Same old me with a few corrections!(long)
Posted by Sherry on February 11, 1998 at 20:18:57:
In response to Not as simple as that, I fear, Sherry!, written by Caroline on February 11, 1998 at 18:43:53
It is the same old Sherry and no I am not on a deadline. I too have been mulling this over for awhile and decided to use a yd of fabric as the point of inquiry. You are right of course that fabric certainly did run the gamut but I used the checked muslin at 3s for 3yds. which of course is 1s for 1yd or 12pennies. Where I made a mistake was that the muslin in Canada at the time sold for 4s per yd ( Not 4s per 3yds) which would be 48pennies in 1800 so you are right the price in Canada and no doubt the US was much more expensive.
As far as the 20% of todays price that makes sense when you figure that a loaf of bread was a penny and a full meal 4to6pennies.
When I suggested the gentlemens yearly income it was with this in mind . Of course to get the same" bang for the buck" now, Mr .Darcy would have
to have a much higher income.I did make another error though in salaries as I added a zero that should not have been there.
However based on the silver standard of 1800 being 4s.6d= $1 then converting 10,000 pounds into dollars of 1800 value you get around $45,000 for Darcy at a time when a meal was 54pennies and accordingly Bennets was around 9 thousand and Austen around 2,700. Which is probably much more like it since Jane was alotted 20 pounds or so for clothing. This would have been around 90 Dollars US in 1800. If Rev. Austen alotted each of the women say around $90 that was a nice chunk of his annual income.
Yes , there are many variables as there are even today. That toaster which we bought for $20, 5 years ago will not be the same as the 20 dollar toaster we buy today but I am trying to get a handle on just how much money these guys had at their disposal as regards its spending power. I bet I am now pretty close. Those darn zeros having got in the way before. :-)
The Textile source problem is being solved by my librarian sister-in law.
Sorry if the question was confusing but the issue itself is. I don't even want to think about using the gold standard. AHGGGGGG!
So you could find out their 1996 yearly income by changing their 1800 $ values into 1996 values using the inflation calculator, couldn't you?
- Income, prices and calculations (longish). Tilde 07:31:40 2/13/98
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- you mean your 33cents :-) Sherry 14:22:57 2/13/98
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- Funds Ann 23:38:15 2/13/98
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- another example... P. Bingham 23:49:29 2/16/98
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- Yes,Yes Yes(sounds like organic shampoo commercial) Sherry 12:53:30 2/17/98
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- By all means Caroline 19:49:42 2/20/98
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- By all means Caroline 19:49:42 2/20/98
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- Yes,Yes Yes(sounds like organic shampoo commercial) Sherry 12:53:30 2/17/98
(1)
- another example... P. Bingham 23:49:29 2/16/98
(2)
- Funds Ann 23:38:15 2/13/98
(3)
- you mean your 33cents :-) Sherry 14:22:57 2/13/98
(4)
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