fourpences

"We don't need to look to our fourpences so sharp's all that," said Beale.

Harding's Luck Edith 1909

Round clustered the innocent local dealers with sick and sorry looks, swearing by any god they could remember that sugar alone would save their lives, paid their fourpences, and then sold the stuff for 2s. outside the door.

Ladysmith The Diary of a Siege Henry W. Nevinson 1900

Before he was five years old he had begun to hoard pennies and ` ` fourpences, '' and at six years old he was able to exchange his copper bits for a whole silver dollar, the possession of which made him feel richer than he ever felt afterward in all his life.

Life of Hon. Phineas T. Barnum 1891

'But, Felix, repeated fourpences must exhaust even that Fortunatus' purse of Admiral Chester's. '

The Pillars of the House, V1 Charlotte Mary Yonge 1862

They have their fourpences when they get their tickets from the steward over the way, -- for I don't admit 'em myself, they must get their tickets first, -- and sometimes one buys a rasher of bacon, and another a herring, and another a pound of potatoes, or what not.

The Seven Poor Travellers Charles Dickens 1841

"This," said the matronly presence, ushering me into a low room on the right, "is where the Travellers sit by the fire, and cook what bits of suppers they buy with their fourpences."

The Seven Poor Travellers Charles Dickens 1841

The enclosed accounts, which Hornblower was about to thrust aside, had among the innumerable six and eightpences and three and fourpences one set of items which caught his eye — they dealt with the funeral expenses of the late Mrs Hornblower, and a grave in the cemetery of the church of St Thomas à Beckett, and a headstone, and fees for grave-watchers; it was a ghoulish list which made Hornblower's blood run a little colder.

Flying Colours Forester, C. S. 1938

'em will club their fourpences together, and make a supper that way.

The Seven Poor Travellers Charles Dickens 1841