Sundry 'Kings' Trivia Quiz

Answer: John King

In 1860 Burke and Wills led an expedition of 19 men and camels across unknown terrain from Melbourne in the south to the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north. The outward trek was successful but on the return, there was confusion over supplies and communication. John King (this quiz compiler's great, great uncle) survived with help from the Yantruwanta Aborigines. In all, seven men lost their lives, and only John King travelled the entire expedition and returned alive to Melbourne where he received a hero's welcome.

A good read about the expedition is 'The Dig Tree' by Sarah Murgatroyd. The dig tree was the tree at the camp which marked buried supplies and it has become a popular destination for outback tourists.

Answer: Riley B

In the '50s, B.B King became one of the most important names in R&B. Loyal to his blues heritage, he also kept abreast of modern trends. In 2007 he received a doctor of music degree. His great success has been attributed to the fact that he performed between 200 and 300 shows a year. One of B.B. King's most identifiable trademarks has been his guitar, Lucille. Since 1949 he always gave each guitar this name, adopted when he rescued his Gibson acoustic from a burning building where two men had been fighting over a woman called Lucille.

Answer: King's Lynn

King's Lynn, formerly Bishop's Lynn, is an historic medieval port dating back to the 12th century. Situated on the River Great Ouse, it was an important trading partner within the Hanseatic League with Germany and the Baltics. Salt (from the marshes) and wool were important. Fishing, grain and timber have become the main port trade together with light industry and tourism.

King's Lynn's was home to Captain George Vancouver, born in the town in 1757. His voyages took him most famously to Canada, and both King's Lynn and the city of Vancouver jointly celebrated the 250th anniversary in June 2007.

Answer: Greene King

Brewing in Bury St Edmunds can be traced back to 1086, just 20 years after William the Conqueror. The cerevisiarii, or ale brewers, were mentioned in The Domesday Book as servants of the Abbot of the Great Abbey of St Edmundsbury and thus began a long tradition of ale production.

In 1799 Benjamin Greene (the great-grandfather of the famous writer Graham Greene) first began brewing ales and the Greene and King families (Frederick King had acquired adjoining buildings in 1868) joined forces in 1887. Water from the well sunk into chalk beds under the town, has always been used to produce the famous 'Abbot Ale'.

Answer: Elvis Costello

"King of America" is the tenth album (1986) by the British rock singer Elvis Costello.

Costello had changed his name back to Declan Patrick Aloysius MacManus (Aloysius was a new addition) and so the songs and production are attributed to MacManus, whilst the album itself credited to Elvis Costello. The instrumentals on the album are by 'the Little Hands of Concrete' (L.H.C.) which is how he perceived his guitar playing ability.

Answer: Oberon

Fairies were originally thought of as evil creatures capable of causing illness and misfortune. Shakespeare, however, portrayed them as small delightful fairies who enjoy playing harmless pranks. In " A Midsummer Night's Dream", they play, laugh, dance, sing and love flowers. Their connection with nature being apparent by the names he gave them: Cobweb, Moth, Mustardseed, Peaseblossom.

Oberon was King of the Fairies and his partner, Titania, the Queen. Puck was the mischief-maker.

Answer: Tyrannus tyrannus

The genus Tyrannus is a group of large insect-eating birds of the Tyrant flycatcher family Tyrannidaem.

A large dark flycatcher, the Eastern Kingbird is a common and widespread species in America and Canada, easily recognized by its white tail band and black and white plumage. Often perching in exposed locations such as the tops of trees, fences or wires, it feeds by flying out to catch insects and returning to the same post.

Answer: Scale 6 - quite floury

It has white skin with pink colouration, cream to pale yellow flesh and is excellent for baking, chipping, roasting and mashing.

Potatoes can be split into two different kinds - waxy and floury. Waxy potatoes are translucent and feel moist and pasty. They are good at staying firm and keeping their shape. Floury potatoes are brighter and more granular in appearance with a drier feel. In the UK, potatoes are graded on a scale of 1 - 9 by the British Potato Council.

Answer: 12

King won 71 singles titles, including 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.

Billie Jean King was influential in raising the profile of women in sports and in 1972 protested that her U.S. Open winnings were $15,000 less than men's champion, Ilie Nastase. The next year, the U.S.Open became the first major tennis tournament to offer equal prize money.

Answer: King John

According to popular legend, King John lost his treasure while travelling round the Wash on his way from King's Lynn to Newark in 1216. His wagon train, with soldiers and servants numbering into thousands, took the short cut across the estuary of the Wash. King John himself went via Wisbech which was on higher ground and witnessed the sight of the carriages sinking into the quicksand as the tide came in. Gold and jewels disappeared together with all provisions.