Length Area
12 inches = 1 foot 144 sq. inches = 1 square foot
3 feet = 1 yard 9 sq. feet = 1 square yard
22 yards = 1 chain 4840 sq. yards = 1 acre
10 chains = 1 furlong 640 acres = 1 square mile
8 furlongs = 1 mile
5280 feet = 1 mile
1760 yards = 1 mile Capacity
20 fluid ounces = 1 pint
Volume 4 gills = 1 pint
1728 cu. inches = 1 cubic foot 2 pints = 1 quart
27 cu. feet = 1 cubic yard 4 quarts = 1 gallon (8 pints)
Mass (Avoirdupois)
437.5 grains = 1 ounce Troy Weights
16 ounces = 1 pound (7000 grains) 24 grains = 1 pennyweight
14 pounds = 1 stone 20 pennyweights = 1 ounce (480 grains)
8 stones = 1 hundredweight [cwt] 12 ounces = 1 pound (5760 grains)
20 cwt = 1 ton (2240 pounds)
Apothecaries' Measures Apothecaries' Weights
20 minims = 1 fl.scruple 20 grains = 1 scruple
3 fl.scruples = 1 fl.drachm 3 scruples = 1 drachm
8 fl.drachms = 1 fl.ounce 8 drachms = 1 ounce (480 grains)
20 fl.ounces = 1 pint 12 ounces = 1 pound (5760 grains)
The old Imperial (now UK) system was originally defined by three standard
measures - the yard, the pound and the gallon which were held in London. They
are now defined by reference to the S I measures of the metre, the kilogram and
the litre. These equivalent measures are exact.
1 yard = 0.9144 metres - same as US
1 pound = 0.453 592 37 kilograms -
same as US
1 gallon = 4.546 09 litres
Note particularly that the UK gallon
is a different size to the US gallon so that NO liquid measures of the same name
are the same size in the UK and US systems.
Also that the ton(UK) is 2240
pounds while a ton(US) is 2000 pounds. These are also referred to as a long ton
and short ton respectively.
Metrication in the U K
There have been three major Weights and Measures Acts in recent times (1963,
1976 and 1985) all gradually abolishing various units, as well re-defining the
standards. All the Apothecaries' measures are gone, and of the Troy measures,
only the ounce remains. Currently legislation has decreed that -
From the 1st October 1995, for economic, public health, public safety and
administrative purposes, only metric units are allowed EXCEPT that -
- pounds and ounces for weighing of goods sold from bulk
- pints and fluid ounces for beer, cider, waters, lemonades and fruit juices
in RETURNABLE containers
- therms for gas supply
- fathoms for marine navigation
may be used until 31st December
1999.
The following may continue to be used WITHOUT time limit -
- miles, yards, feet and inches for road traffic signs and related
measurements of speed and distance
- pints for dispensing draught beer and cider, and for milk in RETURNABLE
containers
- acres for land registration purposes
- troy ounces for transactions in precious metals.
Sports are exempt
from all of this, but most of them have (voluntarily) changed their relevant
regulations into statements of equivalent metric measures.
That is how the legislation is framed. In common usage the 'old' units are
still very apparent.
