Excuse the provocative title, I know there are a few others left but let me flesh out my view,
I have been fortunate to have travelled much of the world on business which has meant my visits to English counties have been more than usually focused, ‘what do they know of England who only England know?’
As a baby boomer (born 1949) I have first hand experience of the decades running up to our sad current politically inspired national demise.
Look at some of the film clips of England in the late 1950s & early 60s & observe dress standards, social etiquette, family life & priorities.
My PA a few years ago helping me to put my autobiography together suggested I was viewing that past through rose tinted spectacles. I disagree, I have spent my professional career crunching numbers & numbers don’t lie.
Crime numbers, immigration, inflation & debt numbers in particular tell all. Britain is no longer a disciplined society.
Discipline comes from within for the English, it was not traditionally imposed from on high, schools, national military service, Christian principles bred mutual respect in our gene pool.
It was a polite world, courtesy titles were the norm. Children always addressed neighbours as Mr. or Mrs.
BBC interviewers let guests finish a sentence, newspapers had journalists capable of writing good English & making an effort to research their pieces, sub editing was exemplary. Moreover newspaper editorials consisted of constructive criticism not Deep State propaganda.
In short we lived in a better world, albeit we didn’t go abroad for holidays & money was tight.
Bread & milk were delivered to the door often by horse drawn cart, the milk was in recycled bottles, bread in brown paper & nobody EVER threw food away.
I concede here we all smoked too much, see any old British black & white movie, everyone chain smoked.
I now unveil my favourite town where if you share my feelings you can go back to those days of consideration for your fellow man.
Cockermouth!
A Cumbrian market town par excellence.
Let’s take a forensic look.
Where do I start?
A good mix of Georgian & Victorian with a sprinkling of 1930s homely semis on the outskirts.
The High Street is the traditional centre juxtaposed with the River Cocker & Derwent, shops are nearly all locally owned with two first class butchers & decent pubs every few yards.
A great steak house & top class Chinese restaurant, trust me I have worked in Hong Kong & New York.
Harris Park is a delightful example of noble philanthropy of yesteryear.
A Riverside walk can raise a thirst if yours needs raising, mine never does, the pubs are typically northern, welcoming, friendly & not touristy.
Dog friendly, not just dog tolerant & a haven of responsible owners
At Zebra crossings, motorists immediately give way with a wave.
Nothing is too much trouble in shops, even Boots staff leave their conversations with each other to help.
Citizens of yesteryear include William Wordsworth, Fletcher Christian (not whom I suspect had much in common with Clark Gable’s portayal) Lord Mayo, the only Viceroy murdered in office & John Dalton scientist extraordinaire.
Civic pride is palpable, I saw a stray sweet wrapper pounced on & binned by a fellow early morning riverside stroller.
Perhaps the adversity of the recent flooding strengthened the fellowship extended to visitors & neighbours alike.
There is an eclectic mix of churches, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist & United Reform, not bad for a town of under ten thousand souls. It is thankfully still monocultural.
Incidentally the bells of All Saints gently spread their message at Evensong across the river, what a heartwarming sound & adornment to towns & villages everywhere.
As anthropologists know hill country give a characteristic melody to local accents, Wales, Northumberland, Malverns, Scottish Highlands & the Cumbrian fells are no exception.
Their is an increasingly rare wee gem in the market, an ironmongers (JB Banks), very early Victorian. Indeed it has morphed in to a working museum.
Worth a visit to the town on its own.
There are two secondary schools, where early morning pupils return a ‘good morning’ not the usual teenage monosyllabic grunt & two lovely primary schools which give the impression of great charm.
VE Day celebratory flags were of course abundant.
If we were not content in our Howdenshire small holding we would move there.
Any criticism?
Just one, no beat cops at all, no real need but like most market towns there is a bit of selfish motorized yobbery in the market square Friday nights.
© text & images Godfrey Bloom 2025 – Godfrey Bloom Online
