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Sir Bill Taylor  RSS Feed RSS feed | About
The Ballad of Bull Tyler

First name please.

Bill.

Spell that please.

B-i-l-l.

That's Bill!

I know.

But you're saying Bull! Surname?

Taylor.

Spell that please.

T-a-y-l-o-r.< That's Taylor.

I know.

But you're saying Tyler! So you're called Bull Tyler?

This ignominy befell me some 35 or more years ago when I first came to Lancashire, from a Brummie upbringing.

(Born in Leeds with 3 Scottish grandparents, don't forget).

So what's in an accent? Try this link from the British Library.

JOIN THE DEBATE
What accent do you most like/dislike? Add your comments below.

That's Jim Wade, born 1885, a retired sheep farmer from Read, recorded in 1953.

When I first came here people spoke of being a-gate, camping, being flummoxed. I had to learn.

We holidayed near Nimes a few years back. I had to use a local garage.

Armed with my usual get-byable school boy French I just could not follow the chap.

I went back the next day with Gwyn, who'd taught French in schools for 35 years. He couldn't either.

Next day, me, Gwyn & Andre Roze, from Paris went.

No, still we couldn't follow this guy's French twang!

I've been working in Bristol recently. Tricky again.

Then I read that a Yorkshire accent is the most trusted regional accent in UK.

I have Scottish friend that has two accents. One when she wants you to understand - one when she doesn't.

But she doesn't talk of stotting the ball, gigot chops and such like, like my mum.

Our pals from Morpeth make us feel sometimes that they're speaking a different language. I've had to laarn worself some Geordie!

Please be patient with the Bull Tylers of this world!

2:11pm Monday 28th April 2008

Print   Email this   Comment
Posted by: NOSTRADAMOUS, Blackburn on 8:50am Tue 29 Apr 08
Boy oh boy,am i clever or what,,i have never met you and in truth i dont know much about you,i have only come to get an understanding of you from this blog tbh and my thoughts about you have been confirmed by this blog.not a blackburn or even lancashire lad (doh)just a brummie on the make who has talked his way into some nice positions and like our MP pretends he really cares about my Town,this blog explains everything to me about my town now,thank you for clearing this up for me.
Posted by: someone who knows on 12:44pm Tue 29 Apr 08
The thing about nostradamous is that many claim that he knew lots of things but there is little evidence that this was the true, your pseudo is therefore accurate. Unlike you I do know Bull Tyler, he's a decent guy who worked really hard for his community, made a big difference to the young people he worked with in his job and made lots of friends along the way. On the contrary to your comments he actually restricted his career and consequent pay and pension so that he could continue as an elected local councillor, ajob that comes with many hours and little thanks. He is remembered by many for his warmth and wit and for all that he helped achieve for the council and ultimately the people of Blackburn with Darwen. So can I suggest instead of knocking people you don't know you get off your backside and try to do just a little of what Bill did and then come back and tell us how easy it was.
Posted by: Nostradamos, Blackburn on 5:30pm Tue 29 Apr 08
LOL.Ok so you know,but we all have oppinions and i have mine and you have yours, no doubt i am not alone with mine and no doubt you are not alone with yours,but we are all entitled to our own oppinions,but there are many backslappers in one group if you get my drift,i have based my oppinion on his blogs nothing else,and i am sure that Bull Tyler gets paid for everything he does,if he does spend time somewhere for nowt,then i appologise but even when we do things for nowt there is usually some ulteria motive,but i am sorry if my oppinion does offend you,but it is my oppinon.thats all.
Posted by: "Owledonnibitt !!", Burrow-in-Farness ??? on 8:53pm Tue 29 Apr 08
Dear Bill,

Why don't you used the phonetic alphabet. It's a lot easier than all that rigmerole that you experienced ?

So your name would be then.. . . . .
Bravo-Indigo-Lima - Lima. . . Tango-Alpha-Yankee-L
ima-Oscar-Romeo.

Most telephonists have now been trained in this alphabet, so there's no ambiguity or difficulty with accents.

The only difficulty I have experienced fairly recently was with the letter 'Z'. Some of the PC Brigade get upset if you now use Zulu, they insist you must now use Zebra. . ."It's bothe black and white, and causes no offence"

Best Regards. . . .

Mother-Alpha-X-Ray, Tango-Alpha-Yankee-L
ima-Oscar-Romeo.
Posted by: Junior, Darwen on 5:13pm Wed 30 Apr 08
Having known Bull Tyler both as a young person and as an adult, I can honestly say he has always had the interests of Lancashire people at heart. As a young person (when he was Mayor) he gave me the opportunity to attend a trip to Europe - which i wouldn't of been able to do otherwise. As an adult, he has provided me with as much knowledge as I have desired about life and careers choices. He is by far one of the funniest and most genuine people I have ever met and I imagine that those who know him well have smiled at this blog and been disappointed at the negative response some people have chosen to leave. There is no doubt that Sir Bill loves this town - he even supports it's football team!
Posted by: Nostradamos, Blackburn on 11:13am Thu 1 May 08
LOL!,,Not has many backslappers as i thought..LOL,,but maybe there is still time,,he,he,,it does seem to be a major criteria for people in these positions to support the Rovers..LOL
Posted by: Bull Tyler, Blackburn on 1:08pm Sat 3 May 08
Shame we never got to discuss accents!
Tarra-abit,
Bull
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