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Archiver > INDIA > 1998-07 > 0899504308


From: Peter Rogers <>
Subject: Rupees
Date: Fri, 3 Jul 1998 18:18:28 -0400


Hi All,
More on Money - My elder son gave me a book as a Father`s Day present,
which may interest many of you. It is an Oxford India Paperback called
British Life in India 1750-1950 Edited by R.V.Vernade Printed by Oxford
University Press Delhi. ISBN 0 19 564186 8 .The price tab on the back shows
Rs 145. Mine was purchased in the UK at 7.99.
I have been reading through it in bed each evening and tonight I had top
leap out of bed and fire up the PC and communicate the following
interesting facts.
In 1878 the cost of 32 servants (24 full time and 8 part time) was Rs 2196
per annum. So at an exchange rate of approx 2shillings to the Rupee their
costs were some 229 per annum. Later in 1928 14 servants (also in UP) cost
the family Rs 1956 per annum and with a lower exchange value the figures
translate to about 145 per annum. The author suggests that the pay of a
District Officer of this time would be in the region of 1500 per annum. It
may be noted that in some 50 years that the pay required by a Cook rose
from Rs10 per month in 1878 to Rs20 in 1928.
I am trying to find a "Purchasing Value " table that I have hidden away
somewhere that was published in the Sunday Telegraph some while ago and
when I do find it I will show some of the comparative values of the 1
Sterling over the last 200 years. However if someone has an up to date
version of this table I would love to have a copy,mine runs out in 1982 (!)
and so I have to do some smart guess work to bring it up to date and I`m no
mathematician.
Cheers

Peter Denzil Rogers, Suffolk,England
Still looking for Rogers,Pembroke,Harrison,Bradbeer and Bradley wherver
they are..

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