As a Londoner myself - and although I cannot number a sweep as one of my many professions - many Londoners could have taken deep offence at an American (Dick Van Dyke) playing a sweep in Mary Poppins. His jolly 'cockenee' accent was head and shoulders above the many other terrible movie accents and reinforced a questionable racial stereotype.

Londoners could make a big fuss and say that the portrayal of cockney sweeps by American actors should be ditched - but this was taken as a joke.