When pocket money was a halfpenny a week

17/04/2007

I’m now 85 and my pocket money when I was a child was halfpenny a week and I always went to the same sweet shop to spend it. I didn't buy sweets immediately but took a "gamble" which I was offered by the shopkeeper.

We were allowed to pick out a card from a box and see what was written on the corner. It was a long time before I "tumbled" that none of the cards had nothing on, a very, very few had 1 halfpenny on, a lot had 3 farthings on and some even had 1 penny on.

They made me feel a very lucky girl and rue the day that businesses mean business and not a lot else.
 
Mrs Christina Wilkins, Ipswich