Chesney North
The Black Country
The Black Country Locality
The Black Country is in the West Midlands, England. It is located to the north and west of the city of Birmingham and to the south and east of Wolverhampton.
The majority of the Black Country people (despite how near the Black Country is to Birmingham) refuse to claim membership to the city due to their pride of being from The Black Country.
The most popular and well known towns in the Black Country are Bilston, Blackheath, Brierley Hill, Brownhills, Coseley, Cradley, Cradley Heath, Darlaston, Dudley, Gornal, Great Bridge, Halesowen, Kingswinford, Lye, Netherton, Oldbury, Old Hill, Quarry Bank, Rowley Regis, Sedgley, Smethwick, Stourbridge, Tipton, Walsall, Warley, Wednesbury, Wednesfield, West Bromwich, Willenhall and Wordsley.
The Black Country Industry
The Black Country is world famous for its industry, by the late 19th century the area had become one of the most industrialised places in the country. The coal mining, steel mills, iron foundries and factory furnaces produced a level of air pollution that had few equals in the world.
The Black Country industry which once overpowered the area has mostly gone mainly due to import of goods becoming more cost effective than export. The Black Country still has pockets of manufacturing but on a much smaller scale.
The Black Country Name
Many believe the Black Country got its name because of the pollution; the area was dark with soot, smoke, dirt and grime from the industry at the time. However, local historians believe that the name existed before the industrial revolution and the black coal emerging to the surface of the ground gave the area the name ‘The Black Country'
The Black Country Dialect
Noone else in the world speaks like Black Country folk do.
The sound of the accent of a black country mon or ooman is that of early modern english and middle english, making people from outside the area very confused by it.
"Ow Bist?" meaning "How are you?" derives from the old saying "How beist thou?". "Owamya" is another very common greeting in the Black Country!
In reply "Bay too bad", meaning "I'm not too bad" and "Om Alright Ta me mucker!" meaning "I'm alright thanks my friend"
The Black Country dialect often substitutes the word "ar" for "yes" and "I haven't seen her" becomes "I ay sid 'er". .
Broad Black Country speakers say "agooin" instead of going.
Black Country people are proud to be known as Black Country "folk" and resist hints at any relationship to people living in Birmingham, calling Birmingham "Brum-a-jum" or Birminam. "Ar Bay A Brummie Arm from The Black Country" is a common saying amongst the locals.
Brummies often refer to their Black Country neighbours as "Yam Yams", because of their use of "Yow am" ( or yow'm) instead of "You are". In reply, Black Country often say "I Yam What I Yam!" and accept the Yam Yam name.
The Black Country T-Shirt Shop
In 2007 a company known as TeeT Shirts based in the heart of the England's Black Country began to produce T-Shirts with Black Country sayings and slogans.
The idea for the business came about when the pair of youngish entrepreneurs was in their local pub enjoying Black Country ales and bags of pork scratchings. After hours of discussion about their pride in their Black Country heritage they became very excited at the prospect of having their own Black Country T-Shirts business to confirm this to the world. Giving the local community the opportunity to wear and share their Black Country pride around the world!
Today TeeT Shirts has become a global phenomenon and its Black Country slogans and designs have reached as far as the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Furthermore their custom T-Shirts have been a roaring success; thousands of Black Country T-Shirts have been sold in honour of the local Black Country community.
T.V and radio appearances have helped the company boost The Black Country name and in turn promote the areas identity.
The Black Country Alphabet video was created in 2008 and has had a huge cult following all over the world. CLICK HERE to see the video.
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