The Cost of Living in 1888 (original) (raw)
Mr. Patterson found the following information on the cost of living in England in 1888 in an article entitled "Life on a Guinea a Week" in The Nineteenth Century (1888), p. 464. Prices are in Pounds (£)/ Shillings (S)/ Pence (d).
| Average Weekly Expenditure ItemS/d Meat4/0 Bread (10 loaves)2/3.5 Flour2/0 Vegetables (18 lbs)1/0 Other Vegetables0/4 Butter1/0 Fruit1/6 Milk (1 1/2d per day)0/10.5 Tea (1/2 lb)1/0 Cocoa (1/2 lb)0/6 Sugar (4 lbs)/0/10 Soap (1 1/2 lbs)0/6 Soda, starch, blue0/.5 Candles0/1 Parafin (1/2 gallon a fortnight) [Kerosene]0/3 Coal (1 cwt)1/3 Beer (3 pints at 3 1/2d)0/10.5 Rent5/6 Boots (for whole family)1/8 Clothes for the man1/0 Clothes for wife and children2/0 School fees0/4 Provident Club [savings]1/6.5 Medical attendance wife & children0/3 | Yearly Expenditure Item£/S/d Rent105/0/0 Rates and taxes including gas28/18/10 Coals12/8/6 Wages48/2/1 Food: Butcher46/9/11 Food: Baker9/8/8 Food: Dairyman35/4/8 Food: Grocer38/8/10 Food: Greengrover10/6/0 Food: Poulterer10/3/7 Dress: Wife35/8/4 Dress: Husband19/17/3 Washing34/14/9 Doctor & chemist33/1/0 Traveling & tips43/7/5 Local traveling19/17/9 Stamps7/16/7 Stationery8/1/3 Pleasures, presents Smoking35/18/2 Wine15/0/8 House repairs26/12/10 Garden4/13/9 Balance50/19/2 | Clothing Item£/S/d 1 overcoat1/15/0 1 umbrella-/7/6 1 hat-/2/6 1 silk hat-/7/6 1 week-day suit 2/0/0 1 Sunday suit2/10/0 1 pair socks-/1-/10 1 pair boots-/10/6 repairing boots-/6/0 1 under vest-/2/6 1 flannel shirt-/3/0 1 collar-/-/5 1 pair cuffs-/-/8 cutton, buttons-/0/1 Weekly Prices Item£/S/d Rent0/6/0 Breakfasts0/1/8 Dinners0/5/0 Teas0/1/0 Boot-cleaning0/0/3 Coal and Wood0/1/0 Washing0/0/9 Tobacco, etc.0/0/6 |
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Last modified 16 July 2003