A Trivia Pot Pourri Trivia Quiz

Answer: Jack Russell Terrier

The 'Jack Russell' breed is descended from the now extinct white English terrier. Reverend Russell, as an undergraduate at Oxford University was a hunting enthusiast who saw the need for a hunting dog that was mainly white in order to distinguish it from its prey (foxes.)

While Reverend Russell was instrumental in creating the breed named for him, no Jack Terrier today can trace their lineage from his breeding stock, as he had to sell them several times.

Answer: Swansea

Abertawe is the second largest city in Wales, and is one of the largest in the United Kingdom (25th). The Welsh people have fought hard to have the Welsh language recognised as the national language of Wales, and all towns are dual-named and signposted. Due to colonisation there are a number of towns named 'Swansea' including Canada and Australia.

The name Aper Tyui has been found in a written record dating from around 1150, and means 'mouth of the Tawe [River]'. The English name Swansea is believed to be from an Old Norse name from a Viking trading post founded by King Sweyn Forkbeard.

Answer: Pectin

Pectin, derived from the Greek word pektikos (meaning congealed or curdled) is a polysaccharide, or carbohydrate which is stored in the cell walls of plants. The sources for most commercially produced pectin mainly come from apple pomace (a by-product of apple juice production) and citrus peel.

Pectin is commonly used as a setting or gelling agent, particularly in jams. It is sometimes combined with citric acid to make an artificial sweetener.

Answer: Henry II

Henry II had an interesting family. His mother, Matilda, had been named as heir by her father, Henry I, after the death of his son in the 'White Ship' disaster. Matilda's cousin, Stephen, seized the throne of England in her absence leading to a civil war. Stephen eventually named Henry II as his heir.

Henry II's wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, had previously been married to the King of France (Louis VII) giving him two daughters. After fifteen years of marriage and no son, the Pope agreed to annul their marriage in 1152. She married Henry, then Duke of Normandy, shortly afterwards. They had a tumultuous marriage, having a total of eight children (five sons and three daughters.) Of his five sons, three became Kings of England: Henry (known as Henry the Younger King, who predeceased his father by six years); Richard I (Richard the Lionheart) and John (John Lackland).

Henry II is also remember for his involvement in the murder of Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December 1170. While Henry was not directly involved in the murder, it was conducted by a number of knights loyal to him.

The term Plantagenet was not used by Henry II to describe his reign or family, it was first used by Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York. 'Plantagenest' was a nickname of his ancestor, Geoffrey, Count of Anjou. It is theorised that the nickname was derived from the Latin name of common broom, genesta. The Plantagenet line is also known as the Angevins, derived from the name of Anjou, referring to the family's landholdings in France.

Answer: First commercial Christmas Card

Sir Henry Cole, who was instrumental in the development of the Penny Post in 1840, commissioned the first Christmas card. The initial print run was for 1000 cards, with Cole selling the excess for 1 shilling each.

The design of the first card featured three scenes, two acts of charity on either side of the main panel "feeding the hungry" and "clothing the naked" with a family party scene, in which three generations (including children) were drinking wine to celebrate the season.

Victorian Christmas cards featured an unusual range of subjects. As well as more Christmas themed designs (nativity and religious themes) other designs featured more macabre designs including dead robins, toddlers tormenting snowmen, and a child boiled in a teapot.

Answer: Tracey Ullman

'Move Over, Darling' was featured in the 1963 American film of the same name, starring Doris Day, James Garner, and Polly Bergen. 'Move Over, Darling' was a remake of a 1940 comedy, 'My Favorite Wife', with Irene Dunne, Cary Grant and Gail Patrick.

It was filmed and released instead of 'Something's Got to Give' which began shooting in 1962, directed by George Cukor and starring Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin and Cyd Charisse. Despite extensive publicity (including the press being invited on set while Marilyn filmed a nude swimming scene), filming was interrupted by Monroe's illnesses several times and she was dismissed from her role in June 1962, two months prior to her death.

Tracey Ullman is multi-talented, having performed as an actor comedian, singer, writer, producer, and director. Her career began on British television sketch comedy shows 'A Kick Up the Eighties' (with Rik Mayall and Miriam Margolyes) and 'Three of a Kind' (with Lenny Henry and David Copperfield).

After relocating to the United States she starred in her own network television comedy series, 'The Tracey Ullman Show', (1987-1990). It was on this show that a famous, four-fingered, yellow skinned family known as 'The Simpsons' made their debut.

Answer: Badminton

Badminton is believed to have developed amongst the officer of the British Army based in India in the 1870's, derived from the existing games of shuttlecock and battledore. The Duke of Beaufort introduced the game at his country estate, Badminton, from where the new sport derived its name.

The Uber Cup is named for Betty Uber, an English player who proposed a women's badminton competition, similar to that of the Thomas Cup, a men's badminton competition.

The Cup was first presented in 1956-7, with the United States being the first country to win it. China has been the most successful country, having won 15 times as of 2020.

Answer: Pineapple

As pineapples were difficult to grow, they became associated with wealth (a single pineapple could cost the equivalent of £5000), and they were available to rent for an evening. There is a painting which shows King Charles II receiving the first pineapple grown on English soil.

Due to this mystique, many buildings incorporated them as part of their architecture. St Paul's Cathedral features pineapples on its towers, and other London churches including Christ Church Greyfriars. Pineapples appear on the pylons at either end of Lambeth Bridge, and feature on many railings of London streets.

Dunmore House in Scotland features a giant pineapple on its roof, and is so delicately carved that water drains away to ensure that the carving is not damaged. Durham Castle feature pineapples on its Black Staircase.

Answer: Crosses

Eleanor died unexpectedly whilst in Lincoln in November 1290. Her body was embalmed at a nearby abbey, before being returned to London to be interred at Westminster Abbey. This journey took 12 days, and Edward ordered a cross to be erected in her memory at each of these resting spots, and construction occurred between 1291-1295.

The crosses stood at Lincoln, Grantham, Stamford, Geddington, Hardingstone, Stony Stratford, Woburn, Dunstable, St Albans, Waltham (now Waltham Cross), Cheapside and Charing (now Charing Cross) in Westminster.

The design of each cross was different, and of the twelve, only three have survived mostly intact: Geddington, Hardingstone and Waltham Cross. Fragments remain of the Lincoln Cross, but the other eight, other than a few fragments, are lost. The largest and most ornate of the twelve was the Charing Cross, which was destroyed in 1647 during the English Civil War, however, a replacement cross was erected in 1865 outside Charing Cross station.

There has been some speculation that as well as acting as a memorial, the crosses also served to mark important medieval cross roads.

Answer: True

A competition was launched by 'Country Life' magazine to identify the oldest continuously occupied home. While there were thousands of entries, many were excluded as they had previously been church or royal property; had been extensively modified; or were used as shops, museums or offices.

Two other properties were close contenders, Berkeley Castle, in Gloucestershire, which was identified as the oldest castle in the hands of the same family, and the oldest timber-framed house is Fyfield Hall in Essex, recently dated to around 1175.