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How do you pronounce Shrewsbury?

(79 Posts)
Ceesnan Fri 04-Dec-15 09:28:04

An elderly aunt insists that it is ShrOWEsbury, but my brother, who lives near the town says it is ShrOOsbury. Interested to hear your opinions.

thatbags Fri 04-Dec-15 09:30:15

Both are acceptable. I always pronounced it Shrow because of ShrOpshire, but I've heard relatively recently that locals say Shrew.

Woteva.

jinglbellsfrocks Fri 04-Dec-15 09:30:21

I have always said 'owe'.

Greyduster Fri 04-Dec-15 09:33:09

'Shrow' here too. I went to stay there with a friend when I was in the Army and they all seemed to pronounce it that way.

12Michael Fri 04-Dec-15 09:55:32

I think the Shroosbury, as a slight black country twang to it, when I have travelled by train I always said Shrowsbury, there again its regional accents pronouncing an vary it.
Mick

rosequartz Fri 04-Dec-15 10:00:38

My family always pronounced it Shrews-bury but when I was at college I had a 'posh' boyfriend from there who told me it was correct to say Shrows-bury.
He told me that it depended which side of the river you came from!

I should have gone back to pronouncing it Shrew when we split up.

HildaW Fri 04-Dec-15 11:04:24

Locals......use Shrewsbury...as does the local train company.
Being an incomer from Thames valley I started off calling it Shrowsbury but realised I was in minority. No one frowns....or gives you 'a look' but you just get used to hearing Shrewsbury.

I've also had to get used to Leominster sounding like Lemster and nearby Cleobury Mortimer is Clebry......

Luckygirl Fri 04-Dec-15 11:08:11

Shrewsbury - that's how the locals say it.

rosesarered Fri 04-Dec-15 11:08:47

Shrowsbury.

rosesarered Fri 04-Dec-15 11:10:31

It all depends on where you come from in pronouncing lots of words.

moleswife Fri 04-Dec-15 11:39:44

I say ShrOWEsbury; but what do you make of Beaconsfield and Gillingham? I say BEEconsfield when talking about local roads, etc but BECKonsfield when talking about the town in Bucks. Then the most annoying one is Gillingham - this has to be Gill/Jill as in the name, definitely not gill as in a part of a fish - I wish someone would tell South East Trains this!!!

Anniebach Fri 04-Dec-15 12:32:14

We lived at one time quite near to Shrewsbury and only heard Shrew not Shrow

kittylester Fri 04-Dec-15 12:41:24

We lived in Shrewsbury when we first got married and it was called 'Shrow' by the locals.

feetlebaum Fri 04-Dec-15 12:50:09

For no good reason this reminds me of the story of the great jazz saxophonist Cannonball Cholmondeley - pronounced 'Canaynonball...'

Teetime Fri 04-Dec-15 12:53:25

shrowe!

Ceesnan Fri 04-Dec-15 13:10:22

Thanks for all the replies - my aunt will be pleased!

Falconbird Fri 04-Dec-15 14:40:52

My husband's father came from Shropshire and they always said Shrewsbury, as in the little animal.

Here in the W. Country we always say Shrowsbury, not sure why.

My GP at one time was called Doctor Sidebottom, he pronounced it
Sidebotem. smile

Eloethan Fri 04-Dec-15 15:36:09

ShrOEsbury.

ninathenana Fri 04-Dec-15 15:41:00

HildaW Leominster always catches me out, I know it's not pronounced as you would expect but often forget Lemster
Oh, and I say Shewsbury

rosequartz Fri 04-Dec-15 16:07:45

Actually, I have heard people call it Shoesbury (no r after the SH) some of whom came from Shropshire or a neighbouring county.
Some of my ancestors came from near Lemster smile
Others from Hope Bowdler (Shropshire) - now is that Beau or Bough?

HildaW Fri 04-Dec-15 17:27:33

Hope Bolder was the way I heard it when I lived at Church Stretton

rosequartz Fri 04-Dec-15 20:15:35

Thank you Hilda

rosequartz Fri 04-Dec-15 20:16:57

Ooh, I just found church records online for Hope Bowdler!!

rosequartz Fri 04-Dec-15 20:19:57

and I have just found my gggg? grandparents' marriage for 1792!

DotMH1901 Sat 05-Dec-15 10:15:50

I have always said Shrewsbury but my sister in law (who moved to Shropshire in 1958) tells me it should be Shrowsbury!