1.

Whose current auto-biography is entitled Learning to Fly?

2.

Which hymn, written by Eleanor Farjeon, 1881 –1965, was the inspiration for a Top Ten hit of 1972?

3.

Give one of the years during which the Suez Canal was being constructed  

4.

Arias and Raspberries is the title of the auto-biography of which entertainer who died in April this year?

5.

Which of Jesus’ disciples was son of Zebedee, brother of John?

6.

To within 5 miles either way, how long is the Manchester Ship Canal?

7.

In slang, how much is a monkey worth?

8.

How many pennies were there in a guinea?

1.

In which year did Mallory and Irvine die on Mount Everest?

2.

In which decade was Mount Kilimanjaro first conquered?

3.

What is significant about the turrets, rooms and windows of The Towers, the house now at the centre of the business park next to Didsbury Cricket Club?

4.

Who said – “If you are afraid of loneliness, don’t marry”?

5.

Who said “Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it.”?

6.

At the junction of which two roads was Didsbury’s Capitol Cinema?

7.

In which year did the following artistes reach no 1: The Marcels  with Blue Moon, The Shadows with Kon-tiki, and Elvis Presley with Surrender?

8.

Similarly, in which year did these artistes reach no 1:  Love Affair with Everlasting Love, The Beatles with Lady Madonna and The Equals with Baby Come Back?

1.

What would your star sign be if you were born on All Saints Day?

2.

In which situation comedy does the character George Costanza appear?

3.

Which surname connects a current Cabinet Minister, a 1960s England Test cricketer and a statue in Newcastle of one of its favourite sons?

4.

Who was sacked recently as Manager of Sheffield Wednesday?

5.

Which situation comedy character had the line "You’re a very special person, and some day a man worthy of you will come along, just as soon as the gods create him"?

6.

What would your star sign be if you were born on St Patrick’s ‘Day?

7.

Who was recently sacked as manager of Barnsley?

8.

Which town connects the former 50s Busby babe Duncan Edwards, a zoo and one of Queen Elizabeth’s favourites, the first Earl of Leicester?

1.

Currently suspended from the House of Commons, and a former Paymaster General, Geoffrey Robinson has his constituency in which city?

2.

Coronation Street’s Ken Barlow has been married three times – what were his three wives’ first names?

3.

Which three consecutive words in the dictionary are defined thus:

• the full name of the line in front of and parallel to the wicket in cricket

• plant with showy, often red flowers

• slang term for nonsense?

4.

What two digit number on registration plates will denote vehicles registered from March 2002?

5.

Which actor played the title role in the TV adaptation of ‘The Letters of Henry Root’ where the character’s letters were signed off with phrases such as ‘here’s a pound’ and ‘your man on the doorstep’?

6.

Which three consecutive words are defined thus:

• tedious fuss and bother;

• a pointed  piece of wood for fencing;

• range or choice of colours?

7.

What two digit number on registration plates will denote vehicles registered from September 2002?

8.

Who is MP for the constituency of Chingford and Wood Green? 

1.

Name one of the two theatres housed within the Lowry complex at Salford Quays?

2.

Which celebrated steam locomotive engineer, designer of the Flying Scotsman and Mallard, now has plaques mounted in his honour at King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverley railway stations?

3.

Itelka, a volcano that erupted in 1991 is the highest in which country?

4.

A Northern Branch of which cultural facility, currently situated only in London, is due to open at Salford Quays in the summer of next year?

5.

On 1st January 1923, the railways of Britain were amalgamated into four major companies – name three of them.

6.

The volcano Ruapeliu, which last erupted in 1986, is in which country?

7.

In relation to the sun, what is the significance of the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn?

8.

In relation to the sun, which two things are significant about the Arctic Circle?

1.

What is the Christian festival called that occurs the day after twelfth night?

2.

Who is the Chief Executive of the Football Association?

3.

Which saint was sent from Rome to convert England to Christianity and became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in 601?

4.

What does the acronym ISDN stand for?

5.

What does the acronym GATT stand for? 

6.

According to The Bible, with what precisely did Jesus feed the five thousand at Bethsaida?

7.

Who is the Chief Executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board?

8.

What is the Christian festival called that begins on Ash Wednesday? 

1.

In which 1936 film, which won an Oscar for Director Frank Capra, does Gary Cooper play the part of a man who inherits twenty million dollars and wants to give it all away?

2.

Which football team are nicknamed The Black Cats?

3.

What was the title of the USA for Africa’s song for Live Aid in 1985?

4.

Why has 12 year old Daniel Radcliffe been much in the news over the last few days?

5.

What is the name of the Afghan Mujhahadeen commander who was murdered by the Taliban last week?

6.

When were the first four moons of Jupiter discovered?  (allow ten years either way)

7.

Which Latin legal phrase means ‘beyond one’s power or authority’?

8.

In which John Ford directed film of 1962 does James Stewart play a naïve lawyer who needs help from John Wayne to help bring civilised order to the west?

1.

Which song, a US no 1 in 1969, opens with the lines “Hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again”?

2.

When were the two moons of Mars discovered?  (allow ten years either way) 

3.

Which ‘alternative medical’ practice may be described as involving the treatment of disorders by massaging the feet?

4.

What is the ancient Japanese massage that ‘uses the palms or fingers to apply pressure to points lying along the body’s meridians in order to control the energy flow’?

5.

Which European football team is known as 'The Old Lady'?

6.

Which Italian phrase means 'an aside' or 'spoken in an undertone'?

7.

Who succeeded Javier Peres de Cuellar as UN Secretary General in 1992?

8.

Who succeeded Mohammed Najib as President of Egypt in 1954?

1.

Who is the only racehorse ever to have done the National Hunt double of Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle?

2.

How many pots would you need to make to achieve a 147 break in snooker?

3.

Give a year in the life of the composer Chopin?

4.

Who was the keyboard player with The Doors? 

5.

Name 6 of the 7 actors who have played Dr Who in the British TV  series

6.

Acccording to The Bible, who "sold his birthright for a mess of potage"?

7.

Which composer, who died in 1949, is best known for his operas including Daphne, Salome and Der Rosenkavalier?

8.

The spice species ‘Trigonella Foenum-glaecum’ is more commonly known as what?

1.

Whose current auto-biography is entitled Learning to Fly?

Victoria Beckham

2.

Which hymn, written by Eleanor Farjeon, 1881 –1965, was the inspiration for a Top Ten hit of 1972?

Morning has broken

3.

Give one of the years during which the Suez Canal was being constructed  

1859 – 1869

4.

Arias and Raspberries is the title of the auto-biography of which entertainer who died in April this year?

Sir Harry Secombe

5.

Which of Jesus’ disciples was son of Zebedee, brother of John?

James

6.

To within 5 miles either way, how long is the Manchester Ship Canal?

35 miles

7.

In slang, how much is a monkey worth?

£500

8.

How many pennies were there in a guinea?

252

1.

In which year did Mallory and Irvine die on Mount Everest?

1924

2.

In which decade was Mount Kilimanjaro first conquered?

1880s (1889)

3.

What is significant about the turrets, rooms and windows of The Towers, the house now at the centre of the business park next to Didsbury Cricket Club?

It has 12 turrets, one for every month, 52 rooms, one for every week,  and 365 windows, one for every day

4.

Who said – “If you are afraid of loneliness, don’t marry”?

Anton Chekhov

5.

Who said “Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it.”?

George Bernard Shaw

6.

At the junction of which two roads was Didsbury’s Capitol Cinema?

School Lane and Parrs Wood Road

7.

In which year did the following artistes reach no 1: The Marcels  with Blue Moon, The Shadows with Kon-tiki, and Elvis Presley with Surrender?

1961

8.

Similarly, in which year did these artistes reach no 1:  Love Affair with Everlasting Love, The Beatles with Lady Madonna and The Equals with Baby Come Back?

1968

1.

What would your star sign be if you were born on All Saints Day?

Scorpio

2.

In which situation comedy does the character George Costanza appear?

Seinfeld

3.

Which surname connects a current Cabinet Minister, a 1960s England Test cricketer and a statue in Newcastle of one of its favourite sons?

Milburn

4.

Who was sacked recently as Manager of Sheffield Wednesday?

Peter Shreeves

5.

Which situation comedy character had the line "You’re a very special person, and some day a man worthy of you will come along, just as soon as the gods create him"?

Niles Crane

6.

What would your star sign be if you were born on St Patrick’s ‘Day?

Pisces

7.

Who was recently sacked as manager of Barnsley?

Nigel Spackman

8.

Which town connects the former 50s Busby babe Duncan Edwards, a zoo and one of Queen Elizabeth’s favourites, the first Earl of Leicester?

Dudley

(Edwards’ home town where there is a zoo and Robert Dudley, the Earl’s name before his elevation)

1.

Currently suspended from the House of Commons, and a former Paymaster General, Geoffrey Robinson has his constituency in which city?

Coventry

2.

Coronation Street’s Ken Barlow has been married three times – what were his three wives’ first names?

Valerie (Tatlock), Janet (Reid) and Deirdre (Longton)

3.

Which three consecutive words in the dictionary are defined thus:

• the full name of the line in front of and parallel to the wicket in cricket

• plant with showy, often red flowers

• slang term for nonsense?

popping-crease;

poppy;

poppycock

4.

What two digit number on registration plates will denote vehicles registered from March 2002?

02

5.

Which actor played the title role in the TV adaptation of ‘The Letters of Henry Root’ where the character’s letters were signed off with phrases such as ‘here’s a pound’ and ‘your man on the doorstep’?

George Cole

6.

Which three consecutive words are defined thus:

• tedious fuss and bother;

• a pointed  piece of wood for fencing;

• range or choice of colours?

palaver;

pale;

pallet

7.

What two digit number on registration plates will denote vehicles registered from September 2002?

52

8.

Who is MP for the constituency of Chingford and Wood Green? 

Iain Duncan-Smith

1.

Name one of the two theatres housed within the Lowry complex at Salford Quays?

(either) Quays Theatre (or) Lyric Theatre

2.

Which celebrated steam locomotive engineer, designer of the Flying Scotsman and Mallard, now has plaques mounted in his honour at King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverley railway stations?

Sir Nigel Gresley

3.

Itelka, a volcano that erupted in 1991 is the highest in which country?

Iceland

4.

A Northern Branch of which cultural facility, currently situated only in London, is due to open at Salford Quays in the summer of next year?

Imperial War Museum

5.

On 1st January 1923, the railways of Britain were amalgamated into four major companies – name three of them.

(three from)

Great Western Railways,

Southern Railways,

London, Midland and Scotland Railways

London and North Eastern Railways

6.

The volcano Ruapeliu, which last erupted in 1986, is in which country?

New Zealand

7.

In relation to the sun, what is the significance of the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn?

They represent the limits of the area of the earth’s surface where the sun can be directly overhead

8.

In relation to the sun, which two things are significant about the Arctic Circle?

Within it, there is at least one day per year when the sun never sets and at least one  day a year where it never rises

1.

What is the Christian festival called that occurs the day after twelfth night?

Epiphany

2.

Who is the Chief Executive of the Football Association?

Adam Crozier

3.

Which saint was sent from Rome to convert England to Christianity and became the first Archbishop of Canterbury in 601?

St Augustus

4.

What does the acronym ISDN stand for?

Integrated Services Digital Network

5.

What does the acronym GATT stand for? 

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade

6.

According to The Bible, with what precisely did Jesus feed the five thousand at Bethsaida?

Five loaves and two fish

7.

Who is the Chief Executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board?

Tim Lamb

8.

What is the Christian festival called that begins on Ash Wednesday? 

Lent

1.

In which 1936 film, which won an Oscar for Director Frank Capra, does Gary Cooper play the part of a man who inherits twenty million dollars and wants to give it all away?

Mr Deeds Goes To Town 

2.

Which football team are nicknamed The Black Cats?

Sunderland

3.

What was the title of the USA for Africa’s song for Live Aid in 1985?

We are the world

4.

Why has 12 year old Daniel Radcliffe been much in the news over the last few days?

He plays Harry Potter in the new film

5.

What is the name of the Afghan Mujhahadeen commander who was murdered by the Taliban last week?

Abdul Haq

6.

When were the first four moons of Jupiter discovered?  (allow ten years either way)

1610

7.

Which Latin legal phrase means ‘beyond one’s power or authority’?

Ultra vires

8.

In which John Ford directed film of 1962 does James Stewart play a naïve lawyer who needs help from John Wayne to help bring civilised order to the west?

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

1.

Which song, a US no 1 in 1969, opens with the lines “Hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again”?

Sound of Silence

2.

When were the two moons of Mars discovered?  (allow ten years either way) 

1877

3.

Which ‘alternative medical’ practice may be described as involving the treatment of disorders by massaging the feet?

Reflexology

4.

What is the ancient Japanese massage that ‘uses the palms or fingers to apply pressure to points lying along the body’s meridians in order to control the energy flow’?

Shiatsu

5.

Which European football team is known as 'The Old Lady'?

Juventus

6.

Which Italian phrase means 'an aside' or 'spoken in an undertone'?

Sotto voce

7.

Who succeeded Javier Peres de Cuellar as UN Secretary General in 1992?

Boutros Boutros-Ghali

8.

Who succeeded Mohammed Najib as President of Egypt in 1954?

Gamal Abdel Nasser 

1.

Who is the only racehorse ever to have done the National Hunt double of Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle?

Dawn Run

2.

How many pots would you need to make to achieve a 147 break in snooker?

36

3.

Give a year in the life of the composer Chopin?

1810 – 1849

4.

Who was the keyboard player with The Doors? 

Ray Manzarak

5.

Name 6 of the 7 actors who have played Dr Who in the British TV  series

(six from)

William Hartnell;

Patrick Troughton;

John Pertwee;

Peter Davison;

Tom Baker;

Colin Baker;

Sylvester McCoy

6.

Acccording to The Bible, who "sold his birthright for a mess of potage"?

Esau

7.

Which composer, who died in 1949, is best known for his operas including Daphne, Salome and Der Rosenkavalier?

Richard Strauss

8.

The spice species ‘Trigonella Foenum-glaecum’ is more commonly known as what?

Fenugreek