the north south divide?

[mr. piper]

where in the uk is the fabled north south divide?is it a social reality? is it based on culture, history, money or the bad "C" word class? i do now that people from different parts of the uk have different collective traits, but is there really a division latitudinally that can be observed. i think people who use the phrase are usually trying to be unpleasant, but did the phrase originate for some genuine reason?

[ludwig]

I agree with what Andy's said. I'm from the Nottingham area which is about on the same latitude as Stoke, and I've always considered myself to be a northerner. My grandparents, who lived in London, certainly regarded us as being 'from the north'. When they came up to visit us, they'd behave almost as if they'd come to a different planet. We'd say things like 'let's go to the park', and they'd say (in all innocence) - 'oh, you have those in the north do you? how nice'  - ok I'm exaggerating that slightly to make a point, but you get the picture.

[jake-the-peg]

LOL !

Well when I was at school I seem to remember it was meant to be an imaginary line running between the Bristol Channel and the Wash, partly based on geology , that's suspiciously close to where the ice advance stopped in the last ice age.

[dirtyharriet]

According to my other half, the divide starts south of Birmingham. He is a Liverpudlian and every day without fail I have to hear about how thick and retarded us southerners are. I was born and bred in Devon and I do admit the accent can give the impression we aren't too clever.

In my partner's case it's a cultural thing. He doesn't believe that musical talent exists outside of the north.

[Artemis]

Not Watford but the Watford Gap is generally considered to be at the centre of the dividing line.

[nicola_red]

I live in Manchester and to me it's about Birmingham.  By the time you get to the Watford Gap you're alreday well South in my estimation.  I know that's not geographically correct but it's just my feeling.  I do think sometimes it's used in an unpleasant way - when I recently told my friend, who's Essex born and bred, that the cup of tea he had made me was "not bad for a Southerner" he knew I was only teasing!

[fi fi]

it is supposedly anything north of watford that is considered north, well thats what a southener will tell you. it originated about 2-300 years ago and was not only to do with class but the way people lived and the jobs. e.g people in the south were more likely to be doing a well respected job as opposed to their northern counterparts who were more concerned with industry and factory work, i assume this may have tainted the northern skyline which didn't help in their battle for equality! today the north south divide is carried on more through houseprices and politians!