In contrast to his last article, John Frewen-Lord takes a look this week at some of the activities of seven famous people who later had SI units of measurement named after them.
Category: History
Will Scotland keep the pound avoirdupois as well as the pound sterling?
What impact would Scottish independence (if it were to happen) have on weights and measures? Martin Vlietstra supplies an answer.
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The 49th Parallel – still a line in the shifting sands?
John Frewen-Lord, one of our regular contributors, has recently visited Canada and has sent Metric Views his observations on the current state of the metric changeover there. Comments on this article from readers who know Canada are particularly welcome.
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One hundred years of metric rainfall measurement
– not that the media have noticed. John Frewen-Lord looks into this oversight, drawing our attention to a centenary that occurs on 1 May.
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‘Area 1520’ – not about aliens or UFOs
With Easter approaching, thoughts turn to the holiday. One of our frequent contributors, John Frewen-Lord, has written an article about travel, or rather about a means of travel, which may help to get us in the mood, and which, moreover, deals with a topic not previously visited by Metric Views.
Are imperial units ‘British’?
Continuing with our series on myths, misinformation and fallacies, we look at the claim occasionally made by defenders of imperial units that they are British and that they should continue in use for this reason.
Metrication in Myanmar
We are pleased to draw our readers’ attention to a recent article on conversion plans in Myanmar.
Launch of the decimal euro
Fifteen years ago, on 1 January 1999, the euro was introduced as an accounting currency. Notes and coins were introduced three years later. Whilst there are arguments for and against the euro, and UKMA takes no position on this issue, no one challenged at the time that the single currency would be decimal.
New Year’s Day, and Britain late for the celebration
Those who are frustrated by the UK’s apparent reluctance to fully adopt the international system of measurement won’t be surprised to learn that this echoes events of 260 years ago, when Britain became one of the last countries in Western Europe to adopt the calendar we use today.
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The Long Goodbye after High Noon
MV looks at the global decline of “Anglo-Saxon measures”, from dominance in 1945 to insignificance today, and draws some conclusions.
Metric Views 