DavidGrain
master brummie
Remember that in those days all prices were calculated using mental arithmetic. The weight in lbs and oz times the price per pound in shillings and pence. Scales like these, and not all shops had them, helped the calculation of ounces by the price per lb but if the weight was over 1 lb you still had to do that calculation in your head. A pencil and the corner of a sheet of wrapping paper was only for when you had to add up a number of items.