Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Pawnbrokers and cash lenders query

I have never used any,but would like to get a good idea of what the going rates used to be 1940s/1960s compared to nowadays.
I vaguely remember my mother using the Prudential(?)where you borrowed a sum over 20 weeks and paid back one twentieth of it each week plus one extra week as their profit.
The only pawnshops in Birkenhead I can remember were Bentleys and I don't think we had anything of value to pawn so don't know what their rates were

I'd like to compare with todays rates if someone could be so kind

In the 80s I used a company called Shopacheck to pay for car insurance before it was far easier to pay for it.

A collector used to come round every Friday to collect a tenner.

"I have never used any but". I did,t have you down as a posh knob Derek.Late fifties, a pound on Wednesday pay back one pound two and six on Friday to the local money lender. Sturlas checks spent on ninja pumps and school uniforms.The van came around the streets as did the pay back.I have no idea what the charge was but pay back was perpetual all year round.

They are still going today, i have one of my thumbs in that

We used to use The Practical.A lovely lady used to come round every Friday to collect the money.We even paid for a Butlins holiday with them. Happy days

I worked in Bentley's in 1960/61. A suit would get you £2 20p, the 20p was then deducted for valuation, so you got £2. At the end of the week to collect it you paid £2 20p + interest of about 10p so you paid £2 30p to get it back. A pair of shoes if in new condition was 12/6, worn ones 10 shillings, if you left items longer the interest would go up, if not collected after 12 months the items were sold. It was a very busy business, the same items coming in every Monday and out on Friday

Thank you for your info
Now need to know comparatively what present day pawnbrokers pay
(although having looked in the windows of the ones in Grange Precinct it appears to be mainly jewelry,gold and silver they are interested in and appear to have it straight up for sale without hardly a chance to redeem it)


pm me if it embarrasses anyone who would like to pass on any info and I promise not to use your username - scouts honour