The early 1970s saw how we paid for items change…
5 will this week venture into the weird and wonderful story of the decimalisation of British currency in 1971 – the biggest change in UK monetary history – when the ancient system of pounds, shillings and pence was replaced with decimal currency.
Years in the making, this gargantuan operation involved minting billions of coins, converting millions of machines, and teaching the entire nation how to cope with this colossal conversion. It sparked the largest public information campaign the country had ever seen, complete with gritty TV dramas, saucy, scantily clad ‘Decimal Dollies’ and a bizarre yet catchy song by Max Bygraves.
The elderly were shown how to work the new payments with a storyline in Crossroads that saw Amy Turtle (Ann George) getting to grips with the new way of doing things decimal alongside postmistress Edith Tatum (Elisabeth Croft). The plot was praised in parliament by MPs. It wasn’t so memorable for production company ATV who wiped the entire episode to, ironically, save money on storage space.
In the documentary it uncovers the inside story of ‘D-Day’, with insights from those who lived through it, including legendary newsreader Angela Rippon, superstar DJ ‘Diddy’ David Hamilton, and the model who posed for the iconic Britannia design on the new 50p coin, alongside a treasure trove of rich archive from the time.
We also take a modern-day family back in time to a fully-stocked pre-decimal shop where they face the challenge of using old money and experience firsthand just how monumental this change really was.
All Change! The Year We Went Decimal, 5, May 4th at 6.30 pm
