General Chat

What would need to be your personal situation to be working class as opposed to middle class ?

I ask because my of some posts on Errols thread about the death of Margret Thatcher

My G grandfather born 1869 worked as a coal miner but grew his own veg and kept chickens and pigs to supplement his income, anything left over was sold or barted at first through the front room window and later he converted the house in to a shop by 1911 he had 2 shops and built several houses which he rented out, sadly he died in 1913 so still a relatively young man,

I'm sure both him and my grandfather would have not appreciated being called Middle class

Roy

i am in a class of my very own ;-) ;-)

There were research results released this week on this topic - will try to find the news report

Joy, I already no what class your in ;-) the naughty class :-P

I had a life long friend who owned and ran his own successful business, another one who has now sadly passed, and he classed himself as working class, whilst talking to him about the class system he said,... I work for a living and usualy harder and longer hours than my staff so I'm more working class than all my employees

Roy

There is a common misconception that "working class" means those that work hard

thats me Roy xx ;-) ;-)

Depends on what era?

nowdays some of us would seen in 1900's ------1950s as well off and almost into middleclass by what we have and own.

According to the quiz I just did I am a 'New Affluent Worker' :-S

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22000973

It is quite simple.

If you are short like Ronnie Corbett, you are working class
If you are medium height like Ronnie Barker, you are middle class
And if you are tall like John Cleese, you are upper class......

These 7 new classes that Errol is looking for are no more help really. They seem to be largely based on what income you have. Used to be that people would subjectively put themselves in a class, and their neighbours would objectively decide they were a class lower.

I think the classiest people are interested in a wide variety of subjects, like books, opera, classical music, foorball, rugby and family history :-)

From the prime minister downwards we are all working class.that how we earn our money.

When I did that class thingy - I was the lowest :-|
Apparently, I'm on benefits, and should be on an ASBO.
Not my fault that my take-home pay is less than it was 9 years ago - and that's working for a County Council for all those years :-|
Like Joy, I'm in a class of my own. But mine's called the Angry class.

Spent a lot of my life living in caravans (trailer trash?), then a huge detached house (Upper middle?) Went to grammar school (upper middle again?) Worked for Diplomatic Service (UM?)(but rented) Then became an agricultural worker (lower working?)
Then council house tenant (not working? despite going to a place of work every day?) Then got a degree (above my 'station'?) Still live in same council house p*ss poor wages (see above), and wanted to retire at 60. Goalposts moved, now got to work an extra 6 years :-| :-|

Listen to Radio 4 (4 extra when fed up with 'Thatcher talk'), would go to the theatre if I could afford it and the last bus home wasn't 17:15.

But, apparently, I'm still the lowest of the low :-D

Oh - and my mobile is very old (no camera even) and is pay as you go! That's probably the most defining thing -
a) I don't use it very oftern.
b) If I'm on a walk, I'm on a walk
c) If you REALLY want to contact me, call my landline or text me - I'll answer at my convenience.
d) I don't think I'm Soooooo important that I feel it's my right to pace back and forth across the pavement when talking into my mobile.

d) is probably the most confusing bit of my 'class'.
Not so much as 'I know my place' - more a case of 'I have manners, where are yours, you ignorant self-opinionated pile of poo?' :-D

Always bin a classy bird me ;-)

Thank you for your expert and well-informed input John. Does it include spelling too?

John,
Errol didn't invent these 7 'classes', an overpaid researcher did.
Paid for out of out taxes, because, of course 'knowing ones place' is so bloody important.
I don't know to whom - probably Daily Mail readers.
I have the same problem with religion - I look jewish, but my dad was Islam. Oh, wait a minute, Jesus was an Arab, as was Mohammed. They're both from the same gene pool. Whew.

It's really difficult for us council house 'scroungers' who sit indoors watching TV with our blinds shut. We're so easily spotted and judged.

My blinds are shut all day, because I'm out at work. Can't see the point in opening them and letting neighbours/potential burglars see that I haven't got a cleaning compulsion.

:-D :-D @ Maggie

I do remember a good friend of mine becoming a Director of a major supermarket company at a very early age - about 30. He was real working class lad from East End - a diamond geezer, salt of the earth. All of a sudden he was living in a posh house in Billericay, driving a 5 Series BMW and wife had a new Ford Focus free of charge. The Managing Director was very well educated (Modern Languages degree, ex-teacher) and he quietly told my friend that he was destined for higher things but he must embourgeois himself - he must learn to mingle with people of his station rather than his old friends.

He remained my friend - but he never got to Main Board level:-D I do think class and breeding becomes more important higher up the social scale - we still don't seem to be a meritocracy.

John - you've deleted a post!

Not 'class' and 'breeding' - more the 'old boys' club

I'm proud not to be an 'inbred'

I hope your friend does not hold it against you for bringing him down and preventing his rise to stardom. Maybe he would have done better at Tesco where it would appear even the lowliest can become stars in their own lunchtime

Errol. There are other supermarkets. Never mentioned one in particular. It could have been Kwiksave - didn't Albert Gubay have a degree in modern languages?

My friend is not only earning quite a good six figure salary - he remains true to his class. And he has some very nice friends from long ago ;-) Yes, maybe he could have done better :-D

Edit. Maggie - no deletion of any post by me :-S

I'm not a 'diamond geezer', I speak perfect English, and can do a variety of dialects - even 'posh' ones (called survival as a child due to moving so often), but I'm afraid I don't suffer fools gladly, and if someone who earns 3 times what I earn feels he/she can patronise me, as they think they are 'better' purely because of their income - they soon learn I won't claim 'ignorance' to massage their ego, and their income doesn't mean they know more than me, or are any better.

Hence I don't earn vast bucks :-|
Not come across a manager yet that isn't faffing about trying to justify their position above us 'monkeys'.

Ah, the good old British class system.

My profession and that of my parents would define me as middle class. However, I've worked (either full or part time) since I was 12, with an 8 month break after our son was born. I'm officially a pensioner now and have my bus pass. However, I'm still working part time.

Previous generations of my family move between lower working class, upper working class, lower middle class and upper middle class, depending which date you choose.

I have an 18th century ancestor described in Manor Court books as a "Gentleman". Earlier in his life he was a baker and made lots of money through hard work and bought property then handed over to his son and lived off the rental income - and thus became a "Gentleman", ie living off unearned income. Lots of those around today. Not all could be described as gentlemen.

Another ancestor owned several boats and was also a ship's captain. A few bad storms sank his boats and he was made bankrupt. He signed on to cable laying ships and earned enough money to become a boat owner again by the next census and also bought into a fish dealing firm. He also bought a house - insurance against more bad years, I expect.

These ancestors weren't concerned with what class they were, they were concerned with making the best living they could for themselves and their families. This is what most people do today.

It's time we stopped trying to label ourselves and others.