Serb Map of the UK
Britić reveals the most comprehensive Serb map of Britain ever compiled.
Serbs have settled in Britain in post-war years and throughout
subsequent generations. And we have dispersed all over the country.
Indeed, fewer than twenty constituencies out of 646 have no Serb
households (that we know of). However, the effect of our first
generations clustering together is still very much in evidence as you’ll
see below.
#1 (by far): London
The highest concentration of Serbs in of course in London with eight
boroughs in the list in the top-ten constituencies by concentration (the
others being Corby at 8th and Bedford at 10th). We figure around 38% of
all Serbs live in Greater London, that’s three times more than other
Britons.
Around one in twenty British Serbs live in Ealing alone. Other London
districts where we amass include Notting Hill where Sv Sava Church are
located, Kensington, Hammersmith, Fulham, Hampstead and Finchley and the
surrounds. Sv Sava’s encompasses classrooms and a hall in its complex.
The parish also services a temple in Waltham Cross at the north point of
the M25 occasionally. London Serbs also have their own partitioned
cemetery in Brookwood in Woking.
London is also the seat of various societies and organisations
including the Serbian Society and Serbian Council, several schools and
folklore groups and to the Ravna Gora hotel in elegant Holland Park.
Some 0.3% of Serbs live in Surbiton. If we could only get more of us
to move there, we could probably influence a change in a single letter.
#2: Birmingham
Some 4% of us live in Birmingham. If you include Coventry and Worcester it boosts the Midlands to over 7% of British Serbs.
Bournville is where Britain’s first purpose-built Serbian Orthodox Church was built in 1968 in 14th
century Byzantine style. The grounds were donated by the Cadbury family
and also house a cultural centre and the central organising force was
Proto Milenko Zebić.
The region is also home to the Dinara Hotel, a welcoming venue for many community functions.
#3: Bradford
Serbs disproportionately populate this Yorkshire city with something
under 3% of our numbers calling it home. Our spiritual needs are heeded
by Proto Žarko Nedić at Sv Trojice Church and hall, and there is a
Sunday school.
#4: Cardiff
It may come as a surprise to learn that one in forty British Serbs
live in Cardiff … well, perhaps not quite. The distribution of Serbs in
South Wales is fairly wide encompassing Newport and Pontypridd and is
part of the Sv. Vaznesenja parish served by Proto Nikola Kotur.
#5: Leicester (joint)
Sixth place is Leicester. The city’s community base is the Sv.
đurđica temple thanks to Proto Radmilo Stokić and also the well-used
Srpski Dom, the home of Pokret Ravne Gore.
#5: Coventry (joint)
Coventry shares joint sixth-position with around 2% and despite its
proximity to its bigger brother there have been occasional services at
the city, which is twinned with Belgrade.
#7: Derby
Our brothers and sisters in Derby worship at St Apostles Peter and
Paul Church and hall with Proto Radmilo Stokić. Another Church, which
originally has sprung up from the Free Church movement some decades ago,
is still active. Together they represent 2% of our total numbers.
#8: Corby
Sv Ilija’s is only the second purpose-built Serbian temple in the UK
thanks to the efforts of parishioners and Proto Vido Vuković.
The town is also home to a thriving school and folklore group.
#9: Bedford
The market town of Bedford is the centre of the St Andrew’s parish and birthplace of Britić. Worshippers gather at the town’s biggest Church, St Paul’s and there is a Church dom.
#10: Leeds
This major industrial city just makes it into the top-10 by the
inclusion of Wakefield and the surrounds. It does not have a Church of
its own but its proximity allows for it to be served by the Bradford
community.
I should add a note of caution that this top-10 depends on how
geographical regions are mapped to cities and towns. Other groupings
would yield other results. Given that, other major Serb towns and cities
are Reading, Stoke-on-Trent, Oxford, Manchester, Worcester and our
wonderful community in Halifax. The regions surrounding Brighton, Herts
including St Albans and other peripheries around the M25 like Watford,
Slough and Guildford is also home to many. Peterborough, Northampton,
Milton Keynes and Telford have significant Serb populations too.
