Brit-Speak: Vernon Dursley is a /Director/.

[hp_lexicon]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, Sam Edwards 
> 
> 
> Hello Steve,
> 
>             First my appologies to you (and Steve Van Der Aark), 
for crediting you with creating the Lexicon in an earlier post. I 
tried posting an appology earlier but it seems to have gone astray.
> 

Apologies are hardly necessary. At least to me.


> Whether or not Vernon is a or THE sales director will really 
depend on how big a company Grunnings is. The term could be used for 
both. 

Well, the building has at least nine floors, assuming that Grunnings 
isn't sharing it with other firms. Vernon's office is on the ninth 
floor. Sounds like a large company to me.


> 
> Based on the home he owns and his likely salary:
> 
> Surrey is one of the expensive counties in the UK, parts of it 
being an easy, (1hr), commute from London while being fairly leafy, 
suburban and a "nice" place to raise a family. 

If you're curious where Privet Drive is located in Surrey, you can 
find a detailed map on the Lexicon. Privet Drive is located to the 
north and west of Staines, since the nearest rail station is 
Paddington. 

> Anyway. A four bedroomed, detached house in Surrey, similar to 
Privet Drive used in the movies would be priced at roughly  £285, 
000.

The house as described in the books is a bit less modern than the 
one on the film, however. They did zero in on the right part of 
Surrey, from what I understand, but not the right "era" of home. My 
guess is that the price you mention isn't far off, though. 

I have been wondering as well what position Vernon holds at 
Grunnings. I think a lot of people were assuming that he owned the 
place, but the books don't say that, am I right? Can you 
define "director" for me in one nice sentence that I can add to the 
Strictly British section of the Lexicon?

Thanks
Steve (the OTHER Steve)