Conflict on the Home Islands

The last point at which England could realistically balkanise would be during the War of the Roses.

As for a United Ireland that's difficult. The truth is there has only ever been a united Ireland for any period of time during the time it was controlled by England. If you were wanting a unified nation of Ireland completely free from English control then you're looking at a POD in the middle ages

The South West of England is Celtic, specifically Briton as is Wales and Brittany. Scotland, Ireland and Man are Gaelic and btw, the Gaels and the Britons got on about as well as the Anglo-Saxons and Britons, or for that matter the Gaels and Anglo-Saxons.
 
ohn Wilke: First Citizen of the English Republic

POD after 1800 is tricky. But I can do 1780: the Gordon Riots have a political leader and become an analogue of the French Revolution. Is that good enough?

OTL: In 1780, John Wilkes was what we'd call a 'left-wing' MP and - for some bizarre reason - he was in charge of troops defending the Bank of England from the Gordon Riots (an ironic duty for a radical critic of the monarchy). In reality Wilkes ordered the soldiers to fire on the anti-catholic rioters. This saved the Bank and destroyed his political career. London was in the hands of the rioters for about a week afterwards, but there was no-one who could give them direction.

Alternate timeline: Wilkes orders his men to stand down and leads them (and the mob) to Parliament. He takes the opportunity to seize control and attempts to abolish the monarchy. George III is assassinated and England splits along religious (Catholic/Protestant) and political (Republic/Monarchist) lines.

Destruction of the Bank of England causes obvious problems for the Pound and the Treasury. Central funding of a military becomes impossible for several years. Naturally, the American War of Independence ends a little earlier than in OTL.


Aftermath:

South-East England becomes a republic with Wilkes as First Citizen; it is a vaguely meritocratic capitalist nation. The Republic is theoretically ruled by the House of Commons, but is really controlled by the financiers of the City of London and the East India Company. Internationally, it has the support of the Dutch Republic. In 1796, the Republic's constitution is written with advice from visiting Americans

South-West England and Cornwall become the only areas ruled by the teenage George IV (crowned in Exeter in 1781, even though he's a German). King George gains support from the French Crown and some of his Hanoverian cousins but is unable to fund an army big enough to defeat the radicals in London

Wales splits into North Wales and the Protestant "Englishry" in South Wales

North England - Lancashire and Yorkshire see conflict between Catholics and Protestants and proxy wars between London and Exeter

Is that a reasonable start for a Balkanized England?
 
Ya that was interesting to read, no lie.

But I have to say my original image (that of which was spawned in my dreams after anxiously reveiwing for my stupid lifeguard test) was men in Khaki uniforms and brodie helmets fighting each other in the ruins of London. Both of them flew different flags but Im now decreeing them as the flags of Essex and Hertfordshire.

On the topic of divisions fighting each other does anyone else feel drawn to a cliche balkanized Early America?

Could a prolonged series of civil wars between Cromwell and King Charles create some diffusion in the country?
 
As a resident of Hertfordshire, I can (unfortunately) tell you that we really have no interest whatsoever in promoting our own cause over that of other counties, except when we stand to seriously lose out otherwise. Though annexing London would be interesting.
 
Falastur I made this after reading your post. I admit I do not know these regions, their geography or populations in the year 1923, but I have placed them into separate countries.

I require your comments.

Republic of Hertfordshire (Stanley Baldwin)
1.Hertfordshire
2.Buckinghamshire
3.Bedfordshire
4.Oxfordshire
5.Northhamptonshire
6.Greater London (Claim)

Kingdom of Essex (Edward VIII)
1.Essex
2.Suffolk
3.Norfolk
4.Cambridgeshire
5.Greater London (Claim)
 
Falastur I made this after reading your post. I admit I do not know these regions, their geography or populations in the year 1923, but I have placed them into separate countries.

I require your comments.

Republic of Hertfordshire (Stanley Baldwin)
1.Hertfordshire
2.Buckinghamshire
3.Bedfordshire
4.Oxfordshire
5.Northhamptonshire
6.Greater London (Claim)

Kingdom of Essex (Edward VIII)
1.Essex
2.Suffolk
3.Norfolk
4.Cambridgeshire
5.Greater London (Claim)


hahaha. I like it. Ironically, of those five counties, Hertfordshire is the least significant in most respects. But you win an e-cookie of epicness just for coming up with "the Republic of Hertfordshire". It's a term I honestly never thought I'd hear. Even cooler if it were "the Kingdom of Hertfordshire" but that's another story.

There's not a huge amount to say about my region. It's largely flat, except for the Chiltern Hills, geographically, with few dominant rivers at all. The politics herein is generally Conservative, so again an ironic choice you making it the secessionist area. My county is 50% owned by the royal family, I believe :D. Ermm...there's not much industry here, it's mostly white collar jobs and a few farms. Can't really think what else to say, it's very quiet really. If that gives you any ideas, then great. But as I say, we really haven't got much of a secessionist spirit IRL ;)
 
I'm going to look up the industrial and agricultural capabilities of these regions later in the day when I get home from school, along with the populations as of 1923.

As for not harboring sectionalism ideals, lets just say England has been fractured for quite a while and the larger nations are only starting to emerge. So you would think of yourself as a man of Hertfordshire rather than a Englishman.

Found some information and applied to it my project!

Republic of Hertfordshire (Prime Minister - Stanley Baldwin) (Pop. 1,266,621)
1.Hertfordshire (Pop. 331,969)
2.Buckinghamshire (Pop. 236,171)
3.Bedfordshire (Pop. 206,462)
4.Oxfordshire (Pop. 189,615)
5.Northhamptonshire (Pop. 302,404)
6.Greater London (Claim)

Kingdom of Essex (King - Edward VIII) (Pop. 2,504,210)
1.Essex (Pop. 1,470,257)
2.Suffolk (Pop. 400,058)
3.Norfolk (Pop. 504,293)
4.Cambridgeshire (Pop. 129,602)
5.Greater London (Claim)

All population figures are as of the 1923 census. These are the figures of the complete population, including the old; the young, and the incapable. What I have not factored into this equation is the lack sustainability these countries possess. Without the entire Great Britain and her colonies I doubt these fictional countries would be able to maintain the numbers provided here, and with the never-ending conflicts that take place between the countries of England in this fictional world I suspect that the population would be even lower.

It is safe to assume that the populations of the Kingdom of Essex and the Republic of Hertfordshire could never amount to the numbers displayed here. But this is the closest I could come to a successful census of two fictional countries.

The matter of Greater London is a confusing one. The city is divided into sectors, some controlled by one city and others controlled by another country. But both might make the claim to the entire city and its population, which would be nowhere near the population of London in our universe. With a lack of material and constant urban warfare, the population would be incredibly low and any number placed beside Greater London would only confuse anyone who read this.
 
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Could anyone direct me to a good site displaying the industrial and agricultural statistics of England in 1921 based on a county level? Im having a hard time finding one.

And if anyone wants to make their own nations out of the remaining counties im cool with that. I find this a incredibly interesting idea and wish to incorporate some alien material into it.
 
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