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Inside
London
Chapter 2 - Cultural aspects
2.1
History
2.2.
Language
2.3
Religion
2.4
Culture
2.5
Cultural Sensitivities
2.1
History
Britain had a turbulent early history with parts of the
country dominated in turn by Celts (Bronze Age), Romans
(AD43-AD410), Angles/Jutes/Saxon (7th
century), Vikings/Danes (mid 9th century),
Normans (1066). The Hundred Years War with France
(1337-1453) was followed by the domestic civil War of
the Roses (1455-1487). Henry VIII’s matrimonial
difficulties led to the split with Catholicism. He made
himself head of the Church of England. The power
struggle between Charles I and parliamentarian Cromwell
resulted in a dictatorship by the latter but by 1660 the
monarchy was reinstated. The Irish rebellion in the late
1700s led to the parliamentary union of Ireland and Great
Britain in 1801; broken in 1921 when southern Ireland
gained independence.
Britain was the first country to industrialise between
the late 1700s and early 1800s thanks to the possession
of an expanding home market, its position as a major
sea-faring power and ample supplies of coal and iron. A
widespread colonial empire also helped stimulate trade.
By the time Queen Victoria took the throne in 1837,
Britain had become the world’s greatest power.
The
loss of a million Britons in WWI resulted in a widening
gulf between the ruling and working classes. It was the
beginning of 50 years of labour unrest including the
1930s depression. Britain played a vital role in
the Allied victory of WWII, however, its resources and
influence were exhausted and soon after the war
independence was granted to most former colonial
territories.
In
1973, the UK joined the European Union, reflecting the
realisation that isolation from mainland Europe was not
in its long-term interest. A general election was held
in 1979 and the Conservative Party, led by Margaret
Thatcher, came in power. Prime Minister Tony Blair
(Labour Party) was elected in 1997. He handed over the
reigns to Gordon Brown in June 2007.
2.2
Language
English is spoken throughout
the country, although there are considerable regional
differences of accent which may be difficult to
understand for expatriates whose mother-tongue is not
English.
Welsh is spoken fairly extensively in Wales,
particularly in the north, but most Welsh speakers also
speak English. Knowledge of English is essential
for anyone intending to remain in the country for a
reasonable period of time.
2.3
Religion
The Church of England is the
established church and members are called Anglicans.
Other large Christian denominations are Roman Catholic,
Methodist, Presbyterian and Baptist. However, a third of
the population claim to have no religion and only about
10% of the population attend any form of religious
worship.
Synagogues are to be found in areas with substantial
Jewish minorities, particularly in North and East
London. There are mosques and temples serving the Asian
communities. In London there are places of worship for
most religions and sects, please contact Outpost London
for a list.
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2.4
Culture
The
British are a close-knit homogeneous people who value
their traditions. They are proud of the many
accomplishments over their long history in the arts,
sciences and politics but in literature in particular.
Art
has developed over several millennia, to recent
movements such as
Brit Art, and now includes a variety of
forms:
painting,
photography,
sculpture and
performance art.
English literature refers to literature written
in the English language, or literature composed in
English by writers who are not necessarily from England.
Writers noted for expressing Englishness include William
Shakespeare, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, A.E.
Housman, Rupert Brooke, Jane Austen and Arnold Bennett.
English folklore is the folk tradition which has
evolved in England over a number of centuries with the
traditional semi-mystical Arthurian legends and
semi-historical
Robin Hood tales, to contemporary urban myths
and facets of crypto-zoology such as the
Beast of Bodmin Moor.
Heritage
Stonehenge holds an iconic
status in the culture of England, just like cathedrals
and churches are associated with a sense of Englishness.
The English country house properties are managed by
English Heritage and the National Trust and are popular
with visitors.
Cuisine
The full English breakfast with scrambled
eggs, bacon, bangers (sausages), black pudding,
mushrooms, baked beans, hash browns and half a tomato is
still popular throughout Britain. The British have
a reputation for emphasising basics in their home
cooking. Food is hearty and filling. A joint/roast or
chops are the foundation of a good meal. National
specialities are fish and chips and steak and kidney
pie. Bubble and squeak is a patty of cabbage and
potatoes with ham or bacon. Toad in the hole is sausage
baked in batter. Ploughman’s lunch is a simple plate of
bread and cheese with pickle. Clotted cream is an
extra-thick topping for scones. Trifle is a common
dessert of cake, custard and fruit jams often laced with
alcohol.
Sport
Soccer, cricket, rugby union and rugby
league are considered to be the national sports of
England. Tennis is also one of England's major
sports. This can be seen through one of the most
prestigious tournaments in tennis, Wimbledon held in
England.
Government
The United Kingdom is a constitutional
monarchy with Queen Elizabeth II Head of State and Head
of the Commonwealth. Parliament consists of the
House of Commons and the House of Lords. Executive
power is vested in the Cabinet, headed by the Prime
Minister (currently Gordon Brown) who is leader of the
governing Labour Party. The two major political
parties are the Labour Party and the Conservatives, with
the Liberal Democrats the third largest party. The
flag of London and the flag of England is the flag of St
George which is a red cross on a white background. There
is no separate national parliament for England. The
British flag is the Union Jack. This is the flag of
Parliament. The flag of royalty is the Royal Standard.
Currency
The British pound, symbol £ is divided
into 100 pence, symbol p. Pounds and pence are written
in decimal form: £5.25 or £0.25. When the pound symbol
is used the p. is not indicated.
Notes come in £5, £10, £20, £50.
Coins: Pence 1p, 2p (bronze); 5p, 10p,
20p, 50p (silver); £1 (gold), £2 (gold and silver)
The £1 note has been replaced by the £1
coin.
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2.5 Cultural
Sensitivities
Do
J
stand in line, British people like to form orderly
queues
J
use good manners, say ‘excuse me’, ‘please’ and
‘thank you’ a lot
J
pay as you go; pay for drinks as you order them in
pubs and bars
J
shake hands when you are first introduced to someone
and say ‘How do you do?’
or ‘Pleased to meet you’
J
be punctual when you are invited for a party/meeting
Don’t
L
greet people with a kiss
L stare at anyone
in public
L ask personal and
intimate questions
L use gestures such
as backslapping and hugging
L find your own
table in a restaurant; wait to be seated
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Although every effort has
been made to ensure accuracy, Outpost London cannot assume responsibility for errors in the
information included in this guide.
All rights reserved,
including the right to translate or to reproduce this
guide or any part of it in any form or by any
techniques, without the written permission of Outpost
London.
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