Watford
The phrase "North of Watford" is used in a light-hearted, yet derogatory sense -typically by those living in the southeastern England- to describe any part of the United Kingdom situated more than a relatively short distance north of London and the Home Counties. It is a euphemism for 'provincial' and by extension 'unsophisticated'. It is commonly understood that the term is in fact highly arbitrary and flexible, applying to an approximate latitude rather than the town of Watford itself, but its use has contributed to a mildly negative association with the place name. However, in modern usage the term generally denotes the English Midlands and Northern England.
There are a few possible explanations:
- The phrase may refer to the Northamptonshire village of Watford, about 50 miles (80 km) further north, which was traditionally an important waypoint on the old east-west and north-south coaching routes. This was the point where the main north-south road, rail and canal routes came together at a gap in the hills known as Watford Gap. The main north-south motorway, the M1, runs through Watford Gap and was the first stopping point for motorway services when the motorway was constructed. For many 'Southerners' and Londoners, 'the North' starts here, though it is technically in the southern East Midlands. Watford in Hertfordshire is much better known and so frequently mistaken, in the context of this phrase, for the same place.
- Watford was one of the first places that horses were changed on the route to the north-west from London.
- The explanation with the most evidence arises from Lady Capel's Wharf 51°40′48″N 0°25′47″W / 51.68°N 0.42972°W / 51.68; -0.42972 , just north of Watford on the Grand Junction Canal. From the opening of the canal to commercial traffic in 1800 until 1845 duties payable to the Corporation of London on coal brought to London by canal were levied at Lady Capel's Wharf.
- Watford is the first major town encountered when traveling north from London and therefore forms a well-known and obvious landmark to define a provincial town.
- North Watford is a residential settlement north of the town centre.
Suburbs
Including areas outside Watford Borough:
- Abbots Langley
- Aldenham
- Bedmond
- Bricket Wood
- Bushey
- Carpenders Park
- Cassiobury
- Chipperfield
- Croxley Green
- Garston
- Hunton Bridge
- Kings Langley
- Langleybury
- Leavesden
- Letchmore Heath
- Maple Cross
- Oxhey
- Rickmansworth
- Sarratt
- South Oxhey
Twin towns
Watford has five twin towns:
-
Mainz, Germany (since 1956)
-
Nanterre, France (since 1960)
-
Novgorod, Russia (since 1984)
-
Wilmington, Delaware, United States (since 1985)
-
Pesaro, Italy (since 1988)
Notable people
Watford was the birthplace of:
- Barbara Amiel, Lady Black of Crossharbour, journalist
- Stephen Andrew, Canadian television reporter, anchor and talk show host
- Grant Benson, Broadcaster
- Michael Bentine (1922–1996), comedian and ex-Goon
- LTJ Bukem, pioneering drum & bass DJ/Producer
- Sue Cleaver, actress, best known for her role as Eileen Grimshaw in Coronation Street.
- Michaela Breeze, female weightlifter
- Jack Collison, West Ham United and Wales footballer
- Ray Cooper, percussionist (performed in both Elton John's and Eric Clapton's bands)
- Anthony Berkeley Cox (1893–1971), crime fiction author
- Chris Date, database guru, author of the definitive textbook on the subject
- Paul Field 1994 Gladiators champion, police officer and two-time Winter Olympian from South Oxhey
- Cyril Fletcher (1913–2005), comedian
- Declan Ganley, Anglo/Irish businessman and political activist
- Robert Glenister, actor
- Geri Halliwell, singer and Spice Girl
- Kenny Jackett, current Millwall manager
- Vinnie Jones, a British football player turned actor
- Matt King, comedy actor, Peep Show
- Nick Knight, cricketer
- Nick Leeson, rogue securities trader responsible for the collapse of Barings Bank in 1995
- Tim Lovejoy, television and radio presenter
- Gerald Moore (1899–1987), pianist
- Mo Mowlam (1949–2005), Labour politician
- J.D. Nicholas, singer with Heatwave and The Commodores
- Mark Oaten, Liberal Democrat politician
- Stuart Parkin, physicist
- Arthur Peacocke (1924–2006), biochemist and Anglican theologian
- Paul Robinson, Bolton Wanderers football player
- Terry Scott (1927–1994), TV and Carry On actor and comedian, blue plaque at 32 Tucker St 51°39′01″N 0°23′39″W / 51.650354°N 0.394242°W / 51.650354; -0.394242
- Grant Shapps, Conservative MP for nearby Welwyn Hatfield
- Kelly Smith, England and Arsenal footballer
- Simon Treves, actor and writer
- Ian Walker, former Tottenham Hotspur, Leicester City, Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper
- Bradley Walsh, Coronation Street actor and comedian
- Melanie Walsh, actress and model
- Arthur Woodward, footballer who spent his entire career at Watford
- Gallows, hardcore punk band formed in 2005
Watford is the burial place of:
- Thomas Webster Rammell, engineer Crystal Palace
See also
- Benskins
- Watford (UK Parliament constituency)
References
- ^ Virgil. Aeneid . pp. VI, 95. " Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito. trans.: Yield thou not to adversity, but press on the more bravely."
- ^ Area: Watford (Local Authority), Resident Population Estimates by Ethnic Group, All Persons, 2006, People and Society: Population and Migration, Office for National Statistics.
- ^ Mid Year Population Estimates Hertfordshire 2006, Office for National Statistics, August 2007, revised October 2007.
- ^ 2001 Census, Key Statistics for Local Authorities, Office for National Statistics, 2003.
- ^ Census 2001, Key Statistics for urban areas, Office for National Statistics.
- ^ a b c Samuel Lewis (ed.) (1848). "Watford (St. Mary)". A Topographical Dictionary of England (7th ed.). pp. 486 . http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=51382#s1 . Retrieved 2008-03-22 .
- ^ a b W.R. Saunders (1931). History of Watford . Watford: Peacock.
- ^ a b William Page (ed.) (1908). "Watford: Manors". A History of the County of Hertford: volume 2 . Victoria County History. pp. 451–464 . http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=43308 . Retrieved 2008-05-19 .
Even more about Watford
