2 weeks ago
9
Even more tales of guineas and guinea pigs. Russell Julian of Port Macquarie remembers, “At Auckland University in the 1950s, undergraduates paid course fees each term of 8 guineas for science subjects needing laboratory studies and 5 guineas for all other subjects.”
David Harvey of Drummoyne adds that, “I don’t know if it served any useful purpose, but in the 1950s, medical and legal bills were still often sent in guineas. One of my acquaintances said that he simply wrote cheques for the same number of pounds and sometimes got away with the discount.”
Richard Stewart of Pearl Beach also has bad money memories of guineas, explaining, “In pre-decimal currency days, we accountancy students had three columns to add, never forgetting how many pence to a shilling and how many shillings to a pound. Slide rulers or log tables were supposed to assist, but it boiled down to mental adding, and at speed as a challenge in exams. Thankfully guineas days are over – there’s only so much a nervous student can cope with.”
Then, from Vienna, Merran Loewenthal reports, “Although the UK adopted decimal currency and retired the guinea in 1971, when I was instructing barristers in London in 1977, they very often still quoted their fees in guineas. Their ‘briefs’ were also still being written on the original A3 size paper. The Brits simply need more time to catch up.”
Back now to words that have been superseded by modern technology, Mickey Pragnell of Kiama feels that, “Similarly to Richard Hambly (C8) trying to find the modern equivalent of ‘firing on all cylinders’, I note that people still ‘hang up’ the phone.” Marjie Williamson of Blaxland offers, “We really can’t write ‘penned’ any more because we never touch a pen these days. Also, the word ‘write’ will become obsolete, as we ‘type’ or ‘email’.” Debbie Rudder of Maroubra suggests, “We revive a picturesque metaphor by adopting the term ‘the battery’s full up to dolly’s wax’. A nice blend of old and new designed to tease enquiring minds.”
Continuing C8’s late tales of lookalikes, dopplegangers and spooky doubles, Edward Loong of Milsons Point, adds, “In about the late 1970s, I once appeared in the Phillip Street Traffic Court, now the Justice and Police Museum. I hasten to add it was as a young solicitor representing a client on a drinking charge. When my matter was reached, I have a distinct recollection of the beak remarking, ‘You look just like Bruce Lee!’ Who was I to question His Worship (as magistrates were then addressed)?”
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