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The long and the short of it

There are many vagaries about measurements, says Claire Cock-Starkey: the length of the foot has often changed, but British shoe sizes hark back to the reign of Edward II

11 February 2023

9:00 AM

11 February 2023

9:00 AM

The Curious History of Weights and Measures Claire Cock-Starkey

Bodleian Library, pp.192, 14.99

This is not really a history book – and even if it were, its particular charm would be better expressed by the use of an indefinite article in the title. Or perhaps ‘Histories’ might have been more appropriate. Calling things what they are, being precise, is one of the difficulties it so enjoyably demonstrates.

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