NOSTALGIA: Made to measure

At the time Daventry District Council was discussing plans to turn the 18th century building into a museum of local history. The photograph was taken in November 1982.

The measures date back to 1825 and were designed to help tradesmen dispense their products accurately in imperial weight or volume.

The bigger measures are accompanied by a smaller set, which can be seen atop the largest measure in the centre of the photograph, arranged in order of height.

It is not clear what the measures are made of, but the material does strongly resemble silver.

Daventry’s Moot Hall was built in 1769 and has, in addition to its stint as a museum, served a variety of purposes throughout its existence including a women’s prison and town council building.