to do the family ironing to earn extra pocket money. 4 ladies hankies = 1/4d. on my tariff.
I remember one particularly tough negotiation over a posh cotton frock I had, handed down from friends who had rich relations. I think I was its fourth wearer. It had complicated frills down the front - a real bugger to iron. Eventually my mother agreed to up the price from the usual 11/4d to 11/2d.
My fathers shirts were worth 2d each. His evening dress shirt - which was worn only rarely & spent most of its life rolled up in the bottom of the ironing basket - earned me even more, when I got round to it.
Now the 1p coin is under threat. Thats nearly 10 farthings.
I hope its passing will be marked by a suitably funereal peal from the bells of St Martins.
