Socioeconomics
'Uppies' and 'Downies' refer to the residents of the top (East) and bottom (West) of the town, which slopes down East-West towards the sea. In the modern incarnation of the game, the 'downies' were originally residents of the marsh and quay, a large important working class area of the town demolished in the early 1980s. Hence the definition of who is a 'downy' is now changed from the original.
The modern incarnation of Uppies and Downies, for decades after its inception, in effect contained strong elements of rivalry between the seafarers around the marsh and the colliers of the top end of the town, and significant class undertones, the marsh and quay traditionally being looked down with somewhat disdain on by the more affluent top of the town, where the local petty bourgeoise were generally located.
The game is under threat, as the building of a Tesco Extra store looks set to get the go ahead on the playing area of the Uppies and Downies.
Read more about this topic: Uppies And Downies