What social class would you say I am?

[purpleturnip]

Grew up in a terrace house in the north. Both parents uni educated, teachers, so not much money.

Dad grew up in a miners house, poor family, my great grandparents were miners/farm labourers. Mum from Sheffield, and went to private school, her parents ran a small family business.

Me, studied medicine at Cambridge, after going to a rough state comp. Now married to a privately educated lawyer.

No regional accent but siblings have stronger ones. Told I sound generic southern, despite being northern.

Based on what you've said, your dad's family were working class. Your mum's family (as small business owners) were lower middle class. As working professionals you are now middle class.

Obviously you’re middle class. However, one of the nicest things about moving away from the U.K. was leaving its tedious class system behind me. I really think the country would be a nicer, better place if you could just let it go.

Middle.

What does it matter anyway, OP?

Can't answer without knowing your occupation, OP - unless you subscribe to a 1950s philosophy of letting your husband's occupation define you.

This.

Middle class through and through.

Yes this. I don't think it matters about grandparents.

I know someone who tries it on that he's working class because he went to a "rough state comp" and the hospital he was born in was in an area of social deprivation

Reality :

Two educated professional parents, money for extra curricular activities, 2 car household detached house

He is middle class but has a chip on his shoulder that he would have done better in his field had he not gone to a comp

Naval gazing about class is very tedious

I would say middle too, mainly because your parents were teachers and you were born and brought up in that environment. Your parents’ background isn’t yours. Also you’ve gained capital from having a solidly middle class partner.

I don’t like “classing” people these days, it’s far too complicated.

Why are you bothered? I can't think of any instance in which this would have any relevance to anything. I've lived a varied life for over 50 years and never once has my class ever crossed my mind or been mentioned by anyone I've spoken to yet it seems to be an obsession on here

No one cares do they?

This is crackly why I describe myself as Mixed Class. I'm sure that applies to many of us.

Uni educated professional parents made you middle class from birth.

But you know this already, don’t you?

He went to uni though? My parents started work at 14. Now you are probably younger than me but still.

Middle class, because you are a professional and are highly educated.

It is irrelevant where your family are from. That is why education is so important, it gives everyone the opportunity if done well to reach their potential.

You can't claim to be working class by any measure.

It will be a fine day in the UK when people are not valued by class.

On those facts, lower-middle.

An Oxford degree would have helped elevate you.

And if “lawyer” means barrister then potentially middle because of him. If your husband’s a solicitor then definitely lower-middle, verging downwards towards aspirational working class.

She did medicine at Cambridge, so whether she's working in medicine or not I think that's clear enough!

😂

Oxford more than Cambridge?

I'm also from a small town in the North. Parents both came from very poor families (mums more than dads but dads were farm labourers so not exactly well off).

My parents worked incredibly hard to give us a step "up" as it gets put. So while they were working class, and I do remember the days where we had pennies to live on (my sister doesn't), we were middle class (I'm going to say lower).

Now, I'm a uni educated professional (financial services) married to senior management so I'd say we were probably middle-middle class (especially considering where we now live).

I don't feel it. I always say we're not "posh enough" for here. And I very much remember growing up in that tiny Northern town with no money. But it just is what it is.

Why is it important ? Class is about norms and values. Nothing to do with £. The richest of people are still WC ( footballers).

No, it isn't remotely clear, that's why I asked. Studying medicine doesn't mean you go on to be a doctor - studying it doesn't even mean you necessarily gained a qualification.

I did a test online about this; my husband grew up with nothing, they were very poor. I grew up with little at first but in my teens my dad became affluent and so I always think I’m middle. The test said my husband was middle and I was working - he’s a very proud working class man so he wasn’t happy!

I don’t get class division, everyone seems to define it differently.

Teachers earn a lot, what has the north got to do with it.

Everyone knows that Northerners can’t be middle class.
Also, you get some right scummy teachers.