THESE days we hear so much about 'rip off' Britain, and the way that prices here seem to be so much more than in other countries, so I am delighted to be able to tell you of a three piece suite and cushions for £25 10s, two dining chairs for £2 15s, and a sideboard for £21 19s.

Of course, as you will already have gathered because I am using pounds and shillings, it was some considerable time ago; in 1940 to be exact. And those were the higher purchase ('never never') prices paid by Mr William Wolsoncroft, of Hillside Drive, Bolton.

The details have come to me from Mr Wolsoncroft's daughter, Mrs A. Percival, of Anglia Grove (off Willows Lane), Daubhill, who forwarded the 'Memorandum of Agreement' between himself and the firm involved, Wm Cheadle & Son, House Furnishers, 141-145 Newport Street.

The actual original price (before the hire purchase increase was added) was suite £23 5s, chairs £2 10s, and sideboard £19 19s, a total of £45 14s. However, with the hire purchase, the total was £50 4s.

Mrs Percival also forwarded to me the Hire Purchase book which started on October 18, 1940, and ended on January 5, 1944. Incidentally, the book stated that Cheadle's was also at 65/67 Derby Street and 1/3 Fletcher Street. Its telephone number was Bolton 1382.

The prices might seem cheap by today's standards, but, of course, perhaps people still thought that they were being 'ripped off' in those days!