Do You Feel Any Fondness For The Town You Were Born In?

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Ricardodaforce

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No
We were just chatting about this at home. My other half loves her home city. I have absolutely no interest in where I come from.

What about you?
 
Both my wife and I have a great affinity for London where we were born.
To a lesser extent being English is important too rather than British.
 
As TT above. I shall always be a Londoner and English regardless of where I live, actually I only live 18 minutes from London by train anyway. Proud to be English, not British. If we can have Welsh, Scottish and Irish then perhaps English would be nice also, and yes I know why we don't. One should be proud of ones heritage without it being looked at as some sort of racist comment.
 
Not for me - born in Luton, so pretty obvious why I have no fondness!!! Mind you, I moved out when I was 1.

For me its where i grew up - Cambridge and also North London (Gospel Oak) where my mum comes from.
 
No. Not the town I was born in, but I only lived there till I was 2 so have no real memories of it. I love going back to the city I grew up & spent most of my childhood in, though it makes me very sad at just h0ow rundown and left at the wayside its become
 
Yes. I have lived here all my life, having moved from one end where I was born and grew up to the other end where I live now. The crematorium, where my my parents, both sets of grandparents and my dads sister were cremated and ashes buried, is just five minutes walk from the house I grew up in, so a very good chance I won't be leaving when I die either.
 
Not the Town but the County!!

Born in Cornwall therefore Cornish pure Bred, we never consider ourselves as English but Celts.

In fact for me from the far SW of the County anything east of Truro feels slightly Alien.
 
Yes, but moved away when I was 18. It's now a dump so would never go back!
 
Born in Bedord and lived there till aged 11

Used to have some fondness for the place, but that has dwindled away to zero with age (and wisdom)
 
Born in North London, moved to Hertfordshire when I was 13 then to Central London when I left home. I do have an affinity to London, it's where I spent most of my youth and where most of my childhood memories.
 
Born in London but the area I lived in till I was 8 or 9 is vile nowadays. Still incredibly expensive though, but that’s London for you. I like some areas of London and still visited fairly often before lockdown, but I much prefer Surrey where I live now.
 
Not so much the city itself as the area. Coast 10 miles away. moors 1/2 hour drive, relatively good weather (for the UK, anyway!), relatively clean air - what's not to like?
 
Yes, sort of.

My home town has changed a lot so there's nothing there really other than the name and the memories. I love the area though as we're within walking distance of the hill and 15 minutes drive from the seaside or the town centre.

Interesting comments above about nationality and Celts.
 
How interesting that this should come up today, following some exchanges on another thread yesterday... ;)

Londoner. Born and bred. Hackney and Tower Hamlets, to be specific. I've never lived more than 4 miles or so, from where I was born. It might have been nice to spread my wings a bit, live elsewhere for a while, but that didn't happen. I have absolutely no regrets mind, it's all good. Couldn't be more proud of my home town.

Where I grew up was rough, poor and neglected. It's now still rough and poor, mostly, but has been tarted up somewhat. Where I live now is a considerable 'step up', although some might not consider it 'desirable'. But to paraphrase an old racist genocidal maniac; 'To have been born a Londoner is to have won life's lottery'. Word.

I've seen myriad changes happening here; all sorts coming and going, the skyline and landscape, everything constantly in flux. I love it. I revel in change. Bring on the New!

As for identity; it was in a bar in downtown Manhattan, many years ago, where I first discovered what identity was all about. Chatting to some New Yorkers of Italian descent, a wonderful bunch of people, about the comparative merits of our home cities, when one declared 'we're not American; we're New Yorkers!'. And that's when it struck me. Identity isn't about where you were born, or where you're from, or where your family are from, or anything like that. It's about a state of mind; where you're AT. And it's something only YOU get to choose.

Other labels of nationalism and boundaried sentiment are inadequate and irrelevant. I'm a Londoner. That transcends everything.
 
Ricardodaforce said:
Poses another question too, where do you consider home? I’ve lived in many places in my adult life, for me that answer lies overseas.
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Home is where my permanent place of residence is. For the last 20 years, that's been Bedfordshire. I was always consider myself a Londoner in the way my wife will always consider herself a Lancastrian despite having spent 2/3 of her life living in the south of the country.

That said, I know of at least 2 people who were born and raised in the north of the country who now consider themselves Londoners.
 
Marc said:
Home is where my permanent place of residence is. For the last 20 years, that's been Bedfordshire. I was always consider myself a Londoner in the way my wife will always consider herself a Lancastrian despite having spent 2/3 of her life living in the south of the country.
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I grew up with a lad who'd been born in Bradford, but lived in London since he was 3. Spoke with an East End accent, everything. For whatever reason, when he become a young adult, he decided he was a proud Yorkshireman, and eventually moved up north, 'home'. Except that he never really settled there, and now lives in Malaysia. I always think he'd have been better off if he'd just given in and accepted being a Londoner.


Marc said:
That said, I know of at least 2 people who were born and raised in the north of the country who now consider themselves Londoners.
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Interesting. Again, I've known northerners who would never, ever call themsleves 'Londoners', in spite of living here most of their lives. Same way my dad won't ever consider himself 'British', although he enjoys being a Londoner. So it is interesting that you know 2 northerners who've succumbed. :LOL:
 
I was born in Luton but lived in a place called Caddington until I was one (I am not copying Cambsno, honest). I have lived in many places over the last 67 years, mostly in Cornwall, but never really felt at home anywhere until I landed in Lincoln in my very late 40s. Luton/Caddington I cannot remember, Redruth is an awful, wet, dismal town and Lincoln is a delight.
 
Funny how some don't feel at home in some places. I never liked Leeds or Bracknell and couldn't imagine living in London but just about instantly felt at home in Bruges, Almaty and Chonburi. It's always nice to come home though although sometimes it only hits when I get here.
 
AZ6 said:
I grew up with a lad who'd been born in Bradford, but lived in London since he was 3. Spoke with an East End accent, everything. For whatever reason, when he become a young adult, he decided he was a proud Yorkshireman, and eventually moved up north, 'home'. Except that he never really settled there, and now lives in Malaysia. I always think he'd have been better off if he'd just given in and accepted being a Londoner.
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When I first left home, I lived in a hostel in Victoria. There was a guy there who was from Yorkshire but spoke with a cultured home counties accent. He considered himself a Londoner except when anyone from Yorkshire did well in sport. :LOL:
 
I was born and brought up in Scotland. My father was a Scot, my mother was South African, and I've spent most of my adult life overseas. That said, I'm British but I incline towards my SA heritage in many ways.
 
I have lived in Accrington for over 30 years.. most of my kids born here.... but everytime i go to Preston i fel like I am going home........ when i go to Blackpool I feel like I am in enemy territory..

guess its the way your brough up as well :)
 
Born and bred in hackney , dalston to be precise .. moved out at 21 never lost the accent or the ability to recognise the area accent over the years . .. would I go back no way I’m happy in my north wales hillside retreat with views over the sea and beaches ten minutes away ..
funnily enough when I was working about 15 years ago a local lad got in my cab and I picked up on his accent so we started chatting ,turns out he was also a cabbie but worked the next town , but the more we talked the more came out and it turned out we used to both hang out together in our gang /group as teenagers .. neither of us had recognised each other till then ..
 
the black fox said:
Born and bred in hackney , dalston to be precise .. moved out at 21 never lost the accent or the ability to recognise the area accent over the years . .. would I go back no way I’m happy in my north wales hillside retreat with views over the sea and beaches ten minutes away ..
funnily enough when I was working about 15 years ago a local lad got in my cab and I picked up on his accent so we started chatting ,turns out he was also a cabbie but worked the next town , but the more we talked the more came out and it turned out we used to both hang out together in our gang /group as teenagers .. neither of us had recognised each other till then ..
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I thought all the cabbies moved to Gants Hill
 
nilagin said:
Only the Jewish ones.
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Quite possibly, couple of my good mates over the Orient were Jewish and Black cabbies.
One did live in Gants Hill and the other in Clapton, must be hard going for them now
Had a fair few Jewish supporters, remember the Happy New Year to our Jewish supporters message in the programme

Wonder if you still get people doing the knowledge on mopeds with clipboards?
 
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tijuana taxi said:
Quite possibly, couple of my good mates over the Orient were Jewish and Black cabbies.
One did live in Gants Hill and the other in Clapton, must be hard going for them now
Had a fair few Jewish supporters, remember the Happy New Year to our Jewish supporters message in the programme

Wonder if you still get people doing the knowledge on mopeds with clipboards?
Click to expand...
I went out with a girl in early 80's who did alot of baby sitting for jewish families in the Gants Hill area. Most had second jobs, some would share cabs too.

I haven't been to Gants Hill in a good few years, but I still see mopeds with clipboards from time to time.
 
interesting one,know I sit here thinking about it I would have to say no. Whilst I am proud to have come from the "Norfolk Broads" my fondness for where I was born has all but gone since my parents died. I might feel different later this year when hopefully I will return to see my parents grave and visit a few friends.
 
tijuana taxi said:
Wonder if you still get people doing the knowledge on mopeds with clipboards?
Click to expand...

A proper Londoner would know this... ;)

Still see the odd Knowledge learners on scooters, round London. Speaking to cabbies I know, such a thing, whilst still very useful, will become redundant soon. The live traffic info on Google maps etc is getting better all the time, and gives more useful information at any given time, than decades of knowledge can. It's all about TfL securing cabbie's livelihoods by not giving in to the likes of Über etc, and protecting the black cab service. Many are not confident this will happen though, sadly. But then; for most people, travelling by cab in central London is a luxury anyway, and market forces will dictate that much cheaper services such as Über will prevail, and then do away with a licensed cab service altogether. But then; a proper public owned transport system would ensure that something like a hail and ride cab service was part of the whole.


tijuana taxi said:
I thought all the cabbies moved to Gants Hill
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Always amuses me, when out and about in the outer suburbs, seeing black cabs parked up outside houses. Cos try to get one in the centre, to go out so far, and they'll come up with some excuse as to why they can't go such a distance. ;)


nilagin said:
Only the Jewish ones.
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Friend's dad was a cabbie. They are Jewish and lived in Pinner. I think cabbies in general had an aversion to living anywhere near Zone 2! But in any area where there are a lot of (secular) Jewish people living, you'll find a load of cabbies nestled in there. Gants Hill/Redbridge, Romford, Barnet, Stanmore, Wembley, Boringwood and Radlett! Of course, they'll all claim to be from the East End, but truth is most of them haven't lived there for decades.


the black fox said:
Born and bred in hackney , dalston to be precise .. moved out at 21 never lost the accent or the ability to recognise the area accent over the years . .. would I go back no way I’m happy in my north wales hillside retreat with views over the sea and beaches ten minutes away ..
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You wouldn't recognise it now. Remember how you wouldn't have dared walk down Sandringham Road (aka 'the Frontline)? Or up round Shacklewell Lane? Only the very wealthy can afford to move in now. Ridley road market's days are numbered. And I wonder how long all the Turkish businesses will hang around, with all the rents etc going up and up and up. We're properly rooted here though, and I can't see us moving until such point that we become Tired of Life™.
 
AZ6 said:
A proper Londoner would know this... ;)

You wouldn't recognise it now. Remember how you wouldn't have dared walk down Sandringham Road (aka 'the Frontline)? Or up round Shacklewell Lane? Only the very wealthy can afford to move in now. Ridley road market's days are numbered. And I wonder how long all the Turkish businesses will hang around, with all the rents etc going up and up and up. We're properly rooted here though, and I can't see us moving until such point that we become Tired of Life™.
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I worked around there for a while, based at the telephone exchange (CLIssold for the older ones) behind Marks and Sparks, Dalston Junction
Used to have a pint and lunch at a pub on a little alley through to Balls Pond Road, record shop there too
The station was still there then and so was Broad Street where I got the train back to for home
 
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AZ6 said:
A proper Londoner would know this... ;)

Still see the odd Knowledge learners on scooters, round London. Speaking to cabbies I know, such a thing, whilst still very useful, will become redundant soon. The live traffic info on Google maps etc is getting better all the time, and gives more useful information at any given time, than decades of knowledge can. It's all about TfL securing cabbie's livelihoods by not giving in to the likes of Über etc, and protecting the black cab service. Many are not confident this will happen though, sadly. But then; for most people, travelling by cab in central London is a luxury anyway, and market forces will dictate that much cheaper services such as Über will prevail, and then do away with a licensed cab service altogether. But then; a proper public owned transport system would ensure that something like a hail and ride cab service was part of the whole.




Always amuses me, when out and about in the outer suburbs, seeing black cabs parked up outside houses. Cos try to get one in the centre, to go out so far, and they'll come up with some excuse as to why they can't go such a distance. ;)
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Living at the east end of the District Line, at afternoon/evening rush hour, there is always around 10 black cabs ready and waiting, as one leaves with a fare, they all shuffle forward and it isn't long before another joins the back of the queue. I guess after a day in the city, they then come to the outskirts to take people home from the station.
 
tijuana taxi said:
I worked around there for a while, based at the telephone exchange (CLIssold for the older ones) behind Marks and Sparks, Dalston Junction
Used to have a pint and lunch at a pub on a little alley through to Balls Pond Road, record shop there too
The station was still there then and so was Broad Street where I got the train back to for home
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Ooh yeah Kingsland Passage. I vaguely remember a pub there, but hazy. I almost got my finger bitten off during a particularly lively evening in the Greyhound, which was up the road a bit. Was a mate's local, he grew up on that estate. Blimey, even 20 years ago, it was proper rough. It's hard to imagine now, with all the hipsters walking about and that. But things change, you can't stop that. I'd rather have the hipsters than the violent thugs who used to terrorise the area.

The station reopened some years ago; it's part of the Overground service that replaced the old East London Line. Dalston Kingsland is the station up on the A10. As for Broad st; how flipping old are you ffs?? :LOL:
 
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AZ6 said:
A proper Londoner would know this... ;)

Still see the odd Knowledge learners on scooters, round London. Speaking to cabbies I know, such a thing, whilst still very useful, will become redundant soon. The live traffic info on Google maps etc is getting better all the time, and gives more useful information at any given time, than decades of knowledge can. It's all about TfL securing cabbie's livelihoods by not giving in to the likes of Über etc, and protecting the black cab service. Many are not confident this will happen though, sadly. But then; for most people, travelling by cab in central London is a luxury anyway, and market forces will dictate that much cheaper services such as Über will prevail, and then do away with a licensed cab service altogether. But then; a proper public owned transport system would ensure that something like a hail and ride cab service was part of the whole.




Always amuses me, when out and about in the outer suburbs, seeing black cabs parked up outside houses. Cos try to get one in the centre, to go out so far, and they'll come up with some excuse as to why they can't go such a distance. ;)




Friend's dad was a cabbie. They are Jewish and lived in Pinner. I think cabbies in general had an aversion to living anywhere near Zone 2! But in any area where there are a lot of (secular) Jewish people living, you'll find a load of cabbies nestled in there. Gants Hill/Redbridge, Romford, Barnet, Stanmore, Wembley, Boringwood and Radlett! Of course, they'll all claim to be from the East End, but truth is




You wouldn't recognise it now. Remember how you wouldn't have dared walk down Sandringham Road (aka 'the Frontline)? Or up round Shacklewell Lane? Only the very wealthy can afford to move in now. Ridley road market's days are numbered. And I wonder how long all the Turkish businesses will hang around, with all the rents etc going up and up and up. We're properly rooted here though, and I can't see us moving until such point that we become Tired of Life™.
Click to expand...


my grandad started Ridley road market off , bought his first furniture factory with the proceeds .. shaclklewell lane not a problem my cousins were the heyday twins Colin and Johnny both British ABA boxing champions .. ..good old days long long forgotten . . I can remember pulling the market barrows out of storage behind colvestone crescent school every morning with a few mates and putting them in place In Ridley road before school Just to earn a few bob extra .
And I really really miss cook’es pie mash and liquor In kingsland road . Beat school dinners everyday ..
 
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