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Scots Weights, Measures and Money

Posted 11 Feb 04 by Scott Andrew Bird. Filed in References.

There are a number of terms that may arise when researching Scottish ancestors that may be unfamiliar, particular in the areas of weights, measures and money.

The following is a list of some of the less well-known :

Liquid measures

Scots Imperial Metric
1 gill 0.749 gill 0.053 l
4 gills = 1 mutchkin 2.996 gills 0.848 l
2 mutchkins = 1 chopin 1 pint 1.992 gills 0.848 l
2 chopins = 1 pint * 2 pints 3.984 gills 1.696 l
8 pints = 1 gallon 3 gallons 0.25 gills 13.638 l
* 1 pint = 104.2034 cub ins 1 pint = 34.659 cub ins 1 litre = 61.027 cub ins

Linear and square measures

Scots Imperial Metric
1 inch 1.00016 in 2.54 cm
8.88 in = 1 Scots link 8.8942 in 22.55 cm
12 in = 1 foot 12.0192 in 30.5287 cm
3.5 feet = 1 ell 37.0598 in 94.1318 cm
6 ells = 1 fall (fa) 6.1766 yards (1.123 poles) 5.6479 m
4 falls = 1 chain 24.7064 yrd (1.123 chains) 22.5916 m
10 chains = 1 furlong 247.064 yrd (1.123 furlongs) 225.916 m
8 furlongs = 1 mile 1976.522 yrd (1.123 miles) 1.8073 km

Scots weights

Scots Imperial Metric
1 drop 1.093 drains 1.921 g
16 drops = 1 ounce 1 oz 1.5 drains 31 g
16 ounces = 1 pound 1 lb 1oz 8 drains 496 g
16 pounds = 1 stone 17 lb 8 oz 7.936 kg

Scots Money

Scots Sterling
1 penny 1/12 penny
2 pennies = 1 bodle 1/6 penny
2 bodles = 1 plack 1/3 penny
3 bodles = 1 bawbee 1/2 penny
2 bawbees = 1 shilling 1 penny
13 shillings 4 pence = 1 merk 1 shilling 1/12 pennies
20 shillings = 1 pound 1 shilling 8 pennies

 

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