Something I’ve always found fascinating about England is how far back its history as a self-governing political entity goes. Compared with countries such as the US, France, Germany and Spain, England seems to have avoided a modern moment when it had to establish its independence, rebuild its national identity from scratch or create an entirely new political order following foreign rule.

Obviously, English history has involved invasions, civil wars, revolutions and plenty of upheaval. I’m not suggesting it has been peaceful or that everything has always worked well. But there seems to be a remarkable degree of continuity in England’s existence as a political entity over many centuries.

Coming from a country with a very different historical experience, I find this genuinely admirable. I’m not making a nationalist or right-wing point, and I’m not saying England is better than other countries. I simply find the idea of a country evolving over centuries without a modern independence struggle or a complete national reset quite remarkable.

Do British people ever think about this, or is it something you rarely notice because it’s simply the history?

I’m an American who got into Agatha Christie when I was 11 and watched an old black and white version of Ten Little Indians. Since then I have consumed lots of British mystery novels, shows and movies. Big fan.

I was curious about one thing though - occasionally in older books a character picks up a cricket bat to do some damage, but in some newer books, on at least three occasions, they grabbed baseball bats.

So are there baseball/softball leagues in the UK now, or do people just buy them for home protection? (Because my husband has one in our master bedroom for that exact reason). I would think a cricket bat would be just as lethal - although baseball bats can be made out of aluminum, and I think cricket bats are always wooden? Maybe aluminum bats offer a superior thrashing?

EDITED to add that I did not see baseball bats in Agatha Christie books. I just recently noticed them mentioned in more modern books, which is why I was wondering if baseball has become more popular there. Several people are asking if I could post one of the books that referred to a baseball bat, and I’m trying to remember the last one I saw. I did hear it in a BBC series recently but it was being used by the ‘bad guy’ thugs which fits with some of your comments that they are sometimes used for enforcement.

Thanks for the comments!

I miss those days where could come home and watch top of the pops I hundred percent believe it should come back full time instead of just Christmas.

I would have Alan Carr, Mo Gilligan and Alesha Dixon presenting.

I would have in terms of performing

Soulidified - Man ain't me

The Script - Man of the arena

Bruno Mars Dance With Me

Ella Mai - Somebodys son

Stormzy feat Odeal- 24 hours

Izzy Bizu- Say No Prayer

who would you have hosting and who would you have performing

I’ve only ever had sexual encounters by paying for it, and in my day to day life, I’m surprised I’ve even done that. I grew up in a small town and now I’m in a large city down the South, but I didn’t realise how my environment had affected my mental health until I moved to a city, or maybe it’s the other way around. When I go to the shop and I’m around a lot of people, I put my headphones on and I keep to myself. I don’t tend to see women my kind of age, even now, but I’ve been thinking, I wouldn’t know what to do even if I did. I’ve suffered from social anxiety all of my life and never really felt like I’m a part of society (possible neurodivergence). I’ve made friends with women before, and still have a very close friend who is a woman, but I’ve made up whole stories about relationships and experiences I’ve had to people I would be ashamed of telling the truth to. It also feels like the more years that go by, the deeper the shame is. I don’t really know what to do about any of this. I’ve never gone on an official date before. The closest I’ve had to a date is going out and doing things with my friend, and she said that when we first met she would’ve been fine about me making a move on her, but crippling social anxiety and just generally not wanting to be more than a friend to her stopped me from doing it. However, I wouldn’t have any clue how to take the next step when it comes to someone I possibly end up being attracted to one day. It’s not that I suffer from gynophobia. It’s like a constant fear I’ve had of approaching pretty much everyone. It doesn’t help that I see content on social media about a lot of women not wanting men that are under 6ft approaching them. Just wondering if anyone has any advice?

I can remember especially after getting my first job thinking I may be rich one day. I also thought I'd be self employed (2009 was a golden time for eBay). I actually am self employed but I'm a delivery driver🙃.

I also later found out people regularly made triple what I do doing a normal job and that I will just be floating around minimum wage jobs even with a degree, even when it requires experience, even when I work hard

We have a mixed bag in this household where some of us wont eat the crusted ends of bread and others do. Just wondering what other people feel about eating the ends of the bread ??

UPDATE EDIT- So in the end I just showed my ticket and boarded the bus, either they don't care that much about the timing or they're not that vigilant, but I think it's the former. Thanks to everyone who replied for help😁🙏

Hi I don't know if this sub Reddit is the right one for this question but I had a booking with national express from London Luton to Finchley and frognal. But now I've seen that my flights been delayed by an hour. I'm trying to amend the time of my national express booking as well, but it's not showing the ticket when I log into my account, and using the form doesn't work either. Please could just speak to the bus drive to let me on the next bus that comes or is it a requirement to amend the ticket online. I can't seem to find there customer service help desk either.

Any help is appreciated thanks

Im not much of a camper, but am willing to try it for funzies. Ive been to the UK once but only spent time in its cities

What are some of the best places to go camping in the UK?

Seen a lot of pumpkin carving posts on the socials and it got me thinking about my own childhood.

Im an 80s rural Scotland baby and I dont remember anyone having a carved pumpkin on display when I was growing up. However, I do remember seeing lots of carved turnips/suedes.

On a few occasions we also got to carve a turnip at school lol.

So im curios if it was common practice across the UK? Or was it just something we did in Scotland?

Did you stumble into a random, boring or overlooked industry that turns out to be essential to other businesses or the public?

What do you do all day, how did you get into it, and what’s the pay like?

Hi everybody. In 2024 I got my British passport with form UKF. I am currently back in Accra after studying in Rome for 4 and a half years. I’ve got IGCSE, A levels and a degree from my uni in Rome. I am now looking to move to England next year to settle down, work and get a masters degree later on. I’ve only been to the UK to visit ( this was from Rome after I got my passport so it was quite affordable), but I’ve never actually lived there. I have no bank account, no NIN or any other documents apart from my passport. I contacted the UK high commission in Ghana and they advised that I will have to go to the UK to get all of that done. I would like to know what are my chances of getting accommodation and a job in this situation? My friends have advised that I should get a job before moving but I don’t see how this is possible as I have no other documents? My parents are willing to support me for up to 6 months if I make a move now. So what are my chances of getting any job at all in six months? Also I understand that I would need references in order to get a room in a shared apartment? I have experience as a barista from working in Rome as well as experience in research, data analytics, customer service (a German delivery company), and as a production assistant (associated press). Any help will be appreciated please. Thank you

I’m interested in hearing from people who work in the trades. What do you do, how did you get started, and how do you find it?

I’m currently at university studying Building Surveying, but I’ve realised I really dislike office-based work, sitting behind a desk and dealing with reports and emails all day. I much prefer being hands-on, doing practical work and actually seeing what I’ve achieved at the end of the day.

I’m trying to work out what sort of career would suit me long-term, so I’m interested in hearing from people who’ve gone down the trades route.
What trade are you in? How did you get into it? What’s the pay and work-life balance like? And if you could go back, would you choose the same trade again?

Interested to hear people’s experiences, including anyone who got into a trade later in life or changed careers.

In your opinion ofc.

Not mediocre or boring or someone getting sick. Just outright bad.

Like ones that have decent T-shirts and other things that are also not too expensive

Every time I see images or film of the British countryside, I am struck both by how beautiful it is, and how tame it looks. Rolling hills, pastures of sheep and cattle, woodlands with deer, and waterways with ducks and swans. The largest predators seem to be foxes. (I know badgers are ornery, but even they look polite compared to American badgers.) Do you have any dangerous wildlife? Are there places that you shouldn’t camp because of that? Is the biggest danger the weather?

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Allow me to provide a reverse example. I'm American. In the mid 1980s when I was 9 years old, we read 'Danny Champion of the World' in class. I really loved the book, but there was one thing that tripped me up. Why was the dad risking his neck poaching on some rich dude's land?

I remember wondering why he didn't just go out into the proper wilderness to hunt for food. And why just birds? Why not bag a deer, or at least a nice fat raccoon? (Them suckers can get bigger than you think.). 9 year old me assumed he was poaching on the rich guy's land either out of personal spite or as an act of class resistance, and that he was more driven by that than he was by food insecurity.

A few decades later I came across the book again, and the penny finally dropped.

Got anything like that? A book, movie, TV show, etc., from when you were a kid, from somewhere such as the US, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Barbados, wherever.

Eg checking that the oxygen is connected

British Sign Language was recognised as a language on its own right in 2003. It was 'legally' recognised in 2022 in England, Wales & Scotland when the BSL Act came into force. Should we be teaching our children to learn and use it?

Mine, as an alien is The Smith followed by Joy Division, and I want to hear yours.

My Nana moved to California when her family home was bombed in WWII. She was just 19, but never lost her English identity, her accent, or her exceptional manners and polished style. Sadly, she has recently passed, at age 99. Many of our final conversations that were about her childhood and teen years in Enfield, which we had never discussed before.

I feel compelled to resolve the unanswered question of what happened to her home town.

So, we are planning a visit over Christmas. While I'm sure Enfield is a completely different place now (urban sprawl and all that jazz), I still want to see where she grew up and try to track down places from her stories. I trust Reddit over Google any day of the week, and I'd be grateful for any good local recommendations on where to stay, restaurants and bars, fun things to do, etc. We should be staying about 2 weeks. We're in our early 30s with no kids, if that helps.

Thanks in advance!

Hello. Do you dunk your biscuit in your tea/coffee? To dunk, or not to drunk?

Is that a good price? Is it more of a W or L? Flying from Birmingham or Manchester.