most Brit toolboxes of note contain Metric, Whitworth, B.S, B.A., and A/F sizes
I still have a set of open-end Whitworth spanners/wrenches that my father bought many years ago. They were standard sizes on many 1950s cars, although considered obsolete now, of course. The smaller B.A. (British Association) sizes such as 2BA, 4BA, and 6BA were the standard nuts and bolts for radios, control panels, and similar electrical/electronic assemblies.
There are also adjustable spanners, Mole wrenches, 'Steggers', and pipe wrenches aka 'Stilsons'.
The Mole wrench, also known as a Mole Grip, is the British equivalent of the Vise-Grip locking pliers (and while we're on that, the British device fitting on the edge of your workbench to hold work in progress is a
vice rather than a
vise. Isn't is good to know we share a common language?
Have a listen to this old TV commercial from the long-running PG Tips tea series for use of both "spanner" and "monkey wrench."
PG Tips -- S. Bend, Plumber
