It was a case of out with the old and in with the new recently for one of Nottingham's oldest law firms, Robert Barber Solicitors, during its relocation from Castlegate in the City centre to new offices on Bridgford Road in West Bridgford.

During the move the firm, which also has offices in Mansfield, Eastwood and Hucknall, unearthed expenses ledgers dating back more than 100 years. Covered in thick brown dust, the ledgers revealed the cost of running an average office in the 1900s.

Written in black and red ink copper plate handwriting, the ledgers revealed that in 1900 the average solicitors practice needed such essentials as a coal bucket and brush, electric lamps and lead pencils. The office also required the services of a knife grinder and chimney sweep.

Although the cost of living in the UK has increased by approximately 54 times since 1900, technological improvements and mass production mean that there have been large price falls in real terms. In 1900 a dozen lead pencils cost Robert Barber Solicitors 1s 8d - an equivalent of �5.09 today - however, 12 pencils can now be bought for as little as 88p.

"Things have certainly changed within the firm," commented Patrick Mullins, a Partner of Robert Barber Solicitors based in the new West Bridgford office. " I'm sure our predecessors would be horrified at what some things cost nowadays."

"We calculated that the monthly wages bill for Robert Barber's 14 employees in 1900 was only �36 16s in old money - that's about �2,245 in today's terms. If this was the case today all of our employees would be earning less than the minimum wage!"

Mr Mullins added: "The new West Bridgford office has definitely taken us out of the 20th century and into the 21st. We have installed the latest IT and interlink telephone technology in all four offices to provide our clients with a state-of-the-art case management system. However, we've retained our old values of providing high quality, value for money legal services to Nottinghamshire."