FROM THE ARCHIVES:Decimalisation of the currency was introduced in February 1971, replacing the 240 old pence (and 20 shillings) in the pound with 100 new pence. Eileen O'Brien reported on the first day of the new order.
- JOE JOYCE
Big business – the banks, the C.I.E., the big shops – had a smooth passage to decimal currency yesterday. They reported far less trouble than they had expected.
But the old and the poor were anxious and bewildered. Some certainly got short change. Others were so confused, so convinced that someone would defraud them, that they were nervous of going shopping or transacting any business at all.
Mrs. Anne Lawrence, an elderly widow whose income is £6. 15s. per week, yesterday tendered 10s. for groceries costing 41 new pence. She was given three new pence in change.
Another elderly woman, Mrs. Ethel Masterson, tendered 8s. for goods worth 6s. 4d. in old money. She too was given three new pence as change.
“I think the shops are making,” said Mrs. Masterson.
“I should have got more change,” said Mrs. Lawrence. “It is only after hitting me now.”
Miss Mary Nolan, aged 69, who has the blind pension, turned two new twopence pieces and a new penny over and over. “I will never get used to it. I will never understand it,” she said.
Miss Margo Gough, an old-age pensioner, said she would be too nervous to go shopping. To risk being defrauded of a shilling would be too serious for anyone trying to live on the old-age pension, she explained.
A woman who tried to use the ladies’ room in a café was refused admission because she had not an old penny. She offered the attendant a new halfpenny, but this was refused.
Mr. Fergal Quinn, one of the supermarket family, said that one elderly woman in Sutton refused to take new money in change. Otherwise, he said he was amazed that decimalisation was going so smoothly.
The salesgirls had done courses, he continued. The 17-year-olds had no trouble; those aged about 23 had slightly more difficulty; none of his saleswomen was elderly. All holidays had been cancelled so, with full staff, the girls had time to chat to the customers. But there would be a problem on Friday and Saturday.
A woman who owns a small grocery in the Coombe said: “I am getting on fine. One lady threw her purse at me and told me to take what I like. She could not understand it. I felt sorry for her. I did not do any course, but I understand it perfectly. It takes a little bit of brainwork, that is all.”
A Bank of Ireland spokesman said that all £.s.d. cheques had been cleared by Friday. Cheques people still had in their pockets could be converted in accordance with the conversion tables.
“From today cheques must be drawn in decimal currency, but the banks will adopt a reasonable approach to an £.s.d. cheque. It is like the first days of January: a cheque dated “1970” instead of “1971” is legally invalid, but the bank honours it because the intention is clear.”
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