(WithQuiz-style) ROUND 1 – General Knowledge

1.

What is known in Glasgow as ‘The Clockwork Orange’?

The underground rail system

2.

An attempt by anarchists to blow up the Greenwich observatory inspired which 1907 novel?

The Secret Agent (by Joseph Conrad)

3.

Which one word connects the Guardian newspaper, JFK and the inventor of the gramophone?

Berliner (format, famous self assessment, surname)

4.

In the TV series Porridge which actor played the slightly psychopathic Glaswegian Black Jock?

Tony Osaba

5.

Perhaps fittingly, who or what was Noel le Mare’s most famous possession?

Red Rum

6.

In which English county would you find a stone circle called Long Meg and her Daughters?

Cumbria

7.

When asked why he wanted to climb Mount Everest, who gave the famous reply “because it’s there”?

George Mallory

8.

What was Mo Mowlam’s first name?

Marjorie

9.

In which North West town would you find one of England’s oldest pubs, the 12th century Ye Olde Man and Scythe, situated on Churchgate?

Bolton

10.

“There’s a killer on the road, his brain is squirming like a toad” is a line from which famous rock song?

Riders on the Storm (by The Doors)

11.

In 2007 what was Gianpaolo Pazzini’s sporting first?

He scored the first competitive goal at the new Wembley Stadium (for the Italian Under 21 team v England)

12.

Which instrument opens George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue?

The clarinet

(WithQuiz-style) ROUND 2 – Stockport v Manchester

Alternate questions on Stockport and Manchester to test the contestants’ knowledge of their opponents’ backyard

1.

How many million bricks were used in the building of the Stockport viaduct?

Eleven million

2.

In the early 1950s who was the jovial landlord of a pub on Manchester Road, Hollinwood called Help The Poor Struggler?

Albert Pierrepoint (also part time jovial hangman)

3.

Which social philosopher and reformer wrote in 1844:

“Stockport is renowned as one of the duskiest and smokiest holes in the whole of the industrial north”?

Friedrich Engels (the title is currently held by the White Swan in Ladybarn)

4.

Which two closely linked pioneers are commemorated by separate blue plaques, one at 6 Kingswood Road, Fallowfield and the other at 6 Oswald Road, Chorlton?

Alcock and Brown

5.

In 1260 which future monarch granted a charter to the town of Stockport to hold a weekly market - a market that is still being held 747 years later?

King Edward I

6.

Which poetically named pub in Manchester city centre takes its name from the title of a George Orwell essay?

The Moon Under Water (on Deansgate)

7.

Which writer and poet, famous for his Berlin novels of the 1930s, was born 103 years ago in Disley?

Christopher Isherwood

8.

What enduring brand was first concocted on Granby Row, Manchester by John Nichols in 1908 and is celebrated today by a nearby sculpture just in front of one of the UMIST buildings?

Vimto

9.

Which marvellous Stockport building first opened its doors to the public on Saturday October 8th 1932?

The Plaza Cinema

10.

Which architect designed the equally marvellous Gorton Monastery?

A W Pugin

11.

(Picture) In which 14th century building, 4 miles south of Stockport, would you would you find this carving?

Bramall Hall

12.

(Picture) Ecclesiastical scholars come from far and wide to pay homage to this exquisite frontage - but can you name the Manchester city centre church in the background?

St. Anne’s Church, Deansgate

(unfortunately the young lady was unable to obtain an audience with Fr Megson as he was busy setting this bloody quiz at the time)

(WithQuiz-style) ROUND 3 – Themed

“They think it’s all Irish – it is now”

1.

Give the date on which the Irish cricket team defeated Pakistan in the 2007 World Cup?

March 17th (St Patrick’s day)

2.

Which Englishman has recently been appointed the Chief Executive Officer of Galway United football club?

Nick Leeson

3.

An obituary for which Irish politician contained the following tribute from a fellow politician:

“He took me under his wing.  He became my mentor.  He taught me everything I have no recollection of.”?

Charles Haughey

4.

Which controversial Dubliner (1923-1964) described himself rather wonderfully as: “A drinker with a writing problem”?

Brendan Behan

5.

According to the song of the same name which ship “Carried bricks from Cork to New York in eighteen hundred and six”?

The Irish Rover

6.

“As I was goin’ over the Cork and Kerry mountains I met with Captain Farrell and his money he was countin' ”  is the first line of which well known Irish ballad?

Whiskey In The Jar

7.

The Reverend Ian Paisley was recently magnanimous enough to shake the hand of the head of government in Dublin.  You now have the equally daunting task of spelling correctly the word Taoiseach. Away ye go!

T – a – o – i – s – e – a – c – h

8.

In an equally perverted mode, we would like you to take the name of a South East Asian country and add the letter ‘i’ to its middle to give the name of an Irish county.

(County) Laois

9.

What was Enoch Powell’s last constituency (full name please)?

South Down

10.

And what was Bobby Sand’s very briefly held constituency (full name again please)?

Fermanagh and South Tyrone

11.

If you drove from Dublin to Cork using only coastal roads you would pass through 3 coastal counties all beginning with the same letter.  Name any 2 of these.

(Any 2 of) Wicklow, Wexford or Waterford

12.

If you sailed due west from the Isle of Man you would arrive in which Irish county?

County Down

(WithQuiz-style) ROUND 4

“Not quite so General Knowledge”

1.

The leading character in which 1986 BBC historical drama was called Percy Topliss?

The Monocled Mutineer

2.

Which 1985 BBC drama was written by Troy Kennedy Martin and starred Bob Peck and Joanne Whalley?

Edge of Darkness

3.

In the English football league, if League 2  was decided alphabetically this season, which team would finish as champions?

Accrington Stanley

4.

Name the two non-league clubs competing in the Blue Star Premier League this season that are within a stone’s throw of Stockport.

Altrincham and Droylsden

5.

Whose official residence in the USA is Number 1, Observatory Circle?

The Vice President

6.

What unfortunate fate befell Alexander Hamilton in 1804 and Harry Whittington in 2006?

Both were shot by the Vice President of the USA (in a duel with Aaron Burr and while duck shooting with Dick Cheney)

7.

The Chinese pictorial symbol for which seven letter word depicts two women under a single roof?

Trouble

8.

Which word featured on all decimal coins from their introduction in 1971 but was removed in 1982?

New

9.

Give the year:

The Kray twins are sent down for life;

Scientists first fertilise a human egg in a test tube;

Monty Python makes his TV debut…..

which proves too much for Ho Chi Minh who dies in protest.

1969

10.

Name the year again:

The Prevention of Terrorism act is passed at Westminster;

Princess Anne escapes a kidnap attempt;

McDonalds open their first UK outlet….

thereby forcing Lord Lucan to go into hiding.

1974

11.

Pictures of Lily by The Who and Turning Japanese by The Vapours .  Not much connection there, you might think.  But the lyrics of both songs were said to be inspired by which activity?

Masturbation (not sure what they call it in Stockport)

12.

Moving on swiftly - but somewhat tenuously linked to the previous answer - which film from the 1960s opens with the drunken hero being arrested and sent to a prison camp for beheading municipal parking meters?

Cool Hand Luke

(Stockport-style) ROUND 5 – Verbal Round

1.

What sort of animal is a kudu?

Antelope

2.

Which Preston-born poet served as an ambulance driver during World War I and wrote poems such as Rhymes of a Rolling Stone and The Shooting of Dangerous Dan McGrew?

Robert Service

3.

What is the scientific term to describe light deflecting when it travels from one medium to another - e.g. from air to water?

Refraction

4.

Who was the Greek goddess of fruit, crops and vegetation associated with the Roman goddess Ceres?

Demeter

5.

What is the name of the infamous character vilified in the 1960s for the exploitation of his tenants in Paddington?

Peter Rachman

6.

What name describes a mediaeval knight who travelled around in search of adventures?

Knight Errant

7.

What was the nickname of the 17^th/18^th century politician Charles Townshend, given him on account of his support for agricultural improvements including crop rotation?

Turnip Townshend

8.

According to legend where was King Arthur’s birthplace?

Tintagel Castle

9.

He died in April this year and was the last person to gain full caps for England at both Cricket and Football.  Who was he?

Arthur Milton

10.

In which year was the U2 reconnaissance aircraft, piloted by Gary Powers, shot down by the USSR?

1960

11.

Which group of post-impressionist painters specializing in contemporary London scenes was founded by Walter Sickert in 1911?

Camden Town Group

12.

Which group had a number 11 hit in January 1966 with their cover version of the song Girl from the Beatles' Rubber Soul album?

St Louis Union

13.

What is the name of the prophesied redeemer of Islam (meaning ‘Guided One’), who Muslims believe will change the world into a perfect and just Islamic society?

The Mahdi

14.

What was the nickname of Henry Hunt, the 18th/19th century radical agitator, given him due to his outspoken advocacy for parliamentary reform and the repeal of the Corn Laws?

Orator Hunt

15.

Name the 17th century English Cavalier poet who was twice jailed for his support of the king whose most notable collection was entitled The Lucasta Poems.