1970: England's NORTH-SOUTH divide | Man Alive | Voice of the People | BBC Archive

Harold Williamson explores some of the most entrenched attitudes in England - namely, how people in the south of England view those in the north of England, and vice-versa.

This clip is from Man Alive, originally broadcast 27 May, 1970.

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[catgladwell]

Another depiction of the "working class" north vs the "middle class" south. They never compare a wealthy northern area with a poor one in the south - and there are many examples of both.

[BlackStar-ykiz]

The interviewer is a blatant troublemaker, running back to the northerners to tell tales on the southerner just to stir up a bit of hate lol 🤣

[lauraswann]

What I was thinking during this was; if the Northerners all cooked everything in one pot, then how did they have so many saucepan lids to all eat from?

[williamwilson]

As a Yank, I had the privilege of living in North Yorkshire for five years, 85-90, and I dearly loved it.

[dannyward]

I’m a east end cockney and my step father was from Hull or as he said it Ull. One thing that I noticed was the humour up north it’s a dry sense of humour which I absolutely love and makes me laugh no end. Working class is working class no matter north or south. Both the salts of the earth.

[ruboo]

Lol not the reporter going back to the mill with the gossip 😂

[julianhermanubis]

As an American, it took me a while to realize that the English North is treated like the American South in the national media of each country.

[bessofhardwick]

This reminds me of my childhood in the 70s in the North. Never saw or heard of anyone eating off saucepan lids LOL Fish and chips were a once-a-week treat on Fridays to give my gran an evening off cooking for 5 people.

[StrudelShaft]

You can see the light going out in the husband’s eyes with every word the wife speaks 😂

[ummmusa]

As a bury ‘lass’ I very much enjoyed listening to this- their voices reminded me of my grandparents who have both now passed away. All my family in past generations have worked the cotton mills. Was lovely to listen and look in on their lives ❤

[LuPoj]

This channel is underrated. For a lifelong language learner like me, these glimpses into the UK's past are THE BOMB.

[carbonblade]

I must say watching this is fascinating and I really like the lady in the factory who does most of the talking. Looking at clips like this makes me wonder what the rest of their lives were like. Now I find myself thinking if they were 25 then they’d be nearly 80 now if they’re still alive. These are like a time machine.

[hoisin]

I'm a south Londoner now living in Grimsby. People are people. Some good, some bad...just different accents. It's all perception.

[MePeterNicholls]

No one can afford fish n chips for a family more than once a week now

[elenae]

The interviewing was really stirring the pot. "She said this and she said that". Oh lord.

[UKGeezer]

When we moved from Kent to Cornwall in the early 80s, I remember everyone at school thought my accent was Australian, lol. I had a real hard time understanding the Cornish accent, it was like learning a foreign language. So many accents for such a small country.

[bluejeanmeanie]

I’m seventeen and American and I can’t get enough of stuff like this 👍

[tehfn]

It was tough growing up with a class divide when as an intelligent northern lad I couldn't get a second look from a southern company as soon as I spoke my stereotypical accent. The best thing about the internet is that divide is being whittled away. Game of Thrones helped a bit too :D

[carolcr]

I was brought up in Bury in the 50s - 70s and we had proper meals and NEVER ate off pan lids!

[RichPickingsBT]

As a Salford lad living down south, this had me going down memory lane from the 70's. Loves the man in the mill summing up the southerners, he's bang on by the way.