Reply to: Are your ears burning?

[Pondlife]

If you ever wonder what class you are, you're middle. The ones either side don't give a damn.

HTH

[expat]

Yes.

According to something I saw or read that I've mentioned here before, "class" has been around as a concept only since the middle of the 19th century. It replaced "rank", which was unchangeable.

That would make sense. Without the middle class, the class system with some mobility degenerates into a rank system with no mobility.

[expat]

Agreed. If one is upper class, or working class, one always remains so, irrespective or career choice or income.

The middle classes offer far more mobility - up and down.

Ref your excellent original summary: the attributes of the upper class are less likely to change with circumstances than those of the middle class.

[Gonzo]

AFAIK the Upper/Middle/Lower classification system was considered redundant at the end of the 1980s, when the A/B/C1/C2/D/E system was preferred.

I think things have moved on since then, but I am by no means an expert*










* by which I mean that I have done no CPD on the subject since University.

[IR35 Avoider]

can somone born into a poor background change class?

Yes.

According to something I saw or read that I've mentioned here before, "class" has been around as a concept only since the middle of the 19th century. It replaced "rank", which was unchangeable.

[Platypus]

can somone born into a poor background change class?

No.

[bogeyman]

Lord and Lady Prawn of Swindon.

I believe I went to one of their dinner parties once.

Their country seat charmingly overlooks the Honda factory.

[DimPrawn]

£995 and I can become landed gentry.

http://www.elitetitles.co.uk/seated/index.html

Lord and Lady Prawn of Swindon.

[bogeyman]

Scenario 2
A child born into a working class family is adopted by an upper class family and is subject to all advantages that affords him, top public school etc, he will inherit the family title. Is he upper class? because he has inferior breeding he must still be working class right?

Not at all. Breeding is the least important attribute.

The child will be a thoroughgoing member of the toffs, although he or she might have a slightly brutish appearance.

[Lucy]

Scenario 2
A child born into a working class family is adopted by an upper class family and is subject to all advantages that affords him, top public school etc, he will inherit the family title. Is he upper class? because he has inferior breeding he must still be working class right?

Does this apply to you?

[bogeyman]

It has nothing to do with occupation.

Two girls I went to school with are both titled and one is a journo and the other an actor.

Still titled, still upper-class, nomatter what they do.

Agreed. If one is upper class, or working class, one always remains so, irrespective or career choice or income.

The middle classes offer far more mobility - up and down.

[Bagpuss]

Scenario 2
A child born into a working class family is adopted by an upper class family and is subject to all advantages that affords him, top public school etc, he will inherit the family title. Is he upper class? because he has inferior breeding he must still be working class right?

[Lucy]

2 brothers born into a middle class family, ones becomes a doctor the other a car mechanic. Are they both now a different class?

It has nothing to do with occupation.

Two girls I went to school with are both titled and one is a journo and the other an actor.

Still titled, still upper-class, nomatter what they do.

[bogeyman]

2 brothers born into a middle class family, ones becomes a doctor the other a car mechanic. Are they both now a different class?

The doctor stays in the 'middle class' bracket but the mechanic descends into the 'working class' demograph (unless he writes poetry).

[Bagpuss]

Scenario 1
2 brothers born into a middle class family, ones becomes a doctor the other a car mechanic. Are they both now a different class?

Scenario 2
A child born into a working class family is adopted by an upper class family and is subject to all advantages that affords him, top public school etc. Is he upper class? because he has inferior breeding he must still be working class right?