 In 1970, Michell founded the Anti-Metrification Board to oppose the adoption of the metric system of measurement in the United Kingdom.Believing that the established imperial system of measurement had both ancient and sacred origins, through the Board he brought out a newsletter, "Just Measure".In 1972 he published the first of his "Radical Traditionalist Papers", "A Defence of Sacred Measures", in which he laid out his opposition to the metric system.