Upper, middle, or working class?

[Greycatgingercat]

I was speaking to another parent at DD's nursery and she said that she was upper class. Her husband is a doctor and she does embroidery but mentioned that she also uses dr as her title. She's a lovely lady and we work in similar fields as I run a small business making children's cloths.

I'd never really spoken about class before this, so it prompted me to have a conversation with my mother. I'd consider myself working class but my mother would consider herself middle class, as her father was a head teacher yet she never worked after I was born so after my father left we relied on benefits.

The lady at DD's nursery is originally form Pakistan, but has lived in the UK for 7 years so I'm not sure if it's more of a cultural thing her telling me her class.

What class would you consider yourself as and what do you think makes someone a particular social class?

I’m not sure about other caste systems in Pakistan but it’s perfectly possible that she would be considered upper class in her homeland but not here.

Why not here? She could be a Pakistani upper class person.

Just like an upper class English person going abroad doesn’t become another class because they aren’t part of the local system.

the UC wouldn't talk about it.

You don’t actually know anyone from the English upper classes, do you?

@raspberrymuffin wins the internet today. Good point

I would tend to dismiss class as irrelevant and am lucky enough to work in an industry which is so hungry for talent that no one cares much about anything other than capability to do the job.

Lots of effort going into increasing diversity and opportunities for younger people who might not otherwise try and get in.

Class as a means to 'other' is probably pretty effective, but horrid. It's nebulous enough to be whatever you want to make it, to distinguish yourself from others.

No one who is happy and secure in themselves would join in that sort of game, would they. Maybe just to help themselves feel better than the rest.

@AgentProvocateur

I’ve only ever hear of people discussing class on MN. In real life, no one gives a shot about what class people are (unless they’re a total dickhead)

This ^^

I have honestly never had nor heard a conversation about class in real life. I also can't recall seeing conversations about it on other internet forums.

Yet it's a very very common discussion on Mumsnet for some reason.

What RaspberryMuffin said.

I think class has the biggest bearing on your life chances/outcomes. More so than anything else. It starts at school and influences how you and your parents are treated throughout your education.

Did she really say that though most nursery parents just about manage a hello in the morning

I can't imagine announcing to someone in passing what class I think I am. And isn't it a bit depressing that so many people cling to c;ass? I find it had to care.

The fact that she is Pakistani (and a fairly newcomer to UK) is relevant. In Pakistan as the wife of a doctor (and her having a doctorate?) slaps her firmly in the upper class bracket. There also isn't the British "I'm soooo working class" faux mentality, where you are supposed to be embarrassed if you are anything above unemployed. In SE Asia there is a discreet class system and people will happily categorize themselves and you.

Sounds like a lot of nonsense.

Doctor is middle class if it has to be put in a class box.

It's very unclassy to refer to your class!!

I’d find it fairly unusual and be quite non plussed if someone randomly announced their class to me. I wonder if her class previously afforded her a status that she no longer enjoys in the UK, so tells peoole...as out with mums net, as a population we are not class obsessed. We take as we find.

[quote SonjaMorgan]@Janegrey333 no it isn't. "40.93% of Brits don’t have enough savings to live for a month without income" and "A third of Brits have less than £600 in savings".

If you look at the median average savings across different age groups none would cover most people's expenditure for more than a few months.[/quote]
That is not “most” as you stated.

I think the UK has always been very class conscious and I cannot see that situation changing. The U or Non U lists may be a tad dated but they - and more modern versions - are interesting to a lot of people.

I'm clearly fucked - I can barely thread a needle.

Sorry if it wasn't clear, she does embroidery as her job, not just a hobby 🤣

Thanks for everyone's responses, very interesting.

So she's a doctor who works in a sweatshop?

Mumsnet is obsessed by class. Nobody I know in real life gives a shit.

Well this is something different, are we going to use embroidery techniques as class definers now?
How will it work? Cross stitch for the working class as they are short of time so have to do something quickly, drawn thread work for the middle class as it will look lovely on their posh pillow cases, stump work for the upper class with plenty of time on their hands.
How easy it will be to be upwardly mobile, learn how to do Berlin woolwork and you are on your way socially!

lighthearted!!

It's very unclassy to refer to your class!!

I think that is perpetuated by people of the privileged classes who are uncomfortable acknowledging their privilege. So they’d rather act like it’s not a thing.

@katy1213 I think she just uses it as her title, she studied fashion at university and does embroidery for her traditional clothes, I'm not sure if she works in a sweatshop though 😐

The UK is a very class bound country unfortunately, and becoming even more so thanks to the increase in levels of poverty. The haves and the have nots, the undeserving poor. Very sad.

I'm working class and proud.

Is it legal to use Dr as your title ,when you are not actually a Dr of medicine or an Academic Dr?

@adacoleman Imagine the Mumsnet posts.
My family is unpretentious - some of my aunties can only do Binca - but my SIL is a snotty cow who thinks she's better than me because she can do lazy daisy without getting in knots ...

I'm an excellent seamstress and embroiderer despite being common as muck Katy.