In 1972 we moved to Durham City, from North Yorkshire, when my older children were aged 9 and 7. My daughter, the older one, continued to speak as she did and still does, more or less accentless. My son was speaking like a native Durhamite within weeks. Three years later we moved here to Cheshire. My son started at Primary School here and came home very upset, saying (in broad Durham again), "Nobody will play with me 'cause they say I'm Scottish and they don't understand me". I think it took him about a week to lose the Durham accent and fit in with everyone else.
