Farthings, Sir Patrick's home in Selsey in West Sussex, ran for years as an effective open house and science centre, with the observatory in the garden.

BBC: Sir Patrick Moore: Chris Lintott's tribute

The US adopted decimal dollars hundreds of years ago and the UK clung to pounds-shillings-pence-farthings until 1976(?) Hardly anyone but older Britons can even imagine how to divide a bill for 7 Pounds, 5 Shillings and five Pence among three diners, or the painful calculations involved.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Magazine | Should we simplify spelling?