Edited by Richard Walker, Wednesday, 24 Oct 2018, 18:09
I discovered this fascinating poster in a car boot sale some years ago now. It's hard to compare the ticket price 3s with present day money, but in terms of RPI it would come out at about £10. If we consider it relative to average income however it represents a bigger sum. In 1810 annual incomes ranged from around £40 for a labourer up to aboout 10 times that for a lawyer.
According to Wikipedia, the Royal Institution resolved "that Humphry Davy [i.e. 'Mr Professor Davy'] be engaged in the service of the Royal Institution in
the capacity of assistant lecturer in chemistry, director of the
chemical laboratory, and assistant editor of the journals of the
institution, and that he be allowed to occupy a room in the house, and
be furnished with coals and candles, and that he be paid a salary of
100l. per annum.'
Science Lecture
I discovered this fascinating poster in a car boot sale some years ago now. It's hard to compare the ticket price 3s with present day money, but in terms of RPI it would come out at about £10. If we consider it relative to average income however it represents a bigger sum. In 1810 annual incomes ranged from around £40 for a labourer up to aboout 10 times that for a lawyer.
According to Wikipedia, the Royal Institution resolved "that Humphry Davy [i.e. 'Mr Professor Davy'] be engaged in the service of the Royal Institution in the capacity of assistant lecturer in chemistry, director of the chemical laboratory, and assistant editor of the journals of the institution, and that he be allowed to occupy a room in the house, and be furnished with coals and candles, and that he be paid a salary of 100l. per annum.'