What is posh?

And in their history, even if back 4 or 5 generations, they were even posher. It and wealth and behaviours were learnt and passed down.

Really posh people don't even think about poshness they just are.

Far too many people like to think they're POSH. Sadly most of them are not.
Old money can denote status but does not necessarily mean posh. 'Lady Colin Cambell' thinks she's posh but is a poor excuse of a toff. The very opposite of posh for me is displaying yourself on reality TV for the whole world to see how 'entitled 'think you are! ! (And downright rude!!!)

Do for a living, or which ones on the list?

If you have to thing about what is, or isn't posh, then you're not posh. People who are proper posh don't even think about that word.

My friend was regarded as posh as they had afitted carpet and not lino and a rug in main bedroom.

The word POSH is a shipping term.
Port
Out
Starboard
Home.

How did it come to define a person's class ?

For us the posh kids had big houses with attics called the playroom and a mum who didn't work.

Ankers I'm intrigued! What does your posh friend do?!

I have a noticeable Gloucestershire accent, and am a coal-miner's daughter, but when I went to live and work in Scotland, I was referred to as 'Yon posh Onglish wifey'

gillyknits DH says barth and parth and never drops his aitches, but he's not posh - he's Welsh. My South Yorkshire family (bath and path and not an aitch in sight), however, always thought he was very posh.

My Aunt had a television and a fridge we thought she was posh. That was back in the 50's

I didn't meet any posh people until I was 19 and met my parents in law. First meeting was on their sailing yacht in St Malo harbour. Not knowing much about British customs, I was amazed at all the pre-lunch and pre-dinner drinks consumed( in cut glass, even on a boat). When asked ( on the first visit), what I would like to drink, I smiled at my lovely, charming future FiL and said, " Whatever you're having, sir". So I got drunk on pink gin first visit!

Don't know anyone posh now...but think that PiL were classy, rather than posh because they were very down to earth, ate left-overs, were frugal for themselves but generous to others, grew all their own veg, and polished their own silver!!

Phew! People won't know that I'm common as muck.

I don't think you should use the spoon to spread, the spoon is for placing a small portion of jam on the side of your plate prior to you using your knife to spread. All our jam and marmalade pots had silver spoons that sat through the glass lids.

Granny piper you gave taught me something! I never knew that I was supposed to spread jam with a spoon!

I think there is a huge difference between being posh and having money. I agree with Antonia's definition - Chummy is definitely posh - money or no money!

My father's parents had lots of money (my aunt spent what grandpa didn't lose before it made it to us ) Granny had a vast house that is now 9 flats, furs, jewels, antiques (she had very good taste) a sports car and was really well spoken but she got her money from running an hotel (as my Mother, Mrs Bucket, would have it) so wasn't posh at all.

I lived in the south of England until I was eight and then moved to Yorkshire. I was called 'posh' because of the way I said 'bath' and 'path' (bath and parth) I quickly adopted a Yorkshire accent to fit in. Funnily enough when I move back to the south, after I married, I soon lost my Yorkshire accent again!

I forgot- when I was young I had friends whose house had a 'day nursery' and a 'night nursery.' (I had an attic). Maybe that influenced me just a tad.

For me posh means Chummy from 'Call the Midwife'. Plummy accent, triple-barelled name, expensive private education, calls parents 'mater' and 'pater.' As I recall, Miranda Hart is herself very 'posh.' I was always aspiring to this as I was growing up (not a hope!) I have my foot on rung number 2 of a 100 rung ladder so will never be up there with the posh mob. (Snob, moi, of course not!)

Jalima I've never been much of a lady!

Welcome PoshGran
You are on the right thread

Hello all. Have just stumbled on this thread & have enjoyed the posts.
I've browsed on GN for a couple of months now & decided to join up a couple of days ago. Noticing that there was apparently nothing stirring in my Local section, I decided to choose a username which would ring bells with those who live in Peterborough. (Not that I'm a fan, but Peterborough United Football Club is known as "The Posh" or "Posh"). I'm lazy....PoshGran is quicker to type & easier to remember than PeterboroughGrandmama!!

When I was a child, anyone who lived in anything other than a terraced house with an outdoor toilet (like mine), with the exception of those who lived in the post-war prefabs (who were "really poor"), was considered posh. So at a new school classmates asked your name first, then where you lived - then they'd know how to treat you.

Growing up in the US, I heard it was an acromym

Port Out Starboard Home when cruising/sailing, so you had the sun on your side. Which I later realised only applied if you travelled west going out and east coming back and the sun was out.

I remember being invited to a very posh house. The host rang me and said "it's supper, not dinner" as if i should know what he meant. Was i supposed to dress more casually? They served olives with the drinks and mine had a stone in it. I kept it in my mouth for ages as i didn't know where to put it. Eventually I took it out of my mouth and secretly dropped it on the floor! The women were all wearing trousers with sweaters tied around their shoulders. i was wearing a blouse, so I totally got it wrong. Never again would I put myself through that.

Are you still allowed to be known as Lady Lona after the divorce though?
You could get a table at the best restaurants!