Our identity is very much tied up with where we live – and some residents from these areas insist they don’t live in the UK’s capital city.
The original small City of London has far exceeded its borders to become a vast expanse taking in villages, suburbs and towns.
We all know that where we live can play a huge part of our identities and who we feel we are – and when this level of change occurs it can mean that maps and boundaries can be – how shall we say – jiggled about a bit.
This most definitely happened during London’s expansion and places that were once considered to be Kent, Essex and Surrey are now within its realms.
It also totally absorbed the place once known as Middlesex – although some people do still consider this a place in its own right.
To this day some residents will swear blind that they do not live in London – but instead in one of the Home Counties now partially claimed by The Big Smoke.
Some Kingston and Croydon locals will argue until they’re blue in the face that they are really in Surrey.
Meanwhile those who are in Ilford will debate whether they’re actually located in Essex or London.
EssexLive highlighted what some locals have to say about the apparent relocation.
“I was born in Dagenham, Essex, it’s on my birth certificate”, argued Chris Boret.
Chris added: “My cousins were born in Ilford, Essex.”
Virginia Dolton also pointed out: “I was born in Collier Row and Harold Hill, Romford, Essex. I consider myself an Essex girl.”
While Ben L’Agey commented: “Romford used to be Essex years ago. Essex became an overspill for London about 60 years ago and slowly it’s creeping outwards. Before 1965 Romford was Essex.”
Others, it seems, have long since accepted the changes.
Amanda Thomas-Scott said: “They are all London boroughs and form part of Greater London. They come under the Metropolitan Police, not Essex. They used to be part of Essex before Greater London was formed hence the postcodes. They are not Essex.”
Rhys Bates said: “People can’t seem to grasp the concept of changing borders. Yes, places have grown beyond what you remember when you were born 50 years ago.”
Here we list all 26 places that were originally in Essex, Kent or Surrey, as reported by MyLondon.
Essex
Hornchurch
Romford
Ilford
Loughton
Barking
Dagenham
West Ham
Kent
Woolwich
Greenwich
Plumstead
Belvedere
Biggin Hill
Beckenham
Petts Wood
Erith
Bexleyheath
Sidcup
Eltham
Bromley
Orpington
Surrey
Croydon
Coulsdon
Kingston upon Thames
Merton
Sutton