19th Century Price List with Decimal Equivalent
George Race had a general dealer’s shop in Westgate (just below where the store is now, and where Westgate Library was kept). A number of his customers ran monthly accounts, and a number of these account books survive. From them we can get an idea of prices in the mid 19th century, and an idea of what people bought. The following prices from George Race’s books are mostly from 1856.
Item | Price | Decimal Currency Equivalent |
| Tea per lb | 4s 4d | 22p |
| Coffee per lb | 1s 6d | 7½p |
| Sugar per lb | 5½d | 2¾p |
| Flour per stone | 2s 8d - 3s 4d | 13p - 17p |
| Maslin per stone | 2s 6d - 3s 1d | 12½p - 15½p |
| Barley per stone | 1s 5d | 7p |
| Oats per stone | 1s 2d | 6p |
| Meal per stone | 2s 6d | 12½p |
| Butter per lb | 1s to 1s 1d | 5p |
| Yeast | 1d | ½p |
| 4oz | 2½d | 1¼p |
| Same per lb (pork fat) | 8½d | 3¼p |
| Salt | 1d | ½p |
| Raisins per lb | 6d | 2¾p |
| Currants per lb | 11d | 4¾p |
| Eggs | 6d | 2½p |
| Bacon per lb | 9d | 3½p |
| Cheese per lb | 8½d - 9d | 3½p |
| Apples per stone | 1s 6d | 7½p |
| Onions per stone | 1s 10d | 9p |
| Rice per lb | 3d | 1½p |
| Treacle per lb | 4d | 2p |
| Peas per quart | 5d | 2¼p |
| Potatoes per stone | 10d | 4p |
| Herring | 3d | 1½p |
| Berries per quart | 2½d | 1¼p |
| Tobacco per lb | 4s 4d | 22p |
| Cassia per oz | 2d | 1p |
| Peppers per oz | 1½d | ¾p |
| Vinegar per quart | 6d | 2½p |
| Nutmeg | 1d | ½p |
| Mustard per oz | 1½d | ¾p |
| ½ s peter | 3d | 1½p |
| Bullots | 1d | ½p |
| Blue bullots | 2½d | 1¼p |
| Brimstone 1oz | 1d | ½p |
| Box pills | 1s 1½d | 6p |
| Candles | 8d | 3p |
| Soap per lb | 1s 0d | 5p |
| Starch | 1d | ½p |
| Soda | 1d | ½p |
| Blue | 1d | ½p |
| Matches | 1d | ½p |
| Blacking | 1d | ½p |
| Black lead | 2d | 1p |
| Broom | 1s 0d | 5p |
| Brush | 9d | 3½p |
| Whitning | 1d | ½p |
| Daplers | 1d | ½p |
| Beeswax | 1d | ½p |
| Bottle | 5d | 2¼p |
| Tincture rhubarb | 2d | 1p |
| Oil per quart | 1s 4d | 7p |
| Linseed per quarter | 7d to 8d | 3p |
| Lozenges | 1d | ½p |
| Beasom | 2½d | 1¼p |
| Castor oil per oz | 2d | 1p |
Cloths | Per Yard | Decimal Currency Equivalent |
| Moleskin | 2s 0d | 10p |
| Calico | 4d / 5½d 3d /5d 3½d | 1½p to 2¼p |
4½d 5½d / 6d 7d / 8½d | 2½p to 3¼p | |
| Flannel | 1s 2d 1s 3d | 6p to 6½p |
| Orleans (a worsted cloth) | 9d, 1/- 1s 1d, 1s 1½d | 3½p to 5¾p |
| Elastic | 1d | ½p |
| 1 dozen buttons | 2½d | 1¼p |
| Bone buttons | 3d | 1½p |
| Buttons | 5d | 2¼p |
| Needles | 1d | ½p |
| Knitting needles | 1½d | ¾p |
| Whalebone | 1d | ½p |
| Braid pins | 1½d | ¾p |
| Hooks | 1d | ½p |
| Bobbin | 2d | 1p |
| Thread | 1d | ½p |
| Swan’s down | 1s 2½d per 1¾ | 6¼p |
| Blue ribband | 3d | 1½p |
| Cap | 1s 6d | 7½p |
| Handkerchief | 10d / 1s 6d | 4¼p / 7½p |
| Bonnet | 9d to 3s 0d | 4p to 15p |
| Pair gloves | 9d | 3½p |
| Pair stockons | 1s 2d | 6p |
| Pair cotton stockons | 9d | 3½p |
| Cap shape | 7d | 2¾p |
| Shirt | 3s 4d | 17p |
| Clogs | 2s 0d | 10p |
| Pair clasps | 1½d | ¾p |
| Pair braces | 3d | 1½p |
| Bootlaces | 1d | ½p |
| Pair cork soles | 6d | 2½p |
| Pair slippers | 2s 4d / 1s 10d | 12p / 9p |
| Pair blankets | 2s 9d | 13½p |
| Pair boots | 9s 0d | 45p |
| Pair cuffs | 1s 3d | 6½p |