Essay> The origins of what came before the imperial measurement system in the UK, moving onto the introduction of imperial and then, finally - the metric 

The measurement of physical quantities has been an essential aspect of human civilisation for millennia. The need to quantify length, mass, volume, and time has been crucial in fields such as commerce, construction, and science. The development of measurement systems has progressed over the centuries, and in the UK, this has included a transition from traditional systems of measurement to the introduction of the metric system.

Before the Imperial Measurement System was introduced in the UK, various systems of measurement were used, including the Anglo-Saxon, Roman, and Welsh systems. The Anglo-Saxon system was based on body parts, such as the foot, the hand, and the inch. The Roman system, which was used during the Roman occupation of Britain, was based on units such as the digit, the palm, and the cubit. The Welsh system was also used in Wales, and it was based on the barley-corn and the hand.

In 1824, the British Parliament passed the Weights and Measures Act, which established the Imperial Measurement System. The Imperial System was based on the yard, the pound, and the gallon, and it was used for both trade and everyday use.

The yard was defined as the distance between two lines on a platinum-iridium bar held at the National Physical Laboratory in London.

The pound was defined as the mass of a cylinder of platinum-iridium alloy kept at the same location.

The gallon was defined as the volume of ten pounds of water at a specific temperature.

The Imperial Measurement System became the official system of measurement in the UK, and it was used for over a century. However, the introduction of the metric system in the mid-20th century led to a gradual shift towards metric units. The metric system was first introduced in the UK in the 1960s, and it was initially used for scientific purposes. In 1965, the Metrication Board was established to oversee the transition to the metric system in the UK.

The metric system is based on units such as the meter, the gram, and the litre. These units are based on the International System of Units (SI), which is a standardisation of measurement used worldwide. The metric system was gradually adopted in the UK, with some industries, such as the automotive and pharmaceutical industries, transitioning to metric units in the 1970's and 1980's. However, the transition to the metric system was met with resistance from some sectors of society, and the use of imperial units for certain applications, such as road signs and beer measurements, was allowed to continue.

In conclusion, the measurement of physical quantities has a long and varied history in the UK. Traditional systems of measurement, such as the Anglo-Saxon, Roman, and Welsh systems, were used before the introduction of the Imperial Measurement System in 1824. The Imperial System was used for over a century before the gradual transition to the metric system in the mid-20th century. The metric system, based on the International System of Units, is now the official system of measurement in the UK, although the use of imperial units for certain applications is still allowed.