7 ms·

There are 20 shillings in an old pound, so it is £2.40 This is equivalent to about £300 today. If we instead consider it as a percentage of the GDP per capita

by deanmen 11y ago

There are 20 shillings in an old pound, so it is £2.40 This is equivalent to about £300 today. If we instead consider it as a percentage of the GDP per capita it would be eqiuivalent to £6000 today.

bloat 11y ago
And if we consider the amount of money needed to buy 96 candles, it's about £77.50. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bolsius-Ivory-Dinner-Candles-7-5hrs/dp/B007T6OIBK/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1430127523&sr=8-18&keywords=candles http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bolsius-Ivory-Dinner-Candles-7-5hrs/...
- dunmalg 11y ago
  Modern candles are not even remotely comparable, neither in composition, nor method of manufacture, nor in their former value as a primary source of light. Candles used to use valuable raw materials, were fairly laboriously made by hand, and weren't just a decoration for a romantic dinner, after which one could simply flip on a light switch.
  - logfromblammo 11y ago
    Back then, candles would have been made from either beeswax (churches and rich people) or tallow (everyone else). Spermaceti and brassica-oil candles were not yet in common use. The median family spent 65 shillings per year on candles. The total value stolen was 49.5 shillings. So a valid comparison would be 75% of the median family's annual lighting budget today. I estimate the annual cost for lighting at 1000 kWh grid power (US$120, GB£80), plus some replacement compact fluorescent bulbs (US$30, GB£20), for a crime equivalent of US$113 or GB£75. Another valid comparison would be the amount it would cost for an equivalent amount of lighting now. In modern terms, the items stolen amounted to about 800 hours of a one-candela light source. Maybe one green 20mW LED and 6 AA alkaline (LR6) batteries, or a white LED and 6 D alkaline (LR20) batteries. This is equivalent to the light of leaving one 25W compact fluorescent bulb on for 6 hours. Imagine if every time you left the light on in your bedroom when you left for school, your Dad killed you, and then danced on your grave, singing 'alleluia.
- aaronbrager 11y ago
  That is not a good comparison. Today's manufacturing process for candles is much more efficient.

by deanmen 11y ago

bloat 11y ago

And if we consider the amount of money needed to buy 96 candles, it's about £77.50. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bolsius-Ivory-Dinner-Candles-7-5hrs/dp/B007T6OIBK/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1430127523&sr=8-18&keywords=candles http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bolsius-Ivory-Dinner-Candles-7-5hrs/...

dunmalg 11y ago
Modern candles are not even remotely comparable, neither in composition, nor method of manufacture, nor in their former value as a primary source of light. Candles used to use valuable raw materials, were fairly laboriously made by hand, and weren't just a decoration for a romantic dinner, after which one could simply flip on a light switch.
- logfromblammo 11y ago
  Back then, candles would have been made from either beeswax (churches and rich people) or tallow (everyone else). Spermaceti and brassica-oil candles were not yet in common use. The median family spent 65 shillings per year on candles. The total value stolen was 49.5 shillings. So a valid comparison would be 75% of the median family's annual lighting budget today. I estimate the annual cost for lighting at 1000 kWh grid power (US$120, GB£80), plus some replacement compact fluorescent bulbs (US$30, GB£20), for a crime equivalent of US$113 or GB£75. Another valid comparison would be the amount it would cost for an equivalent amount of lighting now. In modern terms, the items stolen amounted to about 800 hours of a one-candela light source. Maybe one green 20mW LED and 6 AA alkaline (LR6) batteries, or a white LED and 6 D alkaline (LR20) batteries. This is equivalent to the light of leaving one 25W compact fluorescent bulb on for 6 hours. Imagine if every time you left the light on in your bedroom when you left for school, your Dad killed you, and then danced on your grave, singing 'alleluia.
aaronbrager 11y ago
That is not a good comparison. Today's manufacturing process for candles is much more efficient.