Laurence Fox. The twat.

[isvicthere?]

Apparently, it is a joke among London cabbies at how many American tourists ask to be taken to Stratford (in the borough of Newham), thinking it's the home of Shakespeare.

 

[belboid]

Tarbert in Scotland causes issues. I know a Hebridean tour leader there who has had clients turn up on the wrong island because of it.

Ohh there are fucking thousands of them. One on every island, pretty much, and about twenty on the mainland. Awkward buggers.

 

[isvicthere?]

A couple of years ago while on holiday in Spain I went to cartagena. I had with me my 1914 baedeker, which while in many ways dated provides a better potted history of many towns than more recent guidebooks, and tips which can still be useful. So when it told me Drake had sacked the town I believed it: but the author or compiler had confused it with the cartagena in Colombia.

Meanwhile, there´s someone in Cartagena, Colombia confused to read that there was a Roman amphitheatre there!

 

[JimW]

Newcastle in Staffs, slim chance of a stottie.

 

[tim]

There are more River Avons these days than Avon Ladies.

 

[klang]

A couple of years ago while on holiday in Spain I went to cartagena. I had with me my 1914 baedeker for the country, which while in many ways dated provides a better potted history of many towns than more recent guidebooks, and tips which can still be useful. So when it told me Drake had sacked the town I believed it: but the author or compiler had confused it with the cartagena in Colombia.

I got stoned in Cartagena and passed the jazz cigarette to the bronze sailor by the harbour

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Apparently, it is a joke among London cabbies at how many American tourists ask to be taken to Stratford (in the borough of Newham), thinking it's the home of Shakespeare.

also the taxi firm that went to the wrong stamford bridge for a chelsea match

The earl's daughter, the taxi and a Bridge too far

and abbey road station on the docklands light railway (between stratford and west ham) has a similar issue

presume they decided that calling it 'west ham north' or 'north west ham' wouldn't have been a good idea.

mudchute DLR ended up with its weird name rather than the geographically logical millwall park, so as not to get loads of away fans turning up for matches. (millwall football club did start off on the isle of dogs, but ended up south of the river when their ground got taken over for expansion of the docks)

 

[Plumdaff]

There are more River Avons these days than Avon Ladies.

And the name "River Avon" is in itself a tautology.

 

[isvicthere?]

I got stoned in Cartagena and passed the jazz cigarette to the bronze sailor by the harbour

As long as you didn´t give it to the head just opposite, protruding from the ground.

 

[andysays]

A couple of years ago while on holiday in Spain I went to cartagena. I had with me my 1914 baedeker for the country, which while in many ways dated provides a better potted history of many towns than more recent guidebooks, and tips which can still be useful. So when it told me Drake had sacked the town I believed it: but the author or compiler had confused it with the cartagena in Colombia.

 

[eatmorecheese]

In North Wales there is a Bodelwyddan Castle and a Bodrhyddan Hall very close to each other and they are both the sort of place you might have a fancy wedding. Wonder if any guests have gone to the wrong one?

Weird, I'm looking at that castle right now.

First Orpington and now this

 

[tim]

also the taxi firm that went to the wrong stamford bridge for a chelsea match

The earl's daughter, the taxi and a Bridge too far

and abbey road station on the docklands light railway (between stratford and west ham) has a similar issue

presume they decided that calling it 'west ham north' or 'north west ham' wouldn't have been a good idea.

mudchute DLR ended up with its weird name rather than the geographically logical millwall park, so as not to get loads of away fans turning up for matches. (millwall football club did start off on the isle of dogs, but ended up south of the river when their ground got taken over for expansion of the docks)

Those Danes, they don't like it up 'em.

 

[Serge Forward]

Newcastle in Staffs, slim chance of a stottie.

The locals just call it Castle. Incidentally, there's no fucking castle there.

 

[Boo Radley75]

My sister came across some American tourists in the tiny village of Alton (Derbyshire) asking where Alton towers was about 50 miles away in Staffordshire.

True story, I swear, as unbelievable as it sounds - several years ago I was in London and got asked for directions to Edinburgh by some American couple. Directed them to the nearest tube station and told them to go from there to Kings Cross and they can get a train from there. They looked confused and told me they thought it was in walking distance.

 

[Boo Radley75]

Apparently, it is a joke among London cabbies at how many American tourists ask to be taken to Stratford (in the borough of Newham), thinking it's the home of Shakespeare.

They'd be in for a shock if West Ham were playing at home, that day!

 

[WouldBe]

They'd be in for a shock if West Ham were playing at home, that day!

If it was West Hamlet that would really confuse them.

 

[JimW]

The locals just call it Castle. Incidentally, there's no fucking castle there.

Perhaps the name is a suggestion?

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Newcastle in Staffs, slim chance of a stottie.

no, but a good chance of an oatcake or two.

The locals just call it Castle. Incidentally, there's no fucking castle there.

pronounced as in Kassel. which confused my ex when he moved to the area, as (while he was english) he had previously lived and worked in germany for a few years...

True story, I swear, as unbelievable as it sounds - several years ago I was in London and got asked for directions to Edinburgh by some American couple.

or did they mean an Edinburgh Road? (although I can't immediately think of one) there's (possibly bullshit) stories about americans asking taxi drivers at heathrow for 'Oxford' when they mean Oxford Street...

 

[danny la rouge]

Perhaps the name is a suggestion?

The foundations and motte and a bit of wall of the castle that gives the town its name are in a nearly forgotten and untrumpeted park on Silverdale Road. I’ve been.

 

[JimW]

The foundations and motte and a bit of wall of the castle that gives the town its name are in a nearly forgotten and untrumpeted park on Silverdale Road. I’ve been.

So more of a renovation job than a new-build scenario?

 

[LeytonCatLady]

also the taxi firm that went to the wrong stamford bridge for a chelsea match

The earl's daughter, the taxi and a Bridge too far

and abbey road station on the docklands light railway (between stratford and west ham) has a similar issue

presume they decided that calling it 'west ham north' or 'north west ham' wouldn't have been a good idea.

mudchute DLR ended up with its weird name rather than the geographically logical millwall park, so as not to get loads of away fans turning up for matches. (millwall football club did start off on the isle of dogs, but ended up south of the river when their ground got taken over for expansion of the docks)

Even more off topic, but how did tfl forget to highlight "get back" when trying to fit in as many Beatles puns as poss into that sign?!

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Even more off topic, but how did tfl forget to highlight "get back" when trying to fit in as many Beatles puns as poss into that sign?!

there could be a policy that puts a limit on how many puns you can use on one poster...

 

[LeytonCatLady]

there could be a policy that puts a limit on how many puns you can use on one poster...

We should apply that here on the joke thread!

 

[brogdale]

I've got to a certain age and only the other day did I learn that there's a place in East Sussex, by Hastings, called Ore. I actually jumped on a train at LB for EC and it was going to Ore! I've known Oare, (Kent), all my life and didn't know there was another Ore.

 

[mango5]

Backing up to earlier digressions...

Have never understood why Guyanese people (Lammy's parents, he's British of course) are Carribean and not South American. I mean, I understand that it was a British colony so it's culturally connected to Carribean islands more than Brazil or Venezuela but surely being pedantic about geograhy is more important?

My dad was born in British Guyana and vibed with Caribbean islander communities over 4 decades in the UK. He was born into indigenous village life and lived in Georgetown. He did not feel any need to prioritise either 'identity'. And why should he?
Pedantry about geography won't get you far without political/social/cultural context. Colonial past, present and future is not trivial. I don't think you do understand.

That's nothing to the two streets in Haringey running parallel to each other - Crouch Hill and Crouch End Hill. Apparently Bob Dylan was supposed to go and visit Dave Stewart when he had a studio there, but got the wrong street and ended up having a cup of tea with one of his fans.

This sounds like an urban myth but I think Stewart told the story in an interview. I used to live just by the top of Crouch End Hill. Such larks!

 

[Elpenor]

I've got to a certain age and only the other day did I learn that there's a place in East Sussex, by Hastings, called Ore. I actually jumped on a train at LB for EC and it was going to Ore! I've known Oare, (Kent), all my life and didn't know there was another Ore.

Marsh line!

Rye and Wye may get confused by some too?

 

[Serge Forward]

The foundations and motte and a bit of wall of the castle that gives the town its name are in a nearly forgotten and untrumpeted park on Silverdale Road. I’ve been.

I lived in Silverdale at the start of the miners' strike but I never saw any motte or wall. I heard their was something near Poolfields on the edge of Castle proper but saw nowt there either

 

[Serge Forward]

no, but a good chance of an oatcake or two.



pronounced as in Kassel. which confused my ex when he moved to the area, as (while he was english) he had previously lived and worked in germany for a few years...



or did they mean an Edinburgh Road? (although I can't immediately think of one) there's (possibly bullshit) stories about americans asking taxi drivers at heathrow for 'Oxford' when they mean Oxford Street...

Lived off oatcakes, me.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I lived in Silverdale at the start of the miners' strike but I never saw any motte or wall. I heard their was something near Poolfields on the edge of Castle proper but saw nowt there either

this lump of ground appears to be the motte.

don't think i knew it was there when i lived there

 

[Serge Forward]

I must have been past that loads of times and never realised.