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Quiz about Famous People Linked to Leicestershire
Quiz about Famous People Linked to Leicestershire

Famous People Linked to Leicestershire Quiz


Partly because of its central location, Leicestershire has figured large in the history of England. Over the centuries there have been many famous people that have a link with the county. How many can you recognise?

A multiple-choice quiz by romeomikegolf. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
269,943
Updated
Jul 23 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
713
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
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Question 1 of 10
1. This comic actor was born in the Leicestershire in 1941. He is most closely associated with a group of anarchic comedians. His father may have been a hamster, and his mother may have smelled of elderberries. Who is he? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Our second person was a playwright during the early and mid years of the 1960s. His lover murdered him in August 1967. His plays were mainly risqué black comedies. What was his name? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Although born in the neighbouring county of Derbyshire, this strict Baptist started his business in Leicester in 1841. He suffered one bankruptcy, but persisted in his efforts. His son joined the company. His first endeavor was to arrange for a group of temperance campaigners to travel from Leicester to Loughborough. The company still bears his name. Who was he? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. This celebrity was not born within the county. He was born in Cambridge, but he spent his childhood in Leicester where his father was principal of University College. He is one of the 'greats' of British stage and screen. What is his name? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. This person has been the subject of a movie. He was born in August 1862 and died just four months before his 28th birthday. At the age of five years old he developed a disease that was to plague him for the rest of his short life. Due to a mistake in an early book about him people think his name was John. What was his true given name? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. This author is a famous woman who was born in Leicester in 1946. She left school at the age of 15 and had a succession of dead end jobs. She began writing seriously at the age of 35. Her first, and most popular, book was published in 1982. It recounts the day-to-day life of a teenage boy through the pages of his diary. Who is she?

Answer: ( Two words, or just surname)
Question 7 of 10
7. This famous woman was born into a wealthy family who had an estate just to the north of Leicester. She was the Great Niece of Henry VIII. She was both married and became Queen in 1553. She later lost her head to the executioner's axe. Who was this unfortunate woman? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. This historical male figure was around in the 13th century. He was created 6th Earl of Leicester by Henry III, and was godfather to the man who would eventually be crowned Edward I. There is a concert hall named in his honour and a relief of his head hangs on the wall of the Chamber of the US House of Representatives. Who is this much-revered man? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. In the 20th century C.P. Snow is best known as an author and physicist. He was also involved in politics.


Question 10 of 10
10. This Leicestershire man was born the son of a farm manager in 1586. He won a scholarship to Cambridge where he studied Theology. He became a Puritan, and because of this left England for Holland and then to New England in 1633. He was one of the founders of The Colony of Connecticut. What is his name? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. This comic actor was born in the Leicestershire in 1941. He is most closely associated with a group of anarchic comedians. His father may have been a hamster, and his mother may have smelled of elderberries. Who is he?

Answer: Graham Chapman

"He's not the Messiah, he's a very naughty boy." Chapman was born in Leicester in 1941. He studied medicine at Cambridge, and qualified at Barts, but he never practiced medicine professionally. Whilst at Cambridge he was a member of Footlights, and there he first met John Cleese. Sadly, he passed away in 1989.
2. Our second person was a playwright during the early and mid years of the 1960s. His lover murdered him in August 1967. His plays were mainly risqué black comedies. What was his name?

Answer: Joe Orton

Orton was born to a working class family in 1933. He escaped the poverty of his upbringing by winning a scholarship to RADA at the age of 18. His most well known works include "Loot", "What The Butler Saw" and "Entertaining Mr Sloan". Kenneth Halliwell murdered him on August 9, 1967. Halliwell committed suicide shortly afterwards.
3. Although born in the neighbouring county of Derbyshire, this strict Baptist started his business in Leicester in 1841. He suffered one bankruptcy, but persisted in his efforts. His son joined the company. His first endeavor was to arrange for a group of temperance campaigners to travel from Leicester to Loughborough. The company still bears his name. Who was he?

Answer: Thomas Cook

Thomas Cook 'invented' excursions whilst traveling to a temperance meeting via coach. He approached the railway company and arranged a fixed price ticket, which included food for the journey. This first trip was just 11 miles long, but he was soon organising longer trips.

He went bankrupt in 1846, while taking 350 people from Leicester on a tour of Scotland. He finally became successful when, he claimed, he arranged for over 165000 people to attend the Great Exhibition.
4. This celebrity was not born within the county. He was born in Cambridge, but he spent his childhood in Leicester where his father was principal of University College. He is one of the 'greats' of British stage and screen. What is his name?

Answer: Richard Attenborough

Richard and his brother David were both educated at Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys. They also have a younger brother, James, who became an executive at Alfa Romeo. There is very little to say about 'Dickie' that isn't already very well known. His interest in the theatre stems from his mother who was President of the Leicester Little Theatre.
5. This person has been the subject of a movie. He was born in August 1862 and died just four months before his 28th birthday. At the age of five years old he developed a disease that was to plague him for the rest of his short life. Due to a mistake in an early book about him people think his name was John. What was his true given name?

Answer: Joseph Merrick

Joseph Carey Merrick became known as The Elephant Man. It was originally thought that Merrick suffered from Elephantiasis, hence the name, but it was discovered in 2003, using DNA samples, that he almost certainly had Proteus Syndrome.

He died of suffocation while sleeping, apparently trying to sleep as a 'normal' person could.

You can read about him at: http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic1912.htm
6. This author is a famous woman who was born in Leicester in 1946. She left school at the age of 15 and had a succession of dead end jobs. She began writing seriously at the age of 35. Her first, and most popular, book was published in 1982. It recounts the day-to-day life of a teenage boy through the pages of his diary. Who is she?

Answer: Sue Townsend

Susan Lillian Townsend based "The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4", apparently, on her children's experiences at secondary school. She wrote several sequels.
7. This famous woman was born into a wealthy family who had an estate just to the north of Leicester. She was the Great Niece of Henry VIII. She was both married and became Queen in 1553. She later lost her head to the executioner's axe. Who was this unfortunate woman?

Answer: Jane Grey

Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days Queen, was the daughter of Henry Grey, the Marques of Dorset and later Duke of Suffolk and Frances Brandon, the daughter of Henry VIII's sister, Mary. Jane was born sometime in October 1537. John Dudley Duke of Northumberland forced her marriage, and the taking of the Crown upon her.

She was executed on February 12, 1554 at the tender age of just 16. The ruins of the family estate can still be seen and visited at Bradgate Park.
8. This historical male figure was around in the 13th century. He was created 6th Earl of Leicester by Henry III, and was godfather to the man who would eventually be crowned Edward I. There is a concert hall named in his honour and a relief of his head hangs on the wall of the Chamber of the US House of Representatives. Who is this much-revered man?

Answer: Simon DeMontfort

Simon DeMontfort was born in 1208 to a noble family of French descent. At first a supporter of Henry III he later opposed him. After a Baronial revolt in 1263/64 he became the defacto ruler of England. He called the first directly elected Parliament to session in Leicester.

He is regarded as one of the founders of democracy. He died at the Battle of Evesham in 1265. He was originally buried in the abbey, but his remains were later moved out of the church on the orders of the King. A memorial stone was placed at the original site 700 years later.
9. In the 20th century C.P. Snow is best known as an author and physicist. He was also involved in politics.

Answer: True

Snow was born in Leicester in 1905 and attended University College in the city, at a period just a few years before Richard Attenborough's father was Principle. He later went on to Cambridge. He held several positions within the UK Government between 1940 and 1966.

He was knighted in 1957 and made Baron Snow of the City of Leicester in 1964. He published several works of both fiction and none fiction between 1940 and 1981. Shortly after his death in 1980, "The Physicists" was published.
10. This Leicestershire man was born the son of a farm manager in 1586. He won a scholarship to Cambridge where he studied Theology. He became a Puritan, and because of this left England for Holland and then to New England in 1633. He was one of the founders of The Colony of Connecticut. What is his name?

Answer: Thomas Hooker

Although all four men are listed as founders of Connecticut, it was Hooker who came from Leicestershire. Shortly after his arrival in the Colonies he was appointed Pastor of Newtown, Massachusetts, (Newtown is now Cambridge). In 1636, Hooker led his congregation west from Newtown, finally settling in Hertford.
Source: Author romeomikegolf

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor DakotaNorth before going online.
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