feeling proud to be British

There was a lot of real ill feeling back then. I think the Welsh Assembly has made a difference and also the passage of time.

Of course I understand why the people whose village was drowned were angry with whoever ordered it - but not why they took it out on my family. Yes, I still burn with anger when I remember the look on my little girl's face when she was turned away from the party. Mothers don't forget (or forgive) these things. Please don't anybody bother telling me to 'get over it' which is just condescending. She didn't get over it - her whole time at that wretched school was miserable and I feel it was the start of her emotional problems. Try explaining to a young child that the other children don't hate her, they just hate the English.
Croesu a Cymru - that's a laugh. I understand what Dylan Thomas meant when he said 'Land of my Fathers - and my fathers can keep it.'
The replies on this thread have just confirmed my feelings, especially when it was suggested that perhaps I should have wondered what we had done wrong to be treated so badly. No, I wasn't mentioned by name but the implication was obvious. Jesuitical casuistry!

Of course I understand why the people whose village was drowned were angry with whoever ordered it - but not why they took it out on my family. Yes, I still burn with anger when I remember the look on my little girl's face when she was turned away from the party. Mothers don't forget (or forgive) these things. Please don't anybody bother telling me to 'get over it' which is just condescending. She didn't get over it - her whole time at that wretched school was miserable and I feel it was the start of her emotional problems. Try explaining to a young child that the other children don't hate her, they just hate the English.
Croesu a Cymru - that's a laugh. I understand what Dylan Thomas meant when he said 'Land of my Fathers - and my fathers can keep it.'
The replies on this thread have just confirmed my feelings, especially when it was suggested that perhaps I should have wondered what we had done wrong to be treated so badly. No, I wasn't mentioned by name but the implication was obvious. Jesuitical casuistry!

The only one who said ' wonder if I had done something' was me, now that you choose to turn what I would have asked myself into some horrid little implication speaks volumes Greatnan

No more to be said on this for me, I fear I am feeding a need

You could just have said 'Yes, it was a great shame you were treated so badly but not all Welsh people are like that'. I would have agreed immediately.

I'm reluctant to join in this. I had a Welsh surname before I married and most of my childhood holidays were spent in north wales. Mainly in rented cottages so contributing to the local economy. This was in the fifties. BUT In the seventies my husbands boss lent us a caravan as we were worn out with young children and my mother was dying. The man in question was Welsh highly respected,revered is probably no exaggeration. There was a heat wave and a water shortage. We were told by the "boss"that the garage would supply fresh water. My DH went and asked for water taking a gallon container. No was the reply you English have got Lake Vernwy. My very gentle polite DH was stunned,saying he had two small children(we are talking pre bottled water days) and that Mr X had said that all his guests got water from there. The transformation was staggering and the water was carried back to the car for him. My DH preceded every encounter with the locals by saying Mr X has recommended your shop/pub/bread until we went home. I'm sure it is very different now. We tend to go to Abersoch these days but its really Cheshire by the sea. We have many happy memories of wales. And that one does not colour our attitude but I don't know what decade Greatnan was in Wales I imagine it could have bee n the Seventies when there was bad feeling.

We lived there whilst I was doing my teaching degree,from 1967 to 1971.

The English have historically treated Welsh people (Scottish people, Irish people, Indian people, etc., etc., etc.) very badly in the past and to some extent it's understandable that this has left remnants of distrust and bad feeling. I also think people living outside south-east England get really fed up with the way the various regions seem to have been relegated to the "second division".

I do think that, whatever legitimate grievances one may have, to treat a little girl in such a cruel and heartless way is just downright nasty, and if I were Greatnan I would also find it very difficult to forget. She has clarified that she agrees that this nasty behaviour reflects on the individuals involved and not the country as a whole.

Unfortunately there are always malicious, small minded people who take delight in making newcomers feel unwelcome and I expect most of us have experienced the feeling of being an "outsider"at some time in our lives.

Reminds me of a conversation I had with some people last week who had lived in their small town for 35 years so were still newcomers .

The strange thing is that in those countries where I really was an immigrant - Monaco, Belgium and France - I have met nothing but kindness. Perhaps it was because they did not bear any grudges against Britain - or perhaps it is because I am really a very nice person!

Tee hee greatnan (smile)

PTSB

wot?

Is that a syndrome?

post traumatic stress boner

Boner?

You'll need to look it up in the urban dictionary, lona Not saying it out loud, so to speak!

I mean, I'm not going to give you its meaning 'out loud' on gransnet

If that's not what you meant, aka, perhaps you'd better explain. Obscure acronyms are a daft way of conversing anyhow.

Aka

Oh! I've just got it!

Time for a bowl of cereal, I think.

I know what a boner is thanks bags, I just don't 'get it' here IYSWIM

am I being very thick?

I've just checked the Urban Dictionary - I'm sure AKA didn't mean boner!

I don't suppose she did. But if people use such obtuse 'language' they must expect to be misunderstood or not understood at all.