I always believed Derby was farther north than Nottingham. I've never seen 52.92o given I always thought that 60 minutes became degrees as in 52.92 = 53.32?
You're mixing two different systems. You can use the decimal system as used here or degrees, minutes and seconds where there are 60 mins to a degree and 60 secs to a minute. E.g. 52.75° is the same as 52°45'
I've lived in and around Ripon for a long time. Locals get really touchy when visitors don't realise it's a city. I think if you over-react to people's understandable ignorance, it probably means you have small-town mentality. (apologies to everyone who lives in a small town, of course...).
I live in Ripon and to be honest it annoys me more when stuffy old Ripononians get their pants in a twist over calling it a city - it's a town with a cathedral! And a small town at that!