Estimated Pay for a Private

[Megsy-Magus]

Sorry folks, but my brain hurts from trying to figure out the answer to my question of how much does a per Diem rate convert to an annual salary... Trying to calculate Pounds-Shillings-Pence with a spreadsheet is quite complex.

The per Diem rate for a Private in the 63rd Regiment of Foot starts at 1s 5d in 1819. I estimate the weekly amount to be 9s 9d... however, my mind completely shuts down on further monthly calculations and an annual amount ends up being a wild guess...


Does anyone have a way of calculating Pounds-Shillings-Pence amounts, please - or can tell me roughly what 1s 5d per diem is, annually?

Thank you!

[Pam Downes]

The easier way is to just multiply 1s 5d by 365 (daily rate x number of days in the year).

365 shillings at 20 shillings to the £, I calculate as £18.5s.0d.

5d x 365 = 1825d. At 240 pennies to the £, £7 is 1680 pennies, with 145 pennies left over.
145 pennies converts to 12s 1d, making a total of £7.12s.1d

Add the two amounts and I get £25.17s.5d.

Another way to calculate is to multiply the daily shilling by the number of days in a year, so 365 shillings. Equals £18.5s.0d as before.
Then say 6d instead of 5d because sixpence is half a shilling so that makes half of £18.5s.0d = £9.2s.6d.
Take off 365 pennies which equals 30 shillings and five pennies.
£9.2s.6d minus £1.10.5d = £7.12s.1d.

Add the pennies total to the shillings total £7.12s.1d plus £18.5s.0d and you get £25.17s.1d.

Weekly amount 7 x 1s = 7s.
plus 7 x 5d = 35d = 2s 11d.
Total 9s.11d.
9s.11d. x 52 (weeks in a year) = £25.15s.8d.
52 weeks = 364 days. If you then add the daily rate of 1.5d. to that amount to make 365 days to again reach the total of £25.17s.1d.

[Megsy-Magus]

WOW!!!!

Thank you, Pam - though I had to read it five times until I understood what you were doing, your annual result of £25 17s 1d is very much in the ballpark that I counted up on my fingers and toes!!! LOL!

I will try and make a spreadsheet out of your calculations, as I think I can create a template for further "Per Diem" amounts!

Thank you so much!

Happy researching and back to the "Per Diem" grindstone for me!


Megan in Sydney, Australia

[Pam Downes]

Once I'd twigged that all you had to do was multiply by 365 for the annual rate, but multiply the shillings separate from the pennies before adding the two together it was a doddle.
If you try to do it as one sum you just go

[Megsy-Magus]

And that is why I started this thread off as "my brain hurts"!!!

I will have to tweak the spreadsheet to round up and use other fancy formulae, but I think it works!!! Hurray!!!

Thanks again!

[Pam Downes]

I thought of you when I watched a TV programme last night.

The question was:
February 15th 2021 marked the 50th anniversary of the introduction of decimal coinage in the UK. Two coins that were withdrawn from circulation were the penny and the threepenny bit which together made what fraction of a shilling?

[Megsy-Magus]

Pam - are you testing me?

12 pennies make a Shilling
4 threepenny bits make a Shilling

And that from me being American born, but being schooled in Australia before 1966!!!!!

[Pam Downes]

Pam - are you testing me?

12 pennies make a Shilling
4 threepenny bits make a Shilling

And that from me being American born, but being schooled in Australia before 1966!!!!!

If you wish to accept the challenge - yes.

The question is - when you add the two coins together, they make what fraction of a shilling?
Not - 'how many pennies or threepenny bits do you get in a shilling?' -

[Lesley Robertson]

Well, Megsy, you don't need to feel so dim. I saw that show as well, it was University Challenge and the first student got it wrong!

[Megsy-Magus]

Well, Lesley - I don't really feel dim at all... I didn't see the show, so I really have no anchor point for the question.


And Pam - 4 pennies (one penny plus a threepence) make a Groat - is that what you are asking?


Written questions can be interpreted a number of ways because of the lack of intonation and vocal emphasis!
I always say "what you say is not necessarily what I hear"!!!!


Thank you, Ladies!