The Sunday Telegraph

Accent anxiety

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SIR – East End accents being considered “less intelligen­t” (report, June 13) is nothing new.

My mother came down from Newcastle to Hounslow to train as a nurse in the 1920s. She learnt very quickly that if you were born north of Watford or in the East End you were regarded as plain dumb.

Sadly, in her early years, she tried to hide her accent in order to fit in with her southern friends. It was only when she was in her late 80s, not long before she died, that she met someone who asked her if she was a Geordie and her whole face lit up as she happily confirmed that she was.

Sue Duff

Thames Ditton, Surrey

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