Two things are denoted by the phrase ‘the old school tie’. The first is the obvious one: a tie which is worn by former pupils to demonstrate their allegiance to an alma mater. Thus, most famously, Old Etonians can wear a black tie with an Eton blue (a light blue) stripe. Ex-pupils of Stowe , Harrow , Rugby , and so forth have their own identifiers.
Its second meaning is more important in British society, an aspect of the class system that still casts a shadow over public life in this country. It is a short-hand (along with the interchangeable ‘old boy network’) for the use of contacts from school, university and even regimental times to assist those of a similar background; make introductions; put in a good word.
The system can work for good, where fund-raising for example benefits from tapping the wealthy for support for good causes. But it can and all too often does work in a way that is merely nepotism and/or cronyism, to the enormous disadvantage of those from less privileged backgrounds, of ethnic minorities, and generally of women. Scratch our political system and you’ll find evidence of the old school tie in operation, and not just in the Conservative Party, though the almost hereditary nature of some safe Tory seats over the years has been its most blatant exemplar; examine TV and you will soon see evidence of why our mediacracy is leading a descent into mediocrity, as restricting the range of viewpoints and backgrounds in a group is unhealthy.
More British Institutions
Afternoon Tea
Allotments
April Fools Day
Big Ben
Binge Drinking
Black Cabs
Bonfire Night
British Sense of Humour
Brown Windsor Soup
Burns Night
Cadburys
Castles
Changing the Guard
City of London
Coronation Street
Cowes Week
Cricket
Crufts
Dad’s Army
E-Type Jag
Eccentricity
English Country Garden
Fish and Chips
Fish Fingers
Fox Hunting
Full English Breakfast
Gin and Tonic
Glastonbury
Glorious Goodwood
Grand National
Grouse Shooting
Harrods
Highland Games
Hogmanay
James Bond
John Bull
King Arthur
Land Rover
Lloyds of London
London to Brighton Veteran Car Rally
Marks and Spencer
Monty Python
Morecambe and Wise
Old School Tie
Oxbridge
Panto
Picnics
Pimms
Point-to-Point
Punch and Judy
Queueing
Real Ale
Red Arrows
Red Telephone Boxes
Remembrance Poppies
Robin Hood
Rolls Royce
Royal Ascot
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Savile Row Suits
School Discos
School Sports Day
Seaside Piers
Speakers’ Corner
Stag Nights
Stiff Upper Lip
Strawberries and Cream
Street Markets
Summer Festivals
Sunday Roasts
The Archers
The BBC
The Beano
The Boat Race
The Brass Band
The British Bobby
The Bulldog
The Church of England
The Cup Final
The Curry House
The English Rose
The Garden Shed
The Honours System
The Kilt
The Last Night at the Proms
The London Bus
The Mini
The National Trust
The NHS
The Oak
The Pub
The Queen’s Speech
The Rolling Stones
The Royal Christmas Message
The Spitfire
The V Sign
The Village Fete
The Weather
Travelling Fairs
Trooping the Colour
Village Greens
Wedgwood
Wellington Boots
Wimbledon
Wine Gums
Yeomen of the Guard
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