We acquired an early 1940s Army and Navy catalogue and the prices are quite astonishing. We cannot reproduce it as it is hundreds of pages long, but we wanted to get a feel for how much the things were in our new display, the Emergency Shop.
The Cost of Living 1941 vs 2023
The average weekly wage in 1941 was £5.00 (£202) for men and £2.20 (£88.00) for women.
The average weekly wage in 2023 is £630
An average house in 1941 £650
An average house in 2023 is £275,000
(Information from the Office of Home Statistics)
Pounds, Shillings and Pence, written as £/s/d or Lsd (from the Latin – Librae, Solidi and Denarii)
| Coins | Written as | Explanation | Spoken as |
| Farthing | ¼d | Quarter of a Penny 2 in a Half Penny | Farthing Coppers – Refers to Farthings, Half Pennies and Pennies |
| Half Penny | ½d | Half of a Penny | Ha’penny |
| Penny | 1d or -/1 | Penny or Pence Two pence or Tup’pence | |
| Three Pence | 3d or -/3 | Thru’pence or Thruppeny Bit | |
| Six Pence | 6d or -/6 | Sixpence or Tanner | |
| Shilling | 1s or 1/- | 12 Pence in a Shilling 20 Shillings in a Pound | Shilling or Bob |
| Florin | 2/- | Two Shillings | Florin or Two Bob Bit |
| Half Crown | 2/6 | Two Shillings and Six Pence | Half Crown or Two and Six |
| Can you speak 1940s Money? | ||
| Three shillings | 3/- | Three Bob |
| Two shillings and four pence | 2/4 | Two and Four |
| One pound, three shillings and 5 pence | £1/3/5 | One pound, three and five |
| Three pounds | £3 | Three Quid |
| Five and a half pence | 5½d | Five Pence Ha’penny |
Conversion 1941 to February 2023 (Bank of England Conversion)
| 1940s Money | Equivalent Conversion to 2023 |
| £1 | £40.41 |
| Shilling | £2.02 |
| Pence | £0.17 |
| Half pence | £0.08 |
| Farthing | £0.04 |
Food Items
| Item | Brand | 1941 Price | Conversion February 2023 |
| Apples (Tinned) | Page Valley USA | 2/3 | £4.55 |
| Apricots (Tinned) | Clover Farm California | 1/4 | £2.70 |
| Asparagus (Tinned) | 1/9 | £3.55 | |
| Assorted Vegetables (Tinned) | 8d | £1.36 | |
| Bacon Grease 1lb | Anchor | 10d | £1.70 |
| Baked Beans | Heinz | 5d | £0.85 |
| Baked Beans | HP | 4d | £0.68 |
| Baked Beans with Pork | Heinz | 6d | £1.02 |
| Beef and Onion Broth | Maconochie’s | 6d | £1.02 |
| Beef Dripping 1lb | Anchor | 11d | £1.87 |
| Beef Suet | Atora or Orlox | 1/5 | £2.87 |
| Black Treacle 1lb | Wards | 9d | £1.53 |
| Bovril 1lb | 6/2 | £12.46 | |
| Cabbage 1lb 12oz (Tinned) | Del Monte USA | 8d | £1.36 |
| Chicory Essence 9oz | Coffee | 1/5 ½ | £2.87 |
| Cocoa 8oz | Bournville | 11d | £1.87 |
| Coffee 10oz | Lyons | 1/3 | £2.53 |
| Coffee and Chicory Essence 9 fl oz | Army & Navy | 1/5 ½ | £2.87 |
| Coffee Extract Combination 10oz | Nescafe | 1/- | £2.02 |
| Corned Beef 12oz | Fray Bentos | 1/9 | £3.55 |
| Cornflakes 5 ½ oz | Kellogs | 7d | £1.19 |
| Cream Cracket 8oz | Jacobs | 1/1 | £2.19 |
| Crisps | Smiths | 3d | £0.51 |
| Custard | Birds | 6d | £1.02 |
| Dark Sweet Cherries (Tinned) | Victrypac | 1/- | £2.02 |
| Dried Eggs 5oz | Canadian | 1/9 | £3.55 |
| Dried Eggs 5oz | USA | 1/9 | £3.55 |
| Drinking Chocolate | Cadbury’s | 7d | £1.19 |
| Egg Substitute Powder | Freemans | 5d | £0.85 |
| Whole Eggs Dehydrated 5oz | Royal Brand | 1/9 | £3.55 |
| Evaporated Milk | Carnation | 6d | £1.02 |
| Evaporated Milk | MoF | 7d | £1.19 |
| Evaporated Milk | Libby’s | 6d | £1.02 |
| Fruit Cocktail (Tinned) | Blue Mountain | 1/4 | £2.70 |
| Green Label Tea | Lyons | 6d | £1.02 |
| Green Label Tea Rations 8oz | MoF | 1/4 | £2.70 |
| Green Pea Soup | Heinz | 5d | £0.85 |
| Grill Sauce 3 1/2 oz | Captain Kettle | 3d | £0.51 |
| Herrings | Sea Brand | 1/2 | £2.36 |
| HP Brown Sauce 9oz | Gartens | 9d | £1.53 |
| Lentils 1lb | 2½d | £0.34 | |
| Malted Milk | Carnation | 6d | £1.02 |
| Milk Powder | Klim | 2/5 | £4.89 |
| Olive Oil | Heinz | 1/1 ½ | £2.19 |
| Pears (Tinned Half) | Victrypac Airmail | 1/4 | £2.70 |
| Pears (Tinned pieces) | Victrypac Bartlett | 8d | £1.35 |
| Pears (Tinned Whole) | Victrypac Bartlett | 8d | £1.36 |
| Peas (Tinned) | Isaac Brand | 1/1 | £1.19 |
| Pork Sausages (Tinned) | Walls | 6d | £1.02 |
| Potatoes Whole (Tinned) | 7d | £1.19 | |
| Rice 1lb | Empire | 2d | £0.34 |
| Rice Crispies 5 ½ oz | Kellogs | 7d | £1.19 |
| Salmon 1lb | Victory Canadian | 1/9 | £3.55 |
| Salted Butter 1lb | Anchor | 1/4 | £2.70 |
| Scotch Broth Soup | Fray Bentos | 5d | £0.85 |
| Self-raising Flour 1lb | Victory Brand | 4d | £0.68 |
| Self-raising Flour 2lb | Beaufort | 9½d | £1.53 |
| Self-raising Flour 3lb | McDougalls | 9d | £1.53 |
| Soups (Various) | MoF | 7d | £1.19 |
| Stock Cubes (6) | Oxo | 6d | £1.02 |
| Spaghetti (Tinned) | Heinz or Darlene’s | 6d | £1.02 |
| Spam | Hormel | 1/4 | £2.70 |
| Strawberry Jam | Hartleys | 11d | £1.87 |
| Tea | Choice Blend | 6d | £1.02 |
| Tea | Lyons Red or Green Label | 6d | £1.02 |
| Tea 4 oz | Typhoo | 10d | £1.70 |
| Tea Rations | MoF | 1/4 | £2.70 |
| Tea – Emergency Leaf | Brook Bond | 6d | £1.02 |
| Tomatoes (Tinned) | Silver Lake or Home Town | 7d | £1.19 |
| Tomato Ketchup | Cross and Blackwell | 9d | £1.53 |
| Tomato Soup | St George | 10d | £1.70 |
| Tuna | Southern Cross | 1/1 | £2.19 |
| Vegetables (Various tinned) | MoF | 6d | £1.02 |
Household and Personal Items
| Item | Brand | 1941 Price | Conversion February 2023 |
| Clothes Line | 10½d | £1.78 | |
| Hair Grips (pack 24) | 9d | £1.52 | |
| Knicker Elastic | Eagle Brand | 8½d | £1.43 |
| Liquorice Sticks | 1d | £0.17 | |
| Mouse Trap | Little Nipper | 3d | £0.51 |
| Nappie Pins each | 2d | £0.34 | |
| Nappies | 1/- | £2.02 | |
| Razor Blades each | Myatt Daymark | 2d | £0.34 |
| Scouring Pads each | SOS | 3d | £0.51 |
| Scrubbing Brush | 3/2 | £6.40 | |
| Shaving Brush | 2/- | £4.04 | |
| Soap 2 bars | Sunlight | 4d | £0.68 |
| Soap 8oz | Borax | 6d | £1.02 |
| Soap Carbolic | D. & W. Gibbs | 3½d | £0.59 |
| Soap Flakes | Sylvan | 6d | £1.02 |
| Soap Toilet | Goodwin | 3d | £0.51 |
| Soap Household | D. & W. Gibbs | 3½d | £0.59 |
| Toilet Paper pack | Supremacy | 1/1 | £2.19 |
| Tooth Powder | Gibbs | 7½d | £1.26 |
| Toothbrush | Bright | 6d | £1.02 |
| Toothpaste | Phillips | 1/6 | £3.04 |
| Washing Powder | Rinso | 7d | £1.19 |