Before the decimalisation of almost everything, Great Britain worked in a variety of weights and measures. The currency was also very different from elsewhere in the world. The following tables are intended to try to explain some of the weights and measures.
Measurements of Length
| Imperial | Metric | |
| 1 inch | = 1/12 foot | 2.54 centimetres (cm) |
| 12 inches | = 1 foot | 30.5 centimetres |
| 3 feet | = 1 yard | 91.5 centimetres |
| 36 inches | = 1 yard | 91.5 centimetres |
| 5½ yards or 16½ feet | = 1 rod, perch or pole | 5.0292 metres |
| 22 yards or 100 links | = 1 chain | 20.12 metres |
| 10 chains or 220 yards | = 1 furlong | 0.2 kilometres (km) |
| 1760 yards | = 1 mile | 1.6 kilometres |
| 80 chains | = 1 mile | 1.6 kilometres |
| 8 furlongs | = 1 mile | 1.6 kilometres |
| 3 miles | = 1 league | 4.8 kilometres |
Measurements of Weight
| 16 oz [ounces] |
= 1 lb. [pound] |
.45 kilograms |
| 14 lbs. |
= 1 stone |
6.36 kilograms |
| 2 stones |
= 1 quarter |
12.72 kilograms |
| 4 quarters |
= 1 cwt [hundredweight] | 45 kilograms |
| 20 cwt. |
= 1 ton |
900 kilograms |
Measurements of Liquid Measure
| 4 gills | = 1 pint | 1.8 ml |
| 2 pints | = 1 quart | 0.9 litre |
| 4 quarts | = 1 gallon | 3.8 litres |
| 52½ gallons | = 1 hogshead | 199.5 litres |
Measurements of Dry Measure
| 4 gills | = 1 pint | 1.8 ml |
| 2 pints | = 1 quart | 0.9 litre |
| 4 quarts | = 1 gallon | 3.8 litres |
| 2 gallons | = 1 peck | 9.1 litres |
| 4 pecks | = 1 bushel | 36.4 litres |
Last modified 15 June 2006