Page "Cockney" Paragraph 56

Conversely, migration of Cockney speakers has led to migration of the dialect.

In Essex, towns that mostly grew up from post-war migration out of London ( e. g. Basildon and Harlow ) often have a strong Cockney influence on local speech.

However, the early dialect researcher Alexander John Ellis believed that Cockney developed due to the influence of Essex dialect on London speech.

In recent years the dialect has moved out of inner-city London towards the outskirts of Greater London.

Today Cockney-speaking areas include parts of Hertfordshire, Kent, Canvey Island, Dagenham, Barking, Romford, Chigwell, Harlow, Tottenham, Enfield, Basildon, Thurrock, Cheshunt, Bexley, Sidcup, Welling, Berkshire, Eltham, Islington and Brimsdown.