- Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells
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The term Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells is a proverbial sign-off-name in the United Kingdom for a letter to a newspaper complaining (often excessively) about a subject that the writer feels is unacceptable.
The term apparently dates back to the 1950s. Historian and former newspaper editor Frank Chapman attributes it to the staff of the former Tunbridge Wells Advertiser. The paper's editor, alarmed at a lack of letters from readers, insisted his staff pen a few to fill space. One signed his simply "Disgusted, Tunbridge Wells".[1]
The term was given a wide currency in the early 1950s by the BBC radio comedy series Take it from Here in which Disgusted, played by Wallas Eaton, would make a ludicrous protest to give the cue for a sketch by Jimmy Edwards and Dick Bentley.
In 1978, Radio 4 called its new listener feedback programme, now called Feedback, Disgusted, Tunbridge Wells.[2]
In recent times, some residents of Tunbridge Wells are calling the tag "inappropriate" and "stereotypical" and want the town to drop association with it in favour of "Delighted of Tunbridge Wells".[3]
See also
- Edith Clampton, a pseudonymous comedic letter-writer to the Bangkok Post
Notes
- ^ "Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells". Inside Out. BBC One. 3 October 2005. http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/southeast/series8/week5.shtml. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
- ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15619543
- ^ "We're not disgusted, we're DELIGHTED". This is Kent. 18 September 2009. http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/news/disgusted-DELIGHTED/article-1351326-detail/article.html. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
Royal Tunbridge Wells Locations within
Tunbridge WellsBuildings High Brooms station · High Rocks halt · Holy Trinity Church · Kent and Sussex Hospital · King Charles the Martyr Church · Hungershall Forge · Royal Victoria Place · Standings Mill · Tunbridge Wells station · Tunbridge Wells West stationBusinesses People List of people from Royal Tunbridge Wells · Disgusted of Tunbridge WellsPolitical Tunbridge Wells constituency (since 1974) · Tunbridge Wells borough (since 1974) · Local elections (1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010)Schools and colleges Sport, leisure and the arts Assembly Hall Theatre · BBC Radio Kent · Dunorlan Park · High Rocks · Ice Melters Curling Club · KMFM West Kent · Linden Park Cricket Club · Nevill Ground · South East Today · Spa Valley Railway · Trinity Theatre · Tunbridge ware · Tunbridge Wells Cricket Week · Tunbridge Wells Football club · Tunbridge Wells Forum · Tunbridge Wells Half Marathon · Tunbridge Wells Rugby clubTwin towns Italics denotes places in East Sussex included as they are generally considered part of Tunbridge Wells.Categories:- Tunbridge Wells
- English phrases
- English culture
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