By OldPete
July 22 2016
The answers to Round Four of Pete's Summer Quiz. Away we go...
THE SUMMER QUIZ 2016 - THE ANSWERS
1. How did a divorce in Ipswich clear the way for eventual downfall of royalty. -
It is where Wallace Simpsons divorce from Herbert Simpson was finalised thus clearing the way for Edward VIII to marry her -
2. In what way did a Chinese riddle with potentially fatal consequences lead to a sleepless night. -
Yes its Puccini’s opera Turandot which features a riddle inorder to win the hand of the Chinese Emperors daughter – failure to get the right anser meant execution - the aria Nesun Dorma No one sleeps features.
3. What is the somewhat rocky connection between one of the original thirteen and a Scottish city.
New Hampshire is known as the granite state while Aberdeen is known as the granite city.
4. How did the admiralty connections of this observer and recorder of everyday life lead to his having a street named after him in an East coast port.
Samuel Pepys the famous diarist was a member of the Admiralty board and Harwich an Admiralty borough so he was its MP - hence Pepys street in Old Harwich. ( where incidentally I misspent my youth in various pubs thereon )
5. During the battleship era and probably even today where naval guns are concerned and English is spoken what is the word used to order their use and why.
Perhaps debateable but in the big gun era it was shoot – as Fire was ambiguous and referred to an outbreak of fire etc.
6. John , Sam, Adrian ,Bridget , Victoria and Tony - all did what .
They kept diaries and I had in mind John Evelyn , Samuel Pepys , Adrian Mole , Bridget Jones , Queen Victoria and Tony Benn.
Complete and explain the following sequences - note that the basis for the sequence may be different for each list.
7 yellow , green, brown , blue ,pink …. Black
- it’s the sequence of coloured balls after all the reds have been potted in snooker.
8 Anthony , Harold , Alex , Harold , Edward , Harold , Edward , Harold, James …
Prime Ministers so the next one is Margaret. – in order Anthony Eden , Harold MacMillan , Edward Heath , Harold Wilson , Edward Heath, Harold Wilson , James Callaghan ,
9 United Kingdom , Italy , Poland , Finland , Germany , Sweden , Spain ……
A bit of sneaky one this – its a list of current ( I did say current ) EU states in order of size- by land area up to the biggest one which is France.
10 20, 1, 18 , 4 , 13 ……. 6 – is the next one going round a dart board.
11. how did a one time minister for war make it safer to cross the road ?
Samuel Hoare Bellisha as minister of Transport introduced the crossing thingy – known for ever after as the Bellisha beacon.
12. “ Travaile , Famille , Patrie “ in what way was this slogan ( Work , Family , Home land ) still seen for some time after the downfall of its originators.
Several of you got the Vichy France connection - the Vichy motto appeared on coinage still in circulation well into the late 50s. If I remember correctly the Vichy Francs were used as centimes by then,
13. What alternative links Len Deighton , Philip K Dick , C. J. Sansom and Robert Harris -
It’s alternative Histories in which Germany won the second world war or similar - The books are in order SS / GB ; The Man in the High Castle Dominion and Fatherland
14. England and Denmark probably have justifiable claims to be the oldest established monarchies in Europe - but which is the youngest - most recently established. ( this excludes restorations as in Spain )
This one proved difficult and Belgiums monarchy founded in 1831 looked a good prospect – but no – the answer is Norway which became independent of Sweden in 1905 - its first King was a Danish prince the choice of whom upset the Kaiser because the prince was married to one of Victoria’s nieces or granddaughters ( not sure which ) and Kaiser Bill thought this would give Britain too much influence etc.
15. What is the connection between a visually impaired mendicant , a man in a hat , and an evil twin.
Experts in the crime scene quickly pounced here - It refers to the murder of Harry the Hat in the Blind Beggar pub by the Kray gang.
16. Always dodgy these - Which is the odd one out - Primrose, Hyacinth , Violet , Myrtle , Lily , Begonia , Poppy.
Begonia – I hope - all, the others can be and have been used as female names.
17. After making their names ( it might be said ) as respectively - Queen of England , In Outer Space and in Albert Square they went on to pursue another career - who are / were they and what was it did they did next.
Well you almost got all it - Glenda Jackson went to be MP for Hampstead and Michael Cashman ex Eastenders went on to become an MEP and more recently a Life Peer. Now in the end you got the late Andrew Faulds later MP for Smethwick. He is best known for his role as Jet Morgan in the radio programme Journey into Space. Other well- known cast members included David Kossoff and later Alfie Bass.
18. What is the connection between sorting the mail and a permanent military presence -
Well after a little help you tracked it down to Barrack Rd Northampton, in 1794 a barracks was built to enable a permanent military presence in the town. The soon to be redundant Royal Mail sorting office was built on the site of the old barracks.
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