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The former Weights and Measures office in Seven Sisters, London (590 Seven Sisters Road). The imperial system of units, imperial system or imperial units (also known as British Imperial [1] or Exchequer Standards of 1826) is the system of units first defined in the British Weights and Measures Act 1824 and continued to be developed through a series of Weights and Measures Acts and amendments.
When James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne in 1603, England and Scotland had different systems of measure. Superficially the English and the Scots units of measure were similar – many had the same names – but there were differences in their sizes: in particular the Scots pint and gallon were more than twice the size of their English counterparts. [3]
In particular, a new standard yard and troy pound were manufactured as the standards for length and weight respectively. A new measure, the imperial gallon, which replaced the many gallons in use, [Note 1] was defined as being the volume of 10 pounds of water at 62 °F (17 °C) which, after the authorized experiments, was found to be 277.274 ...
1878 41 & 42 Vict. c. 49 — Weights and Measures Act 1878 defined the Imperial standard yard and pound; enumerated the secondary standards of measure and weight derived from the Imperial standards; required all trade by weight or measure to be in terms of one of the Imperial weights or measures or some multiple part thereof; abolished the Troy ...
In 1965, the UK began an official programme of metrication, and as of 2025, in the United Kingdom the metric is the official measurement system for all regulated trading by weight or measure purposes, however imperial pint remains the sole legal unit for milk in returnable bottles and for draught beer and cider in British pubs.
Thus, while the imperial fluid ounce is 3.924% smaller than the US fluid ounce, the imperial gallon, quart, pint and gill are all 20.095% larger than their US fluid measure counterparts. [e] One avoirdupois ounce of water has an approximate volume of one imperial fluid ounce at 62 °F (16.67 °C) [f]: this convenient fluid-ounce-to-avoirdupois ...
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Weights and Measures (Metric System) Act 1897 (60 & 61 Vict. c. 46) [86] An Act to legalise the Use of Weights and Measures of the Metric System. Weights and Measures Acts of 1878 to 1893 was the collective title of the following Acts: [87] Weights and Measures Act 1878 (41 & 42 Vict. c 49) Weights and Measures Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict. c 21)