Ann Fonsweer's Summer Diary and LSD

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 Some young UK readers and non UK readers have been puzzled by these symbols on the first page:

They are pronounced LSD but stand for Pounds Shillings and Pence. Like English spelling the language was corrupted by Latin scholars, and £sd actually stands for Librae, Solidi, and Denarii. 

When Ann was around this monetary system was used with 20 shillings in the pound, 12 pence in a shilling. When she mentions the money owing to her from her brother she uses the £sd symbols.

And here is what she would have handled:


 
 
 
 
 
 LSD the hallucinogenic drug was discovered in 1938 by Hofman, 3 years after the events in the diary, so though the drawings of Fonsweer seem to suggest hallucination, artificial stimulants were not used it seems...
 
 


 
 

A reprint of The Summer Diary of a Lady Artist is available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com , ISBN 978-1-4466-7410-9.

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