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Definition of “Brummie”, “Astonian” etc

Similar here. I left Birmingham due to work circumstances in 1986. My son, born in Leamington Spa, is the first of the male line of our Baker family not to be born in Birmingham since at least the late 1700s.

The same kind of thing applies on my wife's side. My son is the first of her male line to be born outside of Herefordshire, going back even further.

Sad perhaps but a strong illustration of our changing world, with so much more movement and mobility than in the past.
 
What do you call a Roundabout on the road? To me its always been an Island which mystifies my friends darn sarf
 
It's an island to me, but if someone called it a roundabout, I would understand. (In America, where my sister lives and where they don't have very many, they call them Traffic Circles). Has island/roundabout got something to do with being born in Birmingham then?

I always remember my mother calling sandwiches 'pieces' which I never liked or even understood. Shortie
 
I think people used to call them Islands,but seem to say Roundabout now,my sister always referred to a slice of bread as a piece,she would say can i have a piece or would you like a piece, i used to say a piece of what
 
I have been driving since 1957 and they have always been traffic islands to my knowledge. In recent years several calendars have been produced featuring Traffic Islands, NOT ROUNDABOUTS.
 
a true brummie is anyone born in Birmingham, wether you were born in the inner-city or suburbs, born, educated, and lived all your young life in an area called b,ham xyz, then you are a true brummie, having not lived there since 15 yrs old, I still consider dear old brum my original home and bithright and don't let anyone try to take that off me.
 
If you have the heart of a brummie you,ll always be a brummie where ever you are no one can take that away. Dek
 
Well Aidan, glad to have been of help, but there are not many subjects on Brum which have not been covered on the Forum and its always best to check the SEARCH BOX .:):)
After all to date there have been 221,000 POSTS & 20,000 THREADS
 
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I consider my self a true Brummy being born in a back to back house in Ladywood Birmingham 1. in 1947

Mossy
 
paul stacey said:
a true brummie is anyone born in Birmingham, wether you were born in the inner-city or suburbs, born, educated, and lived all your young life in an area called b,ham xyz, then you are a true brummie, having not lived there since 15 yrs old, I still consider dear old brum my original home and bithright and don't let anyone try to take that off me.
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Paul thank you - I am really pleased that you posted this as some comments were making me feel like an outsider. I was born in Loveday Street (1943) but grew up in the leafy suburbs of South Brum. My Dad was from the Country but my Mother was Erdington born and her family were involved int he manufacture of swords [Cutlers] and 'toys' in the 1700's.
 
Mossy said:
I consider my self a true Brummy being born in a back to back house in Ladywood Birmingham 1. in 1947

Mossy
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Mossy, in my book those are good qualifications.:)

I was born in 1944 at Dudley Road Hospital and spent my whole youth in Sparkbrook, just off the Ladypool Road. Most of my near ancestors were from the Aston area but I've traced our family back 500 years and we were farm workers from the beautiful Cotswold village of Blockley. My guess is that in the industrial revolution they were attracted to Birmingham by the prospect of work. I'm sure that many "Brummies" roots are, like mine, from outlying towns & villages.

I'm proud to have been born in Birmingham a city that has produced so many wonderful things and people; people like you my friends on this forum, Graham.
 
Mossy said:
I consider my self a true Brummy being born in a back to back house in Ladywood Birmingham 1. in 1947

Mossy
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Good for you Mossy my Uncle was born in Portland Terrace Friston Street, Ladywood now how about answering my e-mail:D
 
Question did I see a bar of chocolate on a thread yesterday called Brummie Chocolate if I did can anyone tell me where it is as I can't find it, please:(
 
Yes Alf i think i put it on things we said as a kid i'll take a look
Anybody remember these
 
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i consider myself a true brummie even though ive not lived there for 30 years


i was born in dudley road hospital
i lived in winson green 5 mins walk from the prison
i went to foundry road junior and infants school
the 11c outer circle stopped right out side my house so did that route many a time
a cob is a cob to me, ketchup is red sauce even though i hate the stuff
when i go to brum i call it going up town if i go to tamworth i call it going to tamworth
i was bought up on sterrised milk and dripping buttys
and i had to explain to my manager what a tiptop was

all my past relatives have lived in or around handsworth and some are from the centre of brum and all have been brass founders of one form or another

so i think i might class myself as a propper brummie lol
 
Ok maybe someone here can tell me if I am a Brummie or not? My birth cert says I was registered in Smethwick but I was born at St Chads Hospital, which as far as I know is in Birmigham.

Anyway,is a Brummie someone who was born within the city bounderies or someone who has lived within its bounderies? I have never lived within its bounderies. Im not counting a one time postal address of Quinton Birmingham 32 as that was a postal address and not a true location and the same address became a Warley Worcs for a while and then a Warley Oldbury. That was my parents home, after marriage Im now in the Dudley MBC area but not in Dudley the town.

So I know who I am but not what I am and I dont want any smart answers to the last part!:D
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/hospitalrecords/details.asp?id=2442&page=75
 
I remember about 10 years ago when I was doing History of Birmingham at night school, it was suggested that Key Hill could originally have been called Castle Hill, therefore saying that within Hockley there was a castle and this may have been the origins of Birmingham and not the Bull Ring. Has anyone else ever heard that?
 
Carolynn said:
I remember about 10 years ago when I was doing History of Birmingham at night school, it was suggested that Key Hill could originally have been called Castle Hill, therefore saying that within Hockley there was a castle and this may have been the origins of Birmingham and not the Bull Ring. Has anyone else ever heard that?
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I haven't heard it before but it is very interesting - I wonder where they got that information from.
Polly
 
We were told it one week and then the following week we were told 'pretend it was never said last week - just think you were in a time machine' It was a proper course which took place at Birmingham Institute in Margaret Street. Very strange.
 
Mike G....I don't think agel an omma is Brummie.... in fact the Black Country lot wouldn't like you to claim that, it refers to the chainmekers in Netherton.
Mike.
 
My mother lived at 32 Landsdowne Road Handsworth in early 30s.....and then next to Botanical gardens.
Mike.
 
Hi All,

A true Brummie has ancestors whose records state that they were born in Aston (such as Bordesley) but nevertheless support B.ham City F.C

Old Boy
 
miklee said:
Mike G....I don't think agel an omma is Brummie.... in fact the Black Country lot wouldn't like you to claim that, it refers to the chainmekers in Netherton.
Mike.
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Oh, I don't know; coming from the Black Country myself, I can tell you that it was frequently said that a 'Brummie' could make anything, if it could be made with an 'omma' ! I don't think it was wholly a compliment - ;) - which seems a tad unfair to those in the jewellery/gun trades etc.

It was a common joke that any tool used, could in 'Brummagem', be substituted for an 'omma' .

However, Britain was indeed once the 'work-shop of the world' and regardless of any light-hearted rivalry, the fact remains that both Brum and the Black Country, were the very centre of that work-shop. A heritage above ALL others!
 
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