Why is a sixpence called a Tanner?

Tanner – this alternative name for the sixpence probably dates from the early 1800s and seems to have its root in the Romany gypsy 'tawno' which means 'small one'.

Why was a threepenny bit called a joey?

Joey – a Silver Threepence

Originally a Joey was the nickname given to a groat (4 pence) but when that went out of circulation in 1855 the silver 3 pence inherited the name. The name came about due the reintroduction of 4 pence coins in the 1830's by the politician Joseph Hume, MP (1777-1855).

What is a tanner and bob?

Other names for coins

A shilling was often called a 'bob'. "It cost me four bob." Five shilling piece or crown was sometimes called a dollar. sixpence (silver) - often called a 'tanner' A penny was often called a 'copper' after the metal it was minted from.

What is a tanner in British slang?

countable noun. A tanner is someone whose job is making leather from animal skins. English.

Where did the word tanner originate?

Tanner may be a surname of either English, German or Finnish origin. The Anglo-Saxon Tanner was an occupational surname while the German form, also spelled Danner, is likely topographic from German Tanne, meaning 'fir tree' and Tann, a place name referring to this.

Sixpence (British coin)

What's a tanner in old money?

6d (six pence) known as a "tanner" or half a shilling. 2/– (two shillings, or one florin, colloquially "two-bob bit")

Why was two shillings called a florin?

The silver florin was Britain's first decimal coin. A gold florin was first issued during the reign of Edward III in 1344 at a value of six shillings. The name derives from Italian, either fiorino (little flower) or Firenze (Florence), and was inspired by a similar continental coin.

What is a tanner in medieval times?

Tanners transformed animal skins or hides into leather. The tanner stood between hunters and butchers (the suppliers of skins) and leatherworkers who made commercial products from the tanned hides.

What is a tanner called?

Tanner is a mainly masculine given name meaning "leather maker." It may refer to: Tanner Cohen, American stage, film and television actor and singer.

Why was a pound called a nicker?

Not pluralised for a number of pounds, eg., 'It cost me twenty nicker..' From the early 1900s, London slang, precise origin unknown. Possibly connected to the use of nickel in the minting of coins, and to the American slang use of nickel to mean a $5 dollar note, which at the late 1800s was valued not far from a pound.

Why is a pound called a quid?

Quid is a slang expression for the British pound sterling, or the British pound (GBP), which is the currency of the United Kingdom (U.K.). A quid equals 100 pence, and is believed to come from the Latin phrase “quid pro quo,” which translates into "something for something."

What is a joey in old money?

(*)'Joey' was slang for a groat rather than a threepenny bit in Victorian England. A few more archaic terms are: Thin - sixpence. Quidlet instead of quid - one pound.

How much is a bob in English money?

shilling 12 pence (1/20 pound sterling) in slang a “bob.”

Why was there 240 pence in a pound?

It's 50 years since Britain adopted decimal currency to replace shillings and make a pound worth 100 new pence. Until 1971, there had been 12 old pennies in a shilling and 20 shillings or 240 pennies made one pound.

When did the name tanner originate?

The Tanner family name dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. The name comes from when an early member worked as a person who worked as the local tanner. This occupational surname was originally derived from the work that the original bearer did.

What did a tanner do in the Bible?

Jesus took Matthew, a tax collector by profession, as one of his twelve disciples. Tax collectors were disdained by the Jews in general, because they served the Roman Empire, not their God. The tanners' profession was equally disdained by the People of Israel because they dealt with dead animals and urine.

When was pee used for tanning leather?

Urine has been widely used in many parts of the world in the preparatory stages of tanning, in particular to help remove the hair from hides before applying tanning agents. by W H Pyne, 1808. The Romans, for example, collected urine for this purpose systematically and even put a tax on it.

What does a tannery smell like?

And then there is the pungent, penetrating smell of urine, rotting flesh and stagnant water. It is the smell of Chouara tannery, and it's one that cannot be easily forgotten.

How did the Romans tan leather?

First, the hide's layer of fat was removed with clay and it was then covered with a mixture of animal brain, liver, fat, and salt. The hides were then sewn together into a round tent with needles made from bone or horn and smoked over an open fire—present in the smoke was phenol, an active tanning ingredient.

How many pennies make a farthing?

The penny was further sub-divided into two halfpennies or four farthings (quarter pennies). 1 penny = 4 farthings.

What coin was called a bender?

Old coin nicknames

Bender – A sixpence was known as a bender because due to its silver content it could be bent in the hands.

What is a Ginny worth?

The guinea was used in a similar way in Australia until that country converted to decimal currency in 1966, after which it became worth A$2.10.

How much is a ten bob?

Back in the 1960's the 10 Shilling Note, or 'ten bob' as it was commonly known, would go pretty far – buying you 6 pints of beer, 10 loaves of bread, or 17 pints of milk. Nowadays it's hard to imagine the decimal equivalent, the 50p, buying so much. In fact, 50p can only just buy you one pint of milk today!

What is a guinea to a pound?

A guinea was worth £1,1s (one pound and one shilling). This is the same as £1.05 in modern money.