Though Britain had much to do with the Americas, it's clear that in Canada we are far closer in our ties to our distant British heritage.  

I notice on visiting that it feels more British than the rest of the country. Hard to put my finger on it.  I was wondering if I'm imagining this or if Boston does have more shadows from a British past?

you see there you just learn something new

Camille is spot on, as a history buff I love my local history. Boston and the northeastern sea coast is predominantly Irish. If there was a port or railroad you had Irish immigrants taking the jobs no one else would take. The women were often nurses, housekeepers and such. Others turned to become providers, often after some sort of "soiling". Back then merely being Irish was bad enough. Many women had to chase their husbands down to get their hubby's paychecks before the men spent it at the pubs.

They had a lot to do with prohibition, merely to save their families from poverty in their minds. They often were relegated to slum areas and to move up to a nicer area made the entire neighborhood proud.

Those shadows are very alive and kindred spirits merely looking for a pint secretly kept from the wife, or a spot of tea, they may have a good story to tell if you listen.

Now those of us who are Irish need not hide our heritage and can enjoy the blood and toil of our ancestors.
Xo,
Grace

P.S. Of course then you have the immigration route from St. John's New Brunswick which many followed to gain entry but that is a tale for another day!


-- Modified on 9/21/2012 12:34:23 AM

I've never had direct contact with Ireland or the culture, so that's probably what I'm picking up on.  

Canada doesn't really want our British heritage to fade. However, considering that we're trying to grow our population, and thus bringing in a lot of foreigners, that's probably changing.  As people from Asia and the Middle East grow in number here, much is changing.  First Nations Peoples (Native Americans) are having trouble gaining guilt or sympathy when they talk about the abuse in the distant past that has left their modern culture ill.  So many people here are only second or third generation, they simply shrug and say "We weren't here for that, not our problem. Pull up your boots and fix your communities yourselves."  In the same way, they will likely took at government attempts to keep ties to Britain and feel completely indifferent.

I was always told my father said irish n austrian. Through my own research by contacting folks i d found whom share my last name, As well as searching ancestry dot com data base, I un wrapped alot of ancestryt things including the discovery there is english in my roots. My mother also though supposedly all italian, is a hard core tea drinker all day which kinda seems to mme was always a british thing. I think theres quite possibly must be more people aside from me whom have undiscovered english ancesters. My father only knew his father and not where he was from. As my grandfather supposedly died very ypung as well as my father being astranged from the famoly at age 15 and oujt on his own at that age after his expulsion from high school for knockin the teacher out so the story goes!   that said him n my uncle did research n attempted to find more on pour heritage, I found one gal on facebook whom claimed her father knows alot of the two brothers came from ellis island to boston shared her n her fathers last name, her thing was they were frpom dubrovnik, which isnt even a place any longer, but my uncle n fathers research showed austria, which ,my grandfathers plaine info states once he arrived in ny, it did say on that info he was from austria, .    I stopped on ancestry.com after certain point, but need to get the patience to get back on n go back farther its so interesting, I am proof your theory may have some truth as my father was born and raised in gorgeous love;y sputhie, As well as my mother, I can atest that yes , there are uncovered english roots for at least m,e there was! bet alot more southie folks haved no idea where thier parents were from if they came from maybe checkered past pr maybe broken home n didnt get told much by the parent, then well, they have to just tell the kids what bthey do know, which well, may be missing alot of important facts, I mustnt be only one whom has uncovered english rpots never told about until extensive research , time n money costing, uncovered some things. my mothers side too my nana would say, we have bit of scottish, i have no clue where she got that idea as her mother being my great grandma, spoke not a  lick of english n just italian only. I researched her too and my mother claims great grandma from udine , italy , and i seen on ancestry dot com it says she departed from florence before arriving to ellis, So perphaps ancestry.com shpws city they simply departed in and plaine flight info as this may not be where they had resided. funny i once went and wrote to maybe 100 or more on facebook having my l;ast name. Guess what i found several cousins whom knew my fathers father and also his brother whom ended up in cali not southie. Theres gotta be other bostonian whom have undoscovered english roots as well. I at least make your speculation prove correct.

Paul Revere - The British are coming

The shots heard round the world - The battle of Lexington and Concord.


Etc., etc., etc.,

Bingo

It was indeed a question about the current culture.

I was in Paris a few years ago during the 5 Nation Rugby  event, Lots of Irish in the city, entered a restaurant for dinner and  noticed a large group of Irish ; now granted my face looks like a map of Ireland . They  Greeted me and asked what county I was from. Told them I was from Boston, their response was, “That’s one of the counties, Come join us.”