The bulldog is not a national institution because of our famous soft spot for animals, but rather for the perceived similarities between its nature and certain characteristics that we like to think of as British. So fond of the analogy are we that one of our favourite playground games is named for the creature; and Webley chose the name to promote its popular short-barrelled revolver.
An unwillingness to let go once it gets its teeth into something is the first such trait that springs to mind, symbolising unrelenting determination. Loyalty too. But that’s perhaps balanced by the fact that very hot weather kills them as they are not smart enough to get in the shade; and they don’t have great teeth. Not inaccurate, but less flattering.
The bulldog was originally bred for fighting, another perhaps unattractive link between us and the beast; but these days the viciousness has been eliminated – mainly.
Another link with the breed is that to Britons all new-born babies look like Winston Churchill , and Churchill in his later years looked just like a bulldog (hence the insurance ads), so all Brits at one time look like bulldogs. And some not just at one time: W.H. Auden certainly in his late middle age had definite bulldog facial qualities – folds and jowls; and it was not merely for their undoubted acting talents that Timothy West and Robert Hardy have played our greatest Prime Minister in his finest hour.
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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