Hundredweight (UK) (cwt)
The long hundredweight (also called the imperial hundredweight) is a British unit of mass equal to 112 pounds or approximately 50.802 kilograms. Abbreviated as "cwt", it consists of 8 stone or 4 quarters. The long hundredweight was the standard subdivision of the British long ton (2,240 lbs = 20 cwt) and was used in British trade until metrication in the 1980s.
Definition
One long hundredweight equals exactly 112 avoirdupois pounds, 8 stone, 4 quarters, 1/20 of a long ton, or approximately 50.80235 kilograms. It differs from the US short hundredweight (100 pounds) by 12 pounds, a discrepancy that caused frequent confusion in transatlantic trade.
History
The hundredweight was originally 100 pounds, as the name implies. However, in England it was redefined as 112 pounds (8 stone of 14 pounds each) to create a cleaner relationship with the ton of 20 hundredweights. This 112-pound version became the "long" or "imperial" hundredweight, while the American 100-pound version became the "short" hundredweight. The long hundredweight was widely used in British agriculture, coal trade, and general commerce until the UK adopted metric units for trade in 1985.
Common Uses
The long hundredweight has been obsolete in UK trade since metrication in the 1980s. Historically, it was used for pricing coal, grain, and agricultural produce. Old British trade records and commodity prices may reference hundredweights. Some British farms and agricultural auctions used hundredweights into the late 20th century.
Did You Know? Facts About Hundredweight (UK)
- The hundredweight is called that because it was originally 100 pounds, but the British redefined it to 112 pounds - making the name a misnomer.
- 20 long hundredweights make one long ton (2,240 lbs), while 20 short hundredweights make one short ton (2,000 lbs).
- The abbreviation "cwt" comes from the Latin centum (hundred) + weight.
- Coal in Britain was traditionally sold by the hundredweight, and elderly Britons may still remember coal prices quoted in shillings per cwt.
- The discrepancy between the British 112-lb and American 100-lb hundredweight caused frequent trade disputes.