This article looks at the first report of the Commissioners appointed early in the nineteenth century to consider weights and measures. It gives examples of the reasons why the Commission was appointed, comments on some of its recommendations, and then speculates on an alternative outcome had the Commission taken a different view.
Continue reading “1819 – a massacre and a missed opportunity”
The editors of Metric Views note with great regret the death yesterday of Lord Howe.
Lord Howe was a Patron of the UK Metric Association from its foundation, and campaigned in Parliament for over a decade for the completion of the UK’s metric transition. An outline of his work to bring to an end the mixture of, as he said, “two confused, competing systems” of measurement will be the subject of a future Metric Views article.
We review the events that followed the announcement in May 1965 of a change of Government policy on the adoption of metric weights and measures.
We highlight some events during the UK’s prolonged transition to a single, simple, rational and universal measurement system, and look forward to an important anniversary later this month.
Continue reading “Towards a metric Britain (in fits and starts)”
Have you been watching this series on BBC2 on Tuesdays at 9.00 pm? Three programmes have already been broadcast, with the final on due on 24 February. They show the workings of the House of Commons and there are a few surprises, or perhaps not.
For over a century, the introduction of metric measures in the UK was linked to that of decimal currency. But then, while we were saying farewell to £sd, the situation changed. We follow the story and draw an unsurprising conclusion.
Continue reading “Decimal currency, metric measures and the vanished link”
This article looks back to the findings and recommendations of the 1895 Parliamentary Select Committee on weights and measures.
Continue reading “The 1895 Select Committee on weights and measures”
The question of adopting metric measures in the UK is not a new proposition; in 1862 Parliament’s Select Committee on Weights and Measures considered the matter and came down firmly in favour of metrication. A century and a half later, we are still waiting for the government to finally complete the job. The full report can be read here. A summary follows:
Continue reading “1862 report from the Select Committee on weights and measures”
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