Greatest Londoners of all time
- Lucky Star
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Greatest Londoners of all time
I see that a list has been compiled of the 50 greatest Londoners of all time. Three are some surprising entries but guess who is at number 17? That's right. Enid Blyton. I was quite chuffed to see here in there. Normally she seems to be perennially ignored in these type of lists.
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- Anita Bensoussane
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Re: Greatest Londoners of all time
Wow - it's great to see Enid's name on the list!
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Re: Greatest Londoners of all time
It is indeed very nice to see Enid Blyton's name in the list! And I quite agree she is one of the greatest Londoners!
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(все, что я понимаю, я понимаю только потому, что люблю)
Lev Tolstoy
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Re: Greatest Londoners of all time
A very interesting list, John. I'm also pleased to see Enid at number 17.
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Re: Greatest Londoners of all time
That is fantastic! I'm a little sorry to see only 11 of the top 50 are women, but at least Enid is among them. (And I notice that there are three British queens there, but no kings, so maybe that does balance out the gender equality side of things a bit. )
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
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Re: Greatest Londoners of all time
Interesting that it says -
Top 10 Signs of a True Londoner
1. Being born in London
2. Knowing the tube lines by heart
3. Being comfortable in crowds
4. Knowing all the places to avoid for crowds and tourists
5. Missing London when you are away from the city
6. Embracing changing situations, thriving in the chaos around you
7. Knowing London Underground etiquette
8. Knowing all the best secret hotspots and restaurants in your area
9. Standing on the correct side of escalators
10. Being happy to live in a smaller place without a garden
Not many of those fit Enid!
Great that she's at number 17 though.
Quite interesting that Charlie Chaplin is on there...as that's something that is contested by quite a few people (Including his son!) who believe he was born in a gypsy caravan in Smethwick.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/mi ... al-9731467
Top 10 Signs of a True Londoner
1. Being born in London
2. Knowing the tube lines by heart
3. Being comfortable in crowds
4. Knowing all the places to avoid for crowds and tourists
5. Missing London when you are away from the city
6. Embracing changing situations, thriving in the chaos around you
7. Knowing London Underground etiquette
8. Knowing all the best secret hotspots and restaurants in your area
9. Standing on the correct side of escalators
10. Being happy to live in a smaller place without a garden
Not many of those fit Enid!
Great that she's at number 17 though.
Quite interesting that Charlie Chaplin is on there...as that's something that is contested by quite a few people (Including his son!) who believe he was born in a gypsy caravan in Smethwick.
http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/mi ... al-9731467
Last edited by Rob Houghton on 18 Mar 2016, 01:19, edited 1 time in total.
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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- Courtenay
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Re: Greatest Londoners of all time
Hw do you know Enid didn't stand on the correct side of escalators??Robert Houghton wrote:Interesting that it says -
Top 10 Signs of a True Londoner
1. Being born in London
2. Knowing the tube lines by heart
3. Being comfortable in crowds
4. Knowing all the places to avoid for crowds and tourists
5. Missing London when you are away from the city
6. Embracing changing situations, thriving in the chaos around you
7. Knowing London Underground etiquette
8. Knowing all the best secret hotspots and restaurants in your area
9. Standing on the correct side of escalators
10. Being happy to live in a smaller place without a garden
Not many of those fit Enid!
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
Re: Greatest Londoners of all time
According to someone I was talking to the other day, a true Londoner never refers to the Underground as 'The Tube'.
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- Courtenay
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Re: Greatest Londoners of all time
Really? Then how come even Transport for London prints the Underground map with the heading "Tube map"??
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
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Re: Greatest Londoners of all time
Surely it's the opposite?! I always call it 'the underground' - and I've been to London only twice in my life!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
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hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
Re: Greatest Londoners of all time
Rather a strange list, I would say.
Charles Dickens is a notable absence. He was a longtime London resident who really celebrated London in his books, and people were always impressed with his "cabdriver's knowledge" of London streets and neighborhoods.
While on the other hand, quite a few people on the list I don't consider "Londoners".
I don't think being born in London should be a "top sign of a true Londoner". Someone who is born in London but spends their entire life somewhere else isn't going to be considered a "true Londoner". While someone who moves to London and lives there a long time and fully embraces London life and identity is much more of a "true Londoner".
KEVP
Charles Dickens is a notable absence. He was a longtime London resident who really celebrated London in his books, and people were always impressed with his "cabdriver's knowledge" of London streets and neighborhoods.
While on the other hand, quite a few people on the list I don't consider "Londoners".
I don't think being born in London should be a "top sign of a true Londoner". Someone who is born in London but spends their entire life somewhere else isn't going to be considered a "true Londoner". While someone who moves to London and lives there a long time and fully embraces London life and identity is much more of a "true Londoner".
KEVP
- John Pickup
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Re: Greatest Londoners of all time
I suppose it's grand that Enid has been recognised as one of the greatest Londoners of all time but I've never really understood what these lists are meant to achieve. Whether she came first or last I still regard her as a brilliant children's author.
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- Courtenay
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Re: Greatest Londoners of all time
Perhaps because the good people of the Medway area already claim him as their own! I live not far from Rochester and every second business there, it seems, is named after a Dickens character or story. Everything from A Taste of Two Cities to Tiny Tim's Tea House.KEVP wrote: Charles Dickens is a notable absence. He was a longtime London resident who really celebrated London in his books, and people were always impressed with his "cabdriver's knowledge" of London streets and neighborhoods.
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It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
It was a nuisance. An adventure was one thing - but an adventure without anything to eat was quite another thing. That wouldn't do at all. (The Valley of Adventure)
- Rob Houghton
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Re: Greatest Londoners of all time
I would agree with that - it's outsiders who call it 'the underground'.
Being from Birmingham, I don't necessarily think it's a good thing that Enid is on a list of 'Greatest Londoners' - I'd rather see her as someone who was a Berkshire resident than a Londoner. She wasn't your 'typical' Londoner - whatever that might be!
Being from Birmingham, I don't necessarily think it's a good thing that Enid is on a list of 'Greatest Londoners' - I'd rather see her as someone who was a Berkshire resident than a Londoner. She wasn't your 'typical' Londoner - whatever that might be!
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'
(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)
Society Member