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Hands up who’s a proud north London geek?

Like any insult, the best policy is to reclaim it. So we did just that with Paxman's slight to Labour leader Ed Miliband. Plus: our Top 5 north London geeks

'North London Geek' by Russell Loughlan
‘North London Geek’ © Russell Loughlan/ London Belongs To Me Ltd.

We nearly spat out our cocoa last night when Paxman – out of nowhere – said, not unaccusingly, it might be added – that people see Ed Miliband “as a north London geek.”

As Kentishtowner was most definitely started by two north London geeks, we were naturally on the defensive, as were thousands of other north London geeker-tweeters.

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And, unable to resist reclaiming the slight, we asked the artist behind our eye-catching logo, Russell Loughlan, to design a special ‘north London geek’ one (see main image).

Like it? Let us know below – hell, we might even cobble together a few t-shirts if there’s enough interest (as we have done over the years with our popular Ich Bin Kentishtowner ones).

In the meantime here are some other north London geeks (NLGs?) who are more than worth name-checking.

Five other NLGs we quite like…

Karl Marx

Karl Marx The grand old father of socialism lived in slightly profligate fashion on and around Grafton Terrace in west Kentish Town, where he would drink at the Lord Southampton (but only if he wasn't buying).
The bearded father of socialism lived in slightly profligate fashion on and around Grafton Terrace in west Kentish Town, where he would sink pints at the Lord Southampton (but only if he wasn’t buying). Full story here. Photo: Creative Commons

Tracey Thorn

Tracey Thorn Thirty years of intelligent hits, including a break-your-heart ballad and one of the 1990s best dance hits means Trace is more than justified to join our shortlist.
Thirty years of intelligent hits, including a break-your-heart ballad and one of the 1990s best dance hits, as well as her recent book title alone – Bedsit Disco Queen – means Trace parachutes straight onto our geeky shortlist. Photo: Creative Commons

Bill Moggridge

Bill Moggridge He invented the world's first ever laptop. And all from a makeshift design workshop, perched above a dry cleaner’s in Kentish Town Road. Seriously.
He invented the world’s first ever laptop. And all from a makeshift design workshop, perched above a dry cleaner’s in Kentish Town Road. Full story here. Photo: Creative Commons

Gillian Tindall

Gillian Tindall She really is the history queen of K-Town, having written probably our favourite ever book about north London (and Kentish TOwn), The Fields Beneath, which universalizes her subject for mass impact. Photo: Stephen Emms
Popular historian Gillian wrote probably our favourite ever book about north London (and Kentish Town), The Fields Beneath, which universalizes her subject brilliantly. Read our interview here Photo: Stephen Emms

Sir John Betjeman

Dear old poetic ledge John was born just off Parliament Hill Fields and as well as some penning more than the odd sublime line or two, campaigned successfully for the saving of gorgeous St Pancras station.
This dear old poetic ledge was born just off Parliament Hill Fields and, as well as some penning more than the odd sublime line or two, campaigned successfully for the saving of gorgeous St Pancras station. More here Photo: Creative Commons


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About Kentishtowner

The award-winning print and online title Kentishtowner was founded in 2010 and is part of London Belongs To Me, a citywide network of travel guides for locals. For more info on what we write about and why, see our About section.

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