Offer of Employment

John Redfern Ex. Dowty Apprentice 1965-1970 recalls:

This was my offer of employment from Dowty Group Services after completing my apprenticeship aged 21 and my new wage as a skilled fitter would be 447/- per 40 hour week.

In 1970 there were 12 pence in a shilling and 20 shillings in a pound so this wage was £22.35 p/wk

What would 447/- look like back in 1970?

As a weekly staff employee in 1970, you received your wage weekly in a pay packet, the details of your tax, national insurance contributions written on the back of the packet.

This would be issued to you on a Thursday and the pay packet was designed so that you could count the notes and change before opening it.

Pay Slip

Cost of living in 1970

• A loaf of bread cost 9p and the average weekly wage was around £32
• In 1970, homebuyers could expect to pay £4,975 for a house
• The Range Rover, which was launched in 1970, could have been yours for £1,998
• The Mini, which celebrated its 11th birthday in 1970, cost around £600
• A trip for two to the cinema cost less than 90p, while a bottle of wine was about £1
• A bottle of whisky cost £2.69 and a pint of lager in your local was 20p
• Cigarettes, which enjoyed a lot more popularity then, were 20p for 20.