Good old days When one of Nottingham's oldest firms, Robert Barber & Sons, prepared to move offices recently, staff unearthed expenses ledgers dating back 100 years.

Partner Patrick Mullins is pictured (below) holding one of the ledgers which reveal that the average solicitors' office needed a coal bucket and brush, electric lamps and lead pencils (at a prohibitive cost of 1s 8d per dozen - 5.09 today).

The monthly wage bill for the 14 employees in 1900 was 36 16s, about 2,245 today and below the minimum wage.

Ah, the good old days.

The firm also used the services of a knife grinder and chimney sweep - presumably there were no trainees to hand.