Summary Britain (James

O’Driscoll)
Chapter 1: Country and people
A) Geographically speaking
- North-West coast of Europe
- 2 large islands: largest one: Great Britain
other one: Ireland

Looking for a Name

- In 19th & 20th centuries, the whole was generally called ‘The British Isles’
PROBLEM: - most people think it’s outdated
- reminder of the time when Ireland was politically dominated by Britain

- They invented a lot of other names, none of them were widely accepted
- The North-West European archipelago
- The North-East Atlantic archipelago
- IONA (Islands Of the North Atlantic)
- The Isles

- Most commonly used term: Great Britain and Ireland

PROBLEM: geographically and politically incorrect
Ignores smaller islands

The Channel Islands & Isle of Man

= crown dependencies and not officially part of UK. Each has
complete internal self-government, including own parliament
and its own tax system. Both are ruled by British government.

B) Politically speaking

- 2 states: The republic of Ireland (Irish name: Eire)

 governs most of island Ireland
The United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)
 governs whole of Great Britain and North-Eastern of Ireland

United Kingdom Republic of Ireland

Great Britain Northern Ireland

Ireland
Scotland
Wales

Why is Britain ‘Great’?

To distinguish it from the smaller area in France which is called ‘Brittany’ in modern English.
 C) The four nations
- England, Scotland, Wales & Ireland
- Political unification took several 100 years, completed in 1800
 Irish parliament was joined with the parliament of England, Scotland & Wales in
Westminster = The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
HOWEVER: 1992: most of Ireland became a separate state

- Culture & lifestyle used to vary across the 4 nations

- Ireland, Wales & Highland Scotland: Celtic
England & Lowland Scotland: Germanic
- They had each their economic, legal & social system
- They were independent of each other

- Today these differences blurred, not disappeared

- 1 government, 1 passport
- BUT: - many aspects of government still organized separately in the 4 parts
- Welsh, Scottish & Irish people still feel identity very strongly (separate sport teams)

Some historical & poetic names

- Albion: word used by poets & songwriters to refer (different contexts) to England/Scotland/Great
Britain as a whole > Celtic word, early Greek & Roman name for Great Britain.
- Britannia: name of southern Roman province (now: England + Wales) Also female embodiment

Other signs of national identity

- Briton: word used in official contexts & writing to describe citizens of UK
- Caledonia, Cambria & Hibernia: Roman names for Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Still used for
scholarly classifications & names of organizations
- Erin: poetic name for Ireland (The Emerald Isle other name  greenery countryside)
- John Bull: fictional figure, personification of Englishness (VS Uncle Sam), typical gentleman

Other tokens of national identity

- Surnames: - Prefix Mac/Mc = Scottish/Irish
- Prefix “O” = Irish
- Smith = most common surname in England/Scotland
- First names for men: - Scottish of John  Ian, Irish form  Sean
- Jock  nickname Scottish men
- Paddy or Mick  nicknames Irish
- Dai or Taffy  nicknames Welshmen
 not a friend & used in plural, plurals can be seen as offensive
Identifying symbols of four nations
England Wales Scotland Ireland
Flag St. George’s Cross Dragon of St. Andrew’s Cross St. Patrick’s Cross
Cadwallader

Lion Rampant Republic of Ireland

Plant Rose Leek/Daffodil Thistle Shamrock

 Colour White Red Blue Green
Patron saint St. George St. David St. Andrew St. Patrick
Saint’s day 23 April 1 March 30 November 17 March
Characteristics Good singers - Careful with Great talkers
money
- Kilts

D) The dominance of England

- Dominant culture of Britain = specifically English
 System of politics in 4 nations: English origin
 Main language: English
 Many aspects organized following English customs
 Political unification due to English economic & military power

- English domination can be detected by various aspects

 British money supply controlled by Bank of England
 Elizabeth II, even though Scotland & Northern Ireland never had Elizabeth I
 Common use of term “Anglo”, whole Britain, not only England
 England norm for special publications & organizations, other parts = special cases

E) National loyalties
- English people don’t even bother to distinguish England & Britain
- They write English next to “nationality”
- Talk about e.g. Edinburgh as if it’s English

- Safest to say Britain & British

 England does not make up the whole of the UK
 There’s a long history of Scots, Welshmen and Irishmen migrating to England
 Millions of people living in England are actually not English
 Still proud of their roots and “prefer” their country above England
 Same story for other nationalities

- Crossover of loyalties can also work other way round!

Chapter 3: Geography
A) Climate
- More or less same climate as rest of north-western part of Europe.
- Popular belief raining all the time = not true
 image of wet & foggy land created 2000 years ago by the Romans
- London gets no more rain than most other major European cities, sometimes even less

- Amount of rain depends on where you are

- further west  more rain

- Mild winters mean that sometimes only higher areas get snow
- Winters are generally colder in the east than in the west
- Summers are warmer in the south than in the north

- Reasons bad reputation British climate

 Its changeability: you can never be sure
  Lack of extremes: when something odd happens, the country is unprepared
- Bit of snow: trains stop working & roads are blocked
- Slightly higher temperatures: front-page news

B) Land & settlement

- Britain’s scenery is very diverse (even over quite short distances)
 a journey of 100 miles can seem twice as far
- south + east: low-lying, flat plains, gently rolling hills
- north + west: mountainous area, also flat areas

- A lot of human influence

- Forests disappeared
- (especially Southern England) Enclosure of fields with hedgerows
 increases impression of variety
 farmers dug them up, still enough to support bird life
- Much of land used for human habitation
 Britain = densely populated
 Habitual concern for privacy + love countryside  outwards building of cities
- BUT: still a lot of open countryside & untouched mountainous areas

C) The environment & pollution

- Word “smog” (smoke + fog) was first used in Britain
- World’s 1st industrialized country  first to suffer from smog
- 19th century: London’s “pea-soupers” (thick fogs) became famous (Dickens & Sherlock story)
- 1952: worst point  bad smog caused between 4000 and 8000 deaths
- During 60s & 70s: laws against heating of homes with open coal fires
 stopped much of pollution

- Water pollution was also big problem

- 19th century: members Houses of Parliament had to be protected against bad smell
- Until 60’s: falling in Thames  stomach pumped
- Possible to catch fish at end of 70s

- Great increase of motor car caused increase different air pollution

- Serious enough for “air quality” during weather forecasts
- Sometimes warnings to stay inside

- Reduction of greenhouse gases = pressing global need, energy for Britain?

- Oil reserves in North Sea won’t last any longer
- New nuclear power stations, they don’t emit greenhouse gases
 politically unpopular, doubtable environmental friendliness (they DO emit)
- Green energy:
- Solar power (not a lot of sun in Britain  limits possibilities)
- Tidal power
- Wave power
- Wind power = most developed
 wind farms = common feature in Britain
 Also unpopular: ruin countryside
 Solution? Build them offshore in the sea
Britain under attack
Bigger waves damage coasts, east coast sinking away & Thames Barrier (London) soon inadequate
 D) London
- Largest city Western Europe dominates Britain
 Home to: - headquarters of all government departments
- country’s parliament
- major legal institutions
- monarch
 Country’s business & banking centre
 Centre of transport network
 Contains headquarters national television network & all national newspapers
 7 times larger than any other city in country
 About a fifth of the entire population of UK lives in wider London area

- Original walled city = quite small (Known as “Square Mile”)

- Didn’t contain Parliament/Royal Court  would interfere w/ autonomy merchants/traders
situated in Westminster
- Today: both cities = 2 areas of Central London
- Square Mile = home to country’s main financial organizations

- 2 other well-known areas: West End & East End

Many theatres, cinemas & expensive shops Poorer region, immigrants

- Many other parts Central London

 Central London itself = small part Greater London
- Like other European cities: population central area decreased 2nd half 20th century
- Majority Londoners lives in suburbs (vast area stretching all directions)

- London is different than other parts of the country: very cosmopolitan

- More than 300 spoken languages
- Cuisines from more than 70 different countries
- Third of people living in London = born outside Britain
- Richest & poorest areas in Britain = located in London
- Less chance to be a victim of crime than anywhere else in Britain
- Voted most popular city in the world

E) Southern England
- Area surrounding outer suburbs London has reputation of being “commuter land”
- Most densely populated area in UK which doesn’t include a city
- Millions of inhabitants travel to London for work

- Further out from London, region with more distinctive character

- County of Kent = “Garden of England”  many fruits & vegetables
- The Downs (series of hills): - used for sheep farming
- Southern side: reaches sea and form the white cliffs
- many retired people live there
- never much heavy industry
- “The West Country” = rural beauty
- Some industry
- 1 large city: Bristol (once most important port after London)
 - A lot of farming
- Some parts famous for dairy (Devonshire cream) & fruit produce
- South-West Peninsula = most popular holiday area in Britain
- East Anglia (North-East of London) = also quite rural
- Only region in Britain with large expanses of uniformly flat land
(+/- dry climate)  made it main area for growing wheat & other arable crops
- “The Fens” = reclaimed from sea & still watery, misty feeling
- Norfolk Broads = criss-crossed by 100s waterways
 no towns, popular for boating holidays

F) The Midlands of England

- Birmingham = Britain’s 2nd largest city
- During Industrial Revolution: Birmingham + North-Western area (= “Black Country”) =
country’s major engineering centre
- Despite industrial decline, factories still convert iron & steel

- Other industrial areas in Midlands: - towns between Black Country & Manchester = Potteries
 famous for producing china
- towns further east (Derby, Leicester & Nottingham)
- Grimsby (east coast) country’s major fish processor

- Tourism has flourished in Midlands thanks to Shakespeare (birthplace Stratford-upon-Avon) &

Robin Hood (Nottingham)

G) Northern England
- The Pennine Mountains run up to the middle of Northern England (+/- spine)
- Large deposits of coal & iron ore enabled area to lead Industrial Revolution
19th century: - Manchester became world’s leading producer of cotton goods
- Eastern side: Bradford & Leeds world’s leading producers of woollen goods
- Other towns around Pennines concentrating on auxiliary industries/coal mining
- Further South: Sheffield = centre for production of steel goods
- Further North (Newcastle): ship building = major industry

- North of England with noisy factories symbolized Industrial Revolution

- Towns also induced feeling of civic proud in inhabitants
- Energetic realism
- Industrial decline hit Northern England hard
 level of unemployment highly above national average

- Towns on sides of Pennines flanked by steep slopes  difficult to build

- Land unsuitable for agriculture
- Other pattern of settlement than south

- Further away from industrial area: north of England = sparsely populated

- North-Western corner country: Lake District
 Lake Poets Southey, Coleridge & Wordsworth lived here and wrote about it
 Favourite destination of people who enjoy walking
 Classified as National Park (largest in England)
 H) Scotland
- 3 fairly clearly marked regions:
- North of border with England: Southern uplands
 small towns, quite far apart
 economy depends on sheep farming
- Further North: central plain
- Highlands = mountains, deep valleys & small islands off the west coast
 spectacular natural beauty
 same land area as southern England, less than million inhabitants
 tourism & whiskey production important for local economy

- More than 80 percent of Scottish people live in the central plain and in the strip of east coast.
 late 20th century: same difficulties as industrial North of England
 North Sea oil industry helped keeping unemployment down

- Scotland’s 2 major cities: very different reputations

- Glasgow  associated with heavy industry & some of worst housing conditions
 strong artistic heritage
 end 20th century: forefront European design & architecture
 1990: European City of Culture
 many immigrants from Ireland
 2 famous football teams: Celtic (Catholic) VS Rangers (Protestant)

-Edinburgh  smaller than Glasgow

 comparatively middle-class image
 capital of Scotland
 seat of its parliament
 associated with law, scholarship & administration
 “Athens of North”= reputation + historic buildings + topography
 internationally famous annual Edinburgh Festival of the Arts

I ) Wales
- South-East of Wales: most heavily populated.

- Prototype coal mine located in South Wales

 despite industry, no big cities (capital Cardiff: about a third of a million inhabitants)
 high proportion of industrial villages
 coal mining almost entirely ceased
 slow & painful transition to other forms of employment

- Rest of Wales: mountainous

- travel between South & North = very difficult
 closer contact with neighbouring part of England
- area around Mount Snowdon: very beautiful & largest British National Park

J) Northern Ireland
- Largely agricultural
 except capital Belfast: famous for linen manufacturing & ship building
- Several areas of spectacular natural beauty
 one of these: Giant’s Causeway (North coast), so-called: rocks look like giant stairway
Chapter 16: The media
A) The importance of the national press
- Newspaper publication = dominated by national press
 indication weakness regional identity in country
- More than 70 local & regional daily papers
BUT: total circulation < combined circulation national dailies
- Evening publications = only non-national papers with significant circulations
 don’t compete with national papers
- Only exception: in Scotland  Scotland-only newspapers (Sunday Post)
- Most local papers don’t appear on Sundays
 dominance national papers = absolute

- Morning newspaper = British household institution (very important one)

- (until relaxed laws in 1990) only newsagents could open on Sundays
- people “can’t live” without their daily newspaper
- Sunday papers = generally thicker (more time to read)
 > 6 sections, > 200 pages
- “Morning Paper Round”
 teenager delivers at 5.30 a.m. to earn pocket money

B) The two types of national newspaper

- 2 distinct types
- Quality papers  better educated people
 politics & “serious” news

- Popular papers  much larger readership

 far less print
 far more pictures
 larger headlines
 simpler style of English
 “human interest”: sex & scandal

- HOWEVER: hint of snobbery  paper can’t be both high quality & popular
- Been known by different names:
- Broadsheets  quality papers
 terribly large-sized paper = “broadsheet”
 able to read more on 1 page

- Tabloids  popular papers

 printed on smaller pages (easier to turn)

 BUT: - 2004: The Times & The Independent adopt tabloid format = success
- 2005: The Guardian on Berliner format, never seen before in Britain
- Broadsheets/Tabloids distinction no longer fits, only to avoid snobbery

- Differences can be exaggerated

- “Qualities” don’t completely ignore sex & scandal
- Both devote equal attention to sport
- Difference in treatments of covered topics & which topics get more attention
 C) The characteristics of the national press: politics
- Way politics presented in newspapers= example British political parties parliamentary organizations
- None of large newspapers = organ political party
- Many often in favour, but would never see party & newspaper as one

- Business counts for publishers

- Making money = most important
 sell as much as possible
 attract as much advertising as possible
- British press = mostly controlled small number large multinationals
 helps freedom from interference from government influence
- Press so powerful: referred to as “4th estate”
 other 3: the Commons, the Lords & the monarch
- Freedom assisted: freedom of speech = basic constitutional right

- Second World War: a striking example

- Coalition government: Conservatives + Labour Party
 no real opposition
- Cabinet wanted to ban The Daily Mirror = too critical
- Labour Party demanded debate
- Other national papers (even disagreeing with Daily Mirror) defended the paper
 Daily Mirror continued to appear

D) The characteristics of the national press: sex and scandal

- Shallowness = other feature national press
- Few other European countries have such “low” national newspapers
- Some papers have given up dealing with serious matters
- (Apart from sport) Full of famous people
- Articles sometimes not even stories  excuses to show almost-naked women
- 1980s: page three of The Sun  page three girls

- Desire to attract readers: broadsheets in Britain can look more “popular” than quality papers in
some other countries
 still serious with high high-quality articles
 reliable
 BUT: also a lot of coverage to “human interest”

- Revealing personal info  restrict freedom of press?

- British press in conflict with other basic principle: freedom of speech VS privacy right
- Journalist dig up personal stuff and they behave too intrusively
- Press Complaints Commission receives complaints regarding invasions of privacy
 made up of newspaper editors & journalists
 press has to regulate itself
 various governments have tried to reform
 press believe public has right to know everything

- Why is the British press more frivolous?

- Function of press for its readers
 adults don’t read comics, but they still want to read sth. simple with pictures
 E) The BBC
-British parliament = mother of all parliaments  BBC = mother of all info centres
- Largely justified reputation of being for impartiality & objectivity
- Complaints of political sides = evenly balanced
 BBC proud of complaints: shows impartiality & independence
- Independence = result of habit, common agreement & legal status
- Doesn’t depend from advertising or government for its income
 license fee for everyone using a television

- Government still plays important role

- Government decides fee
- Appoints board of governors & director-general
- Veto-right against every program (even before 1st broadcast)
- Right to take away broadcasting license
 very easy for government to influence BBC

- BBC was right from start (by historical accident) independent & impartial
- First occurred through radio broadcasts
- 1932: BBC World Service, license to broadcast to empire and later rest of the world
- 2nd World War: identified with principles of democracy & free speech
 BBC became international
- Today: World Service still broadcasts around the globe (English & other languages)
- BBC also runs 10 radio stations & several local ones

F) Television: organization
- TV channels in general = independent of government
- Matter of tacit agreement
 occasions government persuaded BBC not to broadcast something
 occasions BBC refused to bow down
 BBC sometimes accepts criticism & apologizes
 sometimes successfully argues case & refuses to apologize

- Independent Television (ITV) gets its money from advertisements

- ITV started in 1954
- Network of commercial companies
 each responsible programming in different parts of country on single channel
 companies can’t afford to make own programmes
- Exactly same programme on channel throughout country
- Feared advertisers too much control on programming  tabloid journalism
 fears = unfounded
 sponsored programmes, but no control over programming
- ITV is not made by the individual companies
 Independent Television News (ITN) = separate company
 Reason always protected from commercial influence
- No significant difference in style between BBC & ITN

- Same fears about quality of ITV: now heard with regard satellite & cable television
- Maybe more justified
 owners in same position as owners major newspapers
 new technologies  access more channels  more “discriminating”
 G) Television: style
- Advent of ITV caused a change in style & content of other television programmes
- Number of viewers decides how much money a TV company can ask from advertisers
 pressure on ITV to create popular programmes
- ITV captured three-quarters of audience BBC
 BBC made programmes more accessible

- Little significant difference in programming of BBC & main commercial TV channels

- All show wide variety programmes (news, films, sports, …)
- Constant competition for largest audience (ratings war)
- Try to do the same type programme better

- Performances of channel’s soap operas = very important

- Also important because they show British attitudes & taste
- 2 most popular & longest running
 ITV’s “Coronation Street”
- Working class near Manchester
 BBC 1’s “EastEnders”
- Working class London
- Soaps don’t show idealized picture of life
 same for British situation comedies (sitcoms)  always failing of dreams
- Popular soaps  less room educational programmes
 founding BBC 2 & Channel 4

- Mass television programming = more than half a century old

- Large & still expanding archives
- Lists make their appearance (Top 100 comedy shows, Top 20 favourite soaps, …)
- The 50 Greatest Documentaries (2005) = very popular
 showed Britain can produce quality TV
 Natural history, art history, … in top 10
 Winner: “Seven Up”
- 1950s: lives of 20 seven-year-olds with different backgrounds
- Public attention: seven years later, same children second programme
- 2005: 7th programme “49 Up”
- Worries British television dumbing down = unfounded
 2002: highest paid TV performer= history prof David Starkey (25 shows monarchs)

Chapter 20: Food and drink

- Most visitors say British food isn’t tasty
- Most common complaint: British food has very little taste at all

- 2nd explanation: no opportunity for visitors to taste home cooking

 Either eating in an institution (university canteen)
 Or cheap restaurants & cafés
 No ideal places to eat quality food

- British people believe food should be served warm  hard to achieve for a lot of people

A) Eating habits and attitudes

- Explanations above = partial excuse
 - Even poor quality in fast food restaurants & everyday cafés
- Quality seems lower than other countries
- Life in Britain not oriented towards food
 No widespread restaurant culture
 No café society
 Eating should happen fast
 Coffee often very bad, because they just don’t care
 Café is a place to relax, low expectations about the food

- Even at home little attention for food

 coffee as bad as in cafés
 instant coffee sells better than “real” coffee
 meals tend to be eaten quickly
 parties & celebrations not centred around food

- Attention for food only to consider health implications

- Large number of vegetarians & even larger number of people who are aware of health
- Important role Jamie Oliver: kids got rubbish to eat at school
 petition 270.000 parents for more money for better food
 government obliged quickly (France spent 3 times more!)
- Hard to change habits
 school banned fast food, angry parents brought pizzas & burgers

- Historical explanation for poor standards food & drinks

- Ruling class had been educated at boarding schools
 rather plain food
 students encouraged to be hard & pure
 enthusiasm for food = decadent
- British people = mostly urban, less contact with “the land”
 rather ignorant origins meals
 2004: kids got origins completely wrong (e.g. ham < chickens!)
- Narrow range plants & animals which British people eat
 eating horse meat = sickening
 picking wild plants for eating purpose = exotic
- Insulting other countries by eating habits
 Germans = Krauts  eating a lot of cabbage
- 1960s: British package wanted fish & chips wrapped in British newspaper in Spain

- A lot has changed

- Exotic items such as peppers, garlic, … are now found in every shop
- Some dishes have been imported (lasagne, chicken tikka masala, …)
- More interest in pure enjoyment in food aspect
 cooking & food programmes on television

- Negative reputation can eventually disappear

- Attitudes changed
- Quality food still poor
 changes haven’t had enough time to become habits

B) Eating out
- Going out eating used to be a rare event
  only for richest people
- More people do it
 being in an expensive restaurant still sometimes more important than the food

- Dishes often carry French names

- High regard for French cuisine
 only exception: puddings = typical British meal
- Few restaurants in Britain actually serve British food
 British towns often dominated by ethnic restaurants
 even the smallest towns
- History can also help explain
 eating out = rare, people wanted something different

- 3 types distinctively British eating places

- “Greasy Spoon”
 mostly fried food (English breakfast style)
 traditionally manual workers (“Workman’s café”)
 nowadays for everyone who wants filling meal & likes atmosphere
 many at sides of main roads (“Transport cafés”)
- Fish & chip shop
 takeaway meals
 fried fish
- Tea rooms
 establishments in centre of towns
 only open during day
 different kind of clientele
 scones & other light snacks

- Fast food outlets = very common in Britain

 more than any other country
 cynics: British have no taste
 popularity sociologically explainable (also cheap)
 together with greasy spoons: no pretention

C) Alcohol
- Ambivalent attitude towards alcohol in Britain
- Alcohol = accepted & likes as part of national culture
 No shame attached getting drunk (only without violence)
- Puritan tradition: drinking = dangerous & should be restricted
 children drinking alcohol not allowed
 a lot of drunk teenagers
 law: no drinking under 18
 teenage drinking & alcohol consumption = social issues
- Most cafés not allowed to serve beer or wine

- 20th century: strict rules: pubs limiting their opening hours

- Rules relaxed
- Many more types shop sell alcohol

- Lessening negative attitude to alcohol balanced by increasing concerns impact health & safety
- Government-sponsored guidelines: maximum amount alcohol per week
  millions don’t pay attention to those, but know alcohol is bad

- Alcohol remains important part in lives

- “Booze cruises”: going to Belgium & France for cheap beer & wine
- Continuing debate licensing laws
 2005: relaxing laws was planned
 major political row
 medics, residents’ groups & police against plan
 national newspaper organized campaign
- “Binge drinking” = issue
 always problems of public drunkenness in Britain
 epidemic among young people

D) Pubs
- British pub = unique
- Different character than bars & cafés in other countries
- Different every other place in Britain
- Without pubs: Britain = less sociable
- Only indoor place for comfortably meeting others
- Classless
- Much noisier

- Local pub = important role every neighbourhood

- Predominantly drinking of beers & spirits
- Commonly referred as “The Local”
- “Regulars” = very often visitors
- Action in popular soaps in pubs

- Pubs became less distinctive

- Used to serve almost nothing else than beer, spirits & bar snacks (peanuts, crisps, …)
- Now: also wine, coffee & hot food
 widened pub appeal
- Retained special character
 no waiter service
- bit weird, but relaxing & comfortable for British
- table service= discomforting for many people
 their best behaviour
- informal: get up whenever you need/feel to

 “Home from home” aspect

 good relationship customers & employees
- know regulars personally & their favourite drink
- chatting with customers when not serving
- Presence of pub games (e.g. darts) & sometimes TV

- Notable aspect British pubs: appeal to tradition

- Each pub own name with old-fashioned associations
 aristocrats & monarchs (e.g. The Duke of Cambridge)
 traditional occupations (e.g. Bricklayer’s Arms)
 rural associations (e.g. The Sheep Shearers)
- Person running pub called “Landlord”
 in reality: a tenant
  nearly all pubs owned by commercial companies
 landlord simply employed as manager
 term used to think back to times pubs= inns with beds for travellers

Chapter 21: Sport and competition

A) National passion

 British schools devote more time to sports than other European countries

 “National association” for almost every sport like board games.

 80’s & 90’s competitive games were seen as harmful for children

 British people need competition. They will compete on who has the most beautiful
garden

B) Social importance of sport

- Local authority has the duty to provide and maintain playing fields and other facilities.
- these are often free or charge very little
- Famous sporting events cannot be broadcasted on paid television; it has to be accessible to
anyone
- Wimbledon is much more than just tennis, it is also a fashion show
- British sports get international attention

C) Cricket

- NOT the nation sport by numbers, it does symbolise a way of life

- Rural way of life, British summers
- low level of attention, very long games

D) Football

- in sense of numbers à national sport

- Traditionally a working-class game
- Since last decades: popular for wider public such as middle class
- 70’s & 80’s hooliganism at its height.
- Nowadays, less hooligans, more women but still minority (20%)

E) Rugby

- Rugby League: for working class, originated in North England for miners & workers
- Rugby Union: Middle class, originated in public schools
- More popular, has international attention
- These two might merge at one point in time
- Almost no hooligans in rugby

F) Animals in sport
- For upper class
- Huntin’: Foxhunting
- Shootin’: Shooting birds
- Fishin’: Popular in all classes, if done competitively it’s called angling.

- Horseracing is popular with upper class for gambling

- Greyhound racing is popular with the lower classes for Gabling

G) Other sports

- Every sport has a minor following.

- Athletics like marathons become more popular (e.g. London Marathon, where “funrunners”
wear outrageous costumes)
- Boxing is popular for gambling
- Motor sports are gaining popularity

H) Gambling

- “sportsman” used to be a synonym for “gambler”

- Lottery is most popular form of gambling.
- Bingo is stereotypical for middle-aged working-class women
- Brits will gamble on almost anything such as the weather.