1.

How many Grand Nationals were cancelled because of the First World War?

2.

In which country were the 1940 Olympics due to be held?

3.

Which year saw the release from prison of the Birmingham Six and the film Silence of the Lambs?

4.

In which year did Princess Anne leave school and Yuri Gagarin die?

5.

What was unusual about the coronation of Inez de Castro as Queen of Portugal in 1357?

6.

The body of which British ruler was initially buried in Westminster Abbey but was later dug up and publicly hanged at Tyburn?

7.

Who was the lead singer of the 1970s rock band Ugly Rumours?

8.

In 1983 Cherie Blair publicly thanked the two Tonys who had helped her on her “quest for socialism”.  Name them.

1.

In Australia it is known as 'Fairy Floss'.  What is it called in Britain?

2.

What was the name of the torpedo plane produced by the Fairey Aviation Company which was already obsolete by the start of World War Two but proved to be surprisingly effective against enemy ships?

3.

Who wrote the poem The Faerie Queen?

4.

Who played the Absinthe Fairy in the film Moulin Rouge?

5.

This broadcaster and critic was born Mark Fairy in 1963 - how is he better known?

6.

Both Shakespeare and Shelley wrote works in praise of the Queen of the Fairies - what is the name of this personage?

7.

Which well known British author was taken in by photographs of fairies (which later proved to be false) in 1920?

8.

In which part of the world is the habitat of the fairy penguin?

ROUND 3 - Themed answers

So it's prawn sandwiches all round then! All the answers in this round include the surnames of Manchester United footballers who were in the line up for the last game before the Munich air crash against Red Star Belgrade

1.

Which Australian born snooker player has the dubious distinction of appearing in the finals of both the World Snooker and World Billiards Championships without winning either?

2.

Which world famous food brand was established in Norfolk in 1814?

3.

Which former secretary of the TGWU died in April 2009?

4.

Which former secretary of the AEU died in 2004?

5.

Who is the current Chief Secretary to the Treasury?

6.

Who is the author of the children's series of My Naughty Little Sister books?

7.

Which actress won an academy award for her role in the film Butterfield 8?

8.

This 1944 screwball comedy directed by Preston Sturges concerns the adventures of a small town girl (played by Betty Hutton) who becomes pregnant after a drunken night out with a soldier, and of her subsequent attempts to find a father for the child to avoid scandal.  Name the film.

1.

Which Victorian music hall song includes the line “I had a banana with Lady Diana”?

2.

Which 1976 hit includes the line “Since many years I haven't seen a rifle in your hand”?

3.

Who was the last American President to see action in World War One?

4.

Who was the last American President to see action in World War Two?

5.

In which Asian country are the Molucca Islands, at one time known as the Spice Islands?

6.

Which Caribbean island is known as 'the Spice Island'?

7.

The word noggin, sometimes used to describe an alcoholic drink, is actually a specific imperial measure.  How much is a noggin?

8.

What word refers to a quantity of liquid comprising one eighth of a fluid ounce?

1.

Which woman served as Secretary of State in John Major's government?

2.

In the 1980s Helene Hayman became the first MP to do what in the Chamber of the House of Commons?

3.

What do the chemicals sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide and potassium chloride have in common?

4.

What was the occupation of the man who invented the electric chair?

5.

Which sitcom character moved from Boston to Seattle in 1993?

6.

Which cult American TV series of the early 1990s featured the character FBI agent Cooper?

7.

If parrots talk and pigeons coo, what do ravens do?

8.

If dogs bark and bears growl, what do apes do?

1.

In 1955 Christian Dior used the term 'A line' to describe his new range of flared skirts, but what letter did he use to describe his range of pencil skirts?

2.

In FBI mythology when the gangster George 'Machine Gun' Kelly was arrested in 1933, he shouted a phrase which became a nickname for FBI agents.  What was it?

3.

What name was given by the Allies to the motor torpedo boats used by the Germans in World War Two?

4.

What government method of media control was introduced in 1912?

5.

Which play concerning a fictional climbing tragedy was written by W H Auden and Christopher Isherwood in 1936?

6.

What female hairstyle made its first appearance in 1958?

7.

Which German weapon was first used against Britain in September 1944?

8.

What is the alternative name of Mount Godwin-Austin (the second highest mountain in the world)?

ROUND 7 - Themed answers

So you're prepared to moon for the Blues! The answer to each question includes the surname (or near spelling) of a member of the Manchester City 1969 FA Cup Final squad

1.

Who assassinated Abraham Lincoln?

2.

Who was the commander in chief of the Confederate Armies in the American Civil War?

3.

Which character was played by Martin Shaw in the long-running TV series between 1977 and 1983?

4.

What is the name of Sylvia Plath's only full length novel?

5.

Which horse race, run at Epsom, takes its name from the Earl of Derby's residence at Carshalton?

6.

What is the name of the Canadian born songwriter and former member of the groups Buffalo Springfield and Crazy Horse who has recently been christened the 'Godfather of Grunge'?

7.

What phrase describes the archaic method of excommunication which was introduced by the Catholic Church in the 9th century?  It was also the title of a 1958 film starring James Stewart and Kim Novak.

8.

What was the name of the journalist who wrote the Cassandra column in the Daily Mirror from the 1930s to the 1960s?

1.

To within 5 years each way, how long did the One Hundred Years War last?

2.

Which sports legend was known as the Sultan of Swat?

3.

What was the name of the MP found to have claimed a duck house on his expenses?

4.

The Poll Tax of 1275 led to the widespread introduction of what in England?

5.

Name three of the four men who immediately preceded Charles Kennedy as leader of the Liberal Party.

6.

Which forename is shared by John Lennon and Gary Linneker?

7.

According to legend, which plant screams when it is pulled from the ground?

8.

In which year was the National Lottery introduced?

1.

In Star Trek Voyager what race did Turok belong to?

2.

What company has recently made a takeover bid for Cadburys?

3.

What was the name of O J Simpson's wife who was murdered in 1994?

4.

Three acts have had British hits with the song Always On My Mind.  Name two of them.

5.

Who was the first American President to have been a divorcee?

6.

Name three of the four leaders of the Labour Party between Tony Blair and the last leader before him to win a General Election.

1.

How many Grand Nationals were cancelled because of the First World War?

None

2.

In which country were the 1940 Olympics due to be held?

Finland

3.

Which year saw the release from prison of the Birmingham Six and the film Silence of the Lambs?

1991

4.

In which year did Princess Anne leave school and Yuri Gagarin die?

1968

5.

What was unusual about the coronation of Inez de Castro as Queen of Portugal in 1357?

Her body had to be exhumed for the ceremony

6.

The body of which British ruler was initially buried in Westminster Abbey but was later dug up and publicly hanged at Tyburn?

Oliver Cromwell

7.

Who was the lead singer of the 1970s rock band Ugly Rumours?

Tony Blair

8.

In 1983 Cherie Blair publicly thanked the two Tonys who had helped her on her “quest for socialism”.  Name them.

Tony Booth (her father) and Tony Benn

1.

In Australia it is known as 'Fairy Floss'.  What is it called in Britain?

Candy floss

2.

What was the name of the torpedo plane produced by the Fairey Aviation Company which was already obsolete by the start of World War Two but proved to be surprisingly effective against enemy ships?

The Swordfish

3.

Who wrote the poem The Faerie Queen?

Edmund Spenser

4.

Who played the Absinthe Fairy in the film Moulin Rouge?

Kylie Minogue

5.

This broadcaster and critic was born Mark Fairy in 1963 - how is he better known?

Mark Kermode

6.

Both Shakespeare and Shelley wrote works in praise of the Queen of the Fairies - what is the name of this personage?

Queen Mab 

7.

Which well known British author was taken in by photographs of fairies (which later proved to be false) in 1920?

Arthur Conan Doyle

8.

In which part of the world is the habitat of the fairy penguin?

Australia

ROUND 3 - Themed answers

So it's prawn sandwiches all round then! All the answers in this round include the surnames of Manchester United footballers who were in the line up for the last game before the Munich air crash against Red Star Belgrade

1.

Which Australian born snooker player has the dubious distinction of appearing in the finals of both the World Snooker and World Billiards Championships without winning either?

Eddie Charlton

(Bobby Charlton)

2.

Which world famous food brand was established in Norfolk in 1814?

Colman's Mustard

(Eddie Colman)

3.

Which former secretary of the TGWU died in April 2009?

Jack Jones

(Mark Jones)

4.

Which former secretary of the AEU died in 2004?

Hugh Scanlon

(Albert Scanlon)

5.

Who is the current Chief Secretary to the Treasury?

Liam Byrne

(Roger Byrne)

6.

Who is the author of the children's series of My Naughty Little Sister books?

Dorothy Edwards

(Duncan Edwards)

7.

Which actress won an academy award for her role in the film Butterfield 8?

Elizabeth Taylor

(Tommy Taylor)

8.

This 1944 screwball comedy directed by Preston Sturges concerns the adventures of a small town girl (played by Betty Hutton) who becomes pregnant after a drunken night out with a soldier, and of her subsequent attempts to find a father for the child to avoid scandal.  Name the film.

The Miracle of Morgan's Creek

(Kenny Morgans)

1.

Which Victorian music hall song includes the line “I had a banana with Lady Diana”?

Burlington Bertie from Bow

2.

Which 1976 hit includes the line “Since many years I haven't seen a rifle in your hand”?

Fernando

(by Abba)

3.

Who was the last American President to see action in World War One?

Harry Truman

(he was an artillery major in the Battle of the Meuse-Augonne in 1918 - Eisenhower was in the army but never got to Europe)

4.

Who was the last American President to see action in World War Two?

George Bush Senior

(he was a navy pilot and was shot down in the Pacific)

5.

In which Asian country are the Molucca Islands, at one time known as the Spice Islands?

Indonesia

6.

Which Caribbean island is known as 'the Spice Island'?

Grenada

7.

The word noggin, sometimes used to describe an alcoholic drink, is actually a specific imperial measure.  How much is a noggin?

A quarter of a pint

8.

What word refers to a quantity of liquid comprising one eighth of a fluid ounce?

A dram

1.

Which woman served as Secretary of State in John Major's government?

Virginia Bottomley

2.

In the 1980s Helene Hayman became the first MP to do what in the Chamber of the House of Commons?

Breastfeed her baby

3.

What do the chemicals sodium thiopental, pancuronium bromide and potassium chloride have in common?

They are all used in America for execution by lethal injection

4.

What was the occupation of the man who invented the electric chair?

Dentist

5.

Which sitcom character moved from Boston to Seattle in 1993?

Frazier

6.

Which cult American TV series of the early 1990s featured the character FBI agent Cooper?

Twin Peaks

7.

If parrots talk and pigeons coo, what do ravens do?

Croak

8.

If dogs bark and bears growl, what do apes do?

Gibber

1.

In 1955 Christian Dior used the term 'A line' to describe his new range of flared skirts, but what letter did he use to describe his range of pencil skirts?

H Line

2.

In FBI mythology when the gangster George 'Machine Gun' Kelly was arrested in 1933, he shouted a phrase which became a nickname for FBI agents.  What was it?

G Men

3.

What name was given by the Allies to the motor torpedo boats used by the Germans in World War Two?

E Boats

4.

What government method of media control was introduced in 1912?

The D notice

(requesting editors not to publish news items which might affect national security)

5.

Which play concerning a fictional climbing tragedy was written by W H Auden and Christopher Isherwood in 1936?

The Ascent of F6

6.

What female hairstyle made its first appearance in 1958?

The B52

(also allow Beehive as the answer  because it does sound like a letter)

7.

Which German weapon was first used against Britain in September 1944?

The V2

8.

What is the alternative name of Mount Godwin-Austin (the second highest mountain in the world)?

K2

ROUND 7 - Themed answers

So you're prepared to moon for the Blues! The answer to each question includes the surname (or near spelling) of a member of the Manchester City 1969 FA Cup Final squad

1.

Who assassinated Abraham Lincoln?

John Wilkes Booth

(Tommy Booth)

2.

Who was the commander in chief of the Confederate Armies in the American Civil War?

Robert E Lee

(Francis Lee)

3.

Which character was played by Martin Shaw in the long-running TV series between 1977 and 1983?

Doyle (in The Professionals)

(Mike Doyle)

4.

What is the name of Sylvia Plath's only full length novel?

The Bell Jar

(Colin Bell)

5.

Which horse race, run at Epsom, takes its name from the Earl of Derby's residence at Carshalton?

The Oaks

(Alan Oakes)

6.

What is the name of the Canadian born songwriter and former member of the groups Buffalo Springfield and Crazy Horse who has recently been christened the 'Godfather of Grunge'?

Neil Young

(Neil Young)

7.

What phrase describes the archaic method of excommunication which was introduced by the Catholic Church in the 9th century?  It was also the title of a 1958 film starring James Stewart and Kim Novak.

Bell, Book and Candle

(Tony Book)

8.

What was the name of the journalist who wrote the Cassandra column in the Daily Mirror from the 1930s to the 1960s?

William Connor

(Dave Connor was the substitute)

1.

To within 5 years each way, how long did the One Hundred Years War last?

116

(1337-1453; so allow 111 to 121)

2.

Which sports legend was known as the Sultan of Swat?

Babe Ruth

3.

What was the name of the MP found to have claimed a duck house on his expenses?

Sir Peter Viggers

4.

The Poll Tax of 1275 led to the widespread introduction of what in England?

Surnames

5.

Name three of the four men who immediately preceded Charles Kennedy as leader of the Liberal Party.

(three from) Jo Grimmond,  Jeremy Thorpe, David Steele and Paddy Ashdown

6.

Which forename is shared by John Lennon and Gary Linneker?

Winston

(both have it as their middle name)

7.

According to legend, which plant screams when it is pulled from the ground?

Mandrake

8.

In which year was the National Lottery introduced?

1994

1.

In Star Trek Voyager what race did Turok belong to?

The Vulcans

2.

What company has recently made a takeover bid for Cadburys?

Kraft

3.

What was the name of O J Simpson's wife who was murdered in 1994?

Nicole Brown Simpson

4.

Three acts have had British hits with the song Always On My Mind.  Name two of them.

(two from) Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson and The Pet Shop Boys

5.

Who was the first American President to have been a divorcee?

Ronald Regan

6.

Name three of the four leaders of the Labour Party between Tony Blair and the last leader before him to win a General Election.

(three from) Jim Callaghan, Michael Foot, Neil Kinnock and John Smith