A reminder of days gone by

Weights and measures

@Asylum (47893)

Manchester, England

April 12, 2016 11:37am CST

In order to transfer the chest of drawers back upstairs I removed the drawers first, which I also decided to sort out properly while I had the opportunity. The above photograph is of a plaque that I came across in the process. Many moons ago when the buffalo roamed freely on the plains, I worked for a long time in the Licensed trade. As a result I acquired several mementos, most of which have been discarded over the years. It was compulsory to display the above plaque in any premises that sold measures of spirits to the public. The interesting aspect is the measure, which is one sixth of a gill. For many years now the measures have been in ml and not the old imperial system. I have no use for this now but feel reluctant to throw it away because it may well be of interest to some people.

15 people like this

15 responses

@WorDazza (15826)

• Manchester, England

12 Apr 16

I'm prepared to bet there will be some collector out there who would want that.

3 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

12 Apr 16

In which case it would be better for them to have it.

3 people like this

@WorDazza (15826)

• Manchester, England

12 Apr 16

@Asylum And maybe pay you for the privilege!!

2 people like this

@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

12 Apr 16

@WorDazza I am more interested in passing it to someone who would value it for what it is.

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@Hate2Iron (15724)

• Canada

12 Apr 16

I have heard that term before... "gill" If I'm not mistaken, it was in an old English cookbook that my grandmother in law gave to me when we were first married! I will have to check!!

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

12 Apr 16

That sounds feasible because it relates to a quarter of a pint.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

12 Apr 16

@arthurchappell Which is a reminder of how most people used to wrongly refer to a half pint as a gill.

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Arthur Chappell

@arthurchappell (44941)

• Preston, England

12 Apr 16

@Asylum There's a bar in Stockport called Comfortable Gill - refers to the measurement rather than a person

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@marguicha (230350)

• Chile

12 Apr 16

I would love to have that! You can send me one with Leticia, when she goes first to visit you (and help you) and you send her back.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

12 Apr 16

Who said that I intended to send her back?

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@marguicha (230350)

• Chile

12 Apr 16

Then maybe you can send 2 tickets so that I go with her. I can use that nice room with the laminated floor. I am a VERY good cook, let me tell you.

Arthur Chappell

@arthurchappell (44941)

• Preston, England

12 Apr 16

@Asylum it might be a good wall decoration for a pub - could be worth selling it on e-bay if you want to sell it

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

12 Apr 16

I was considering selling it, just passing it on to someone who wants it. There must be many people interested in pub memorabilia.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

12 Apr 16

@arthurchappell If I remember correctly I acquired this when I was considering a bar at home back in the 1980s.

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Arthur Chappell

@arthurchappell (44941)

• Preston, England

12 Apr 16

@Asylum I don't have much room or I'd consider it myself

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@amadeo (111937)

• United States

12 Apr 16

i agree that you should keep this.May have some value or not.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

12 Apr 16

I would prefer to let someone who appreciated it have it.

@amadeo (111937)

• United States

13 Apr 16

@Asylum Isn't there any around would love to have this?

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

13 Apr 16

@amadeo Most probably, but none that I know of.

ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12069)

• United States

13 Apr 16

An it might even have some monetary value to collectors.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

13 Apr 16

This could be true, but I would prefer to give it to a genuine collector than sell it to someone who is only interested in selling it on for a profit.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

13 Apr 16

@ElizabethWallace Most probably, but would also offer a better home for it.

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ElizabethWallace

@ElizabethWallace (12069)

• United States

13 Apr 16

@Asylum A genuine collector who would appreciate it would also pay for it.

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@SIMPLYD (90717)

• Philippines

13 Apr 16

Maybe you can have it laminated and put it somewhere amongst your souvenirs.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

13 Apr 16

I suppose that I could fix it to my computer desk.

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@SIMPLYD (90717)

• Philippines

13 Apr 16

@Asylum That would be very nice indeed .

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changjiangzhibin89

@changjiangzhibin89 (17239)

• China

13 Apr 16

In my English-Chinese Dictionary,a gill is equal to 0.142 litre.Sounds like the plaque is an authorized license by which one could sell spirits above to the public.I know vodka is a sort of proof spirit .

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

13 Apr 16

It is an official plaque for display on licensed premises, which is how I first acquired it.

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@marlina (154103)

• Canada

13 Apr 16

To be honest, I don't even know what a gill is?

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

13 Apr 16

A gill was a quarter of a pint in the old Imperial system that we used here.

@jaboUK (64346)

• United Kingdom

12 Apr 16

It amazes me how many people want old things like that - I watch a lot of the antique shows and they will pay good money for old adverts and posters.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

12 Apr 16

Yes, it is a very popular collecting genre.

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@Marilynda1225 (91068)

• United States

12 Apr 16

Looks like a good keepsake even though you really don't have a use for it

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

12 Apr 16

I used to many such items, but my interests have changed.

@Fleura (34995)

• United Kingdom

12 Apr 16

It's the kind o thing some collector might be interested in. When did the measures change? I could tell you that 1/6 of a gill was the spirit measure (though I don't think I could tell you how much that is!) but I couldn't tell you what a modern measure of spirits is.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

12 Apr 16

There are currently two different measures in use, which I believe are 25 ml and 35 ml, although I do not know they were introduced.

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@tuttiharris (1338)

• Chattanooga, Tennessee

12 Apr 16

There are things that are hard for me to get rid of for memory sake. I just keep hanging on to them. Have a great day.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

13 Apr 16

This is a common situation, but most things from the past I have discarded over the years.

@JudyEv (382036)

• Rockingham, Australia

18 Apr 16

I'm sure there are quite a few who would like your sign. Museums would like it too I'm sure. I shouldn't imagine many people would know what a gill is nowadays.

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@Asylum (47893)

• Manchester, England

18 Apr 16

It would be unlikely to interest a museum because it is not old enough. These were in use when I acquired it, which would be about 35 years ago.

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@Jeanniemaries (8237)

• United States

16 Apr 16

Absolutely! It's something you should keep. I have never even heard of a gill! I've never noticed it referenced in any British book either. But you know how it is. Once you hear something it will pop up out of the blue everywhere for awhile!