The cost of natural oilstones

[Phil Pascoe]

I've just read an article in "The Woodworker" annual 1953 by Frank Pain, where he mentions that he used a "barbers hone" that cost him £5. - he might have bought that years before as in 1956 he was on record as saying he'd 50yrs experience... I live in a poor area and I know my father employed labourers in 1967 (who worked like slaves) who worked weekends so they could take home £10 a week.
Puts the cost in perspective, doesn't it?

 

[John15]

Hi Phil,
£10 for a seven day week seems very low from what I remember of wages in 1967. I worked in the South East at that time and maybe wages were higher there than remoter areas such as Cornwall.
Cheers,
John

 

[Harbo]

I started work as a Graduate Trainee Civil Engineer in 1967 on an annual salary of £1100. Though the year before 65/66 I earned £600 per annum as a Designer Detailer for a large Reinforced Concrete Structural Design Co.
£10 per week not that bad for labourers?

Rod

 

[bugbear]

Just the facts ma'am:

http://www.wirksworth.org.uk/A04VALUE.htm

BugBear

 

[bugbear]

A trip to my library reveals two helpful Buck and Hickman catalogues (amongst other things )

1935: India 6/3, India Combination 8/4, Washita standard 3/6 (mounted), Washita Lily White 5/9 (mounted) Arkansas 21/-

£1 in 1935 is now worth £62.35

1964: India1 11/-, India Combination 13/3, Washita (Norton WB-8) 56/-, Arkansas 119/-

£1 in 1964 is now worth £18.28

The inflation figures are from:

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bill ... -1900.html

BugBear

 

[AndyT]

I think this is an interesting snippet of evidence that a small minority of tradesmen accept that sometimes they need to spend a noticeably large amount of money - a week's whole wage, or more - to equip themselves for work.
Maybe Festool could offer some modern examples?
It also serves as a reminder of how quickly we get used to some things being much cheaper than they used to be.

 

[Harbo]

I've still got my Stanley 4 in its box that cost £4 odd in the 60's so that's £70 in new monies?

Rod