This one, in the latest Spectator, I will explain- just in case anyone from beyond these shores is puzzling over it.
Back in the olden days, us scruffy urchins would go into the local newsagents and ask for a quarter of sweets (or 'candy', if that's your persuasion) - the quarter referring to a quarter of a pound (the unit of weight, not the currency, kids). Sherbet lemons were one of my faves, but blackcurrant and liquorice humbugs were rather good too. The cheery shop worker would pour out the confection from its jar onto a set of rusty scales, and then pop the correct weight of tooth rot into a paper bag- happy times.
Back in the olden days, us scruffy urchins would go into the local newsagents and ask for a quarter of sweets (or 'candy', if that's your persuasion) - the quarter referring to a quarter of a pound (the unit of weight, not the currency, kids). Sherbet lemons were one of my faves, but blackcurrant and liquorice humbugs were rather good too. The cheery shop worker would pour out the confection from its jar onto a set of rusty scales, and then pop the correct weight of tooth rot into a paper bag- happy times.
As the years passed such sweet shops disappeared- but for some reason they're experiencing a bit of a renaissance these days. Most high streets seem to have them now- all olde fashioned shoppe signs, plastic versions of the glass jars, and authentic bored teenagers staffing the counter.
But, you just try and ask for a 'quarter'- I tried not long ago, and was immediately thrown to the ground by an armed response unit from the Trading Standards weights and measures department:
"DON'T MOVE! HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM! YOU WILL NOT ASK FOR FOODSTUFFS IN IMPERIAL MEASUREMENTS! THIS IS A METRIC SOCIETY!"
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