My mum grew up in Brum--Acocks Green, to be precise--during the 1930s & '40s (she was actually a GI bride, which is how I came to be born in the States); although she left there in the 1950s, I know she remains very connected to her sense of herself as being from Brum. Even now, on family visits, it's amazing how she'll slip right back; last summer we visited the National Trust back-to-backs, which was very like the house she (and my grandparents) grew up in, it was extremely evocative; anyone been there? It's well worth a look if you're ever in downtown Birmingham with nothing to do!

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-birmingham_backtobacks/

My children, on the other hand, always clamour for my cousin to do her astonishing rendition of 'Black Country'...now *there's* a dialect if you like (and BTW, the Black Country Living Museum is a pretty cool place, as well)!

~D