To wonder why people increasingly refer to places not in London as 'in London'

[redpipe]

I genuinely don't understand why people say they live in London when in fact they live in a town within the M25.
Croydon is not in London is it? Nor is Kingston. I never remember people referring to these towns as London years ago. Is this a new thing?

Wait, Bromley isn't in London?
That's where I'm from, and my mum always said it was part of London. And she'd know, she's from Peckham

A quick google later, Wikipedia says Bromley is a London Borough, so there.
I cling to my London roots, they're all I've got!

I'm just worried we're double counting!

Geographically, Richmond is in Surrey, though its local government calls itself a london borough. Local councils and geography are two different things, aren't they? Is this thread about geography or politics?

Aren't all of these places within Greater London?
So I can understand why people who live outside the M25 just call them London. I wouldn't say to anyone who didn't know London that I was visiting my aunt in Croydon, for example. It's much easier just to say London.

TSSDNCOP

The Bow Bells are not in Bow but in Cheapside in the City of London. Just thought I'd mention it.

Actually annbryce Gatwick is exactly halfway between London and Brighton. Not nearer to either. I live right by it. And don't understand why it's called London Gatwick when it's a 35 min train journey from London!

I wouldn't call Croydon, Epsom, Banstead, Bromley, caterham London but further in I would. My family are from Brockley which is SE1 and east ham (although nan was born in east ham she grew up in dagenham so is an Essex girl lol).

Although saying that they are all under the Met not Surrey police....! Lol.

Geographically, Richmond is in Surrey, though its local government calls itself a london borough. Local councils and geography are two different things, aren't they? Is this thread about geography or politics?

Good point.

For me it's about geography. Thus Croydon is Surrey and will never truely be London!

Why would anyone want to say they live in London when they can reasonably choose a County outside London? Much naicer surely?

I (and probably many other Northerners ) just think
London = KnobEnders = Yuck

(Don't like Corrie or Emmerdale Farm either while we're at it.)

However, I do have two grown up DC's who live in London (Stratford and Peckham). Handy for shopping trips. ;-)

I live in TW.

I pay council tax to LBRUT- London borough of Richmond.

I ca walk 20 mins and be on a London tube.

In a drop down list on most websites when I'm inputting my address, it's 50/50 whether my option is Middlesex or London/ greater London.

If anyone where I'm from, Cornwall, asks where I live, I say either twickenham or Richmond (depending how sporty they are, if they know where I mean!) in greater London. Richmond, or surrey, or Middlesex, means bugger all to most people I know so London clears it up.

It's a grey area, but I've never had anyone get riled about whether I say London or Middlesex! I'm literally right at the edge of Middx, few streets over is surrey, does anyone care?

Council tax goes to a London borough. Hence London.

www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/topstories/10716716.Coulsdon_residents_want_to_leave_Croydon_and_return_to_Surrey/

Even the local paper says coulsdon is london.....

Killinascullion

The feelings mutual

JodieGarberJacob Thank you, but the point was, it doesn't apply to SE Londoners

My family are from Brockley which is SE1

Brockley is SE4 and quite a way away from SE1.

A cockney is someone born 'within the sound of the Bow bells' Bow which is in east London

Bow Bells aren't in Bow church, East London (which was an outlying village at the time cockneys were considered born in the sound of Bow Bells). They're at St Mary le Bow on Cheapside.

At one point I worked in Hampshire. While I worked there I started off living in Surrey and then moved to Berkshire

^I (and probably many other Northerners ) just think
London = KnobEnders = Yuck^

Don't like Corrie or Emmerdale Farm either while we're at it

Ah, does that mean you base your opinion on Eastenders?

stealth

HotelTangoFoxtrotUniform That's been covered already!

I think killin was just talking about Eastenders, not being insulting to a large group of people. I hope.

What's postcode got to do with it? I've got relatives that live in Ilfracombe, which has got an EX postcode for Exeter. That's 50 miles away. Surely postcodes are just for helping Royal Mail deliver the mail, not a determining factor of location.

Even the local paper says coulsdon is london

Yes, so do the maps.

Point is, geographically it is the least London a place could be, it is still called Surrey.

I can't find any map that shows croydon as being in surrey.

Crossed posts. Who calls it surrey?

Barking is still seen as essex to loads of people but I always felt like I was in London living there being near the tube, so close to central london, even living in dagenham canary wharf was clear as day from our house and I still remember my whole street out their house in 1996 with the bombings! It's weird though how Romford is seen as london now though to and to me as a child, I always felt like I was stepping into Essex when I went there! I reckon I can call myself a bit of both (essex girl and london girl and proud!)

Surely your thread should be expressing annoyance at people insisting croydon is part of surrey! It isn't surrey politically or geographically.