Among My Souvenirs from 1978 Trivia Quiz

Answer: May Day

Mayday celebrations were a part of British life for many years, with dancing round the maypole and Queen of the May elections being held in most villages. It was not however an official Bank Holiday until 1 May 1978. In many countries this is celebrated as International Workers' Day, or Labour Day.

The holiday rarely falls on 1 May as it is always held on the first Monday in May, whatever date this happens to be.

Answer: Anna Ford

Although widely regarded as the first female newsreader on ITN Anna Ford was not in fact the first woman to do that job. On 23 September 1955, the second day of broadcast of the newly established ITV station, Barbara Mandell read the news. It was her one and only appearance. Anna Ford was the first regular female newsreader for ITN.

It is also a common misconception that Angela Rippon was the first to do this job on BBC, but that honour actually goes to Nan Winton, who read the news on 20 June 1960.

Answer: Liverpool

Designed by Giles Gilbert Scott, who, ironically, was a Catholic, the foundation stone of Liverpool's Anglican cathedral was laid by King Edward VII in 1904. The Lady Chapel opened in 1910, and the building was consecrated in 1924. However, no services were held there till 1940. Construction continued with the tower being largely completed by 1942. World War II intervened, as did inflation, so it was not until 1978 that the building finally arrived at practical completion stage.

Answer: The Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands are made up of nearly a thousand separate islands and are thought to have been inhabited by the Melanesian people for hundreds, possibly thousands of years. The British first established a protectorate there in the 1890s. The islands were the scene of some bitter World War Two battles, including that of Guadalcanal.

They achieved self government in 1976, followed by independence in 1978.

Answer: Keith Moon

Keith Moon, legendary drummer of The Who, was always a wild man. Dubbed "Moon the Loon", his exploits involving trashing hotel rooms, drinking, drug taking and general hell raising were impressive, even in an age where such excesses were expected from those living the "rock and roll" lifestyle.

Inevitably though it all went too far, and he died in his sleep, on 7 September 1978, of an overdose of a drug prescribed to combat alcohol withdrawal symptoms. He will always be remembered as one of the greatest rock drummers of all time.

Answer: Parliament

The broadcasting of parliamentary proceedings started on radio in 1978. MPs were still not ready to let television cameras into the Commons, but in April 1978 they gave in to pressures to let parliament be more open, and regular radio broadcasts started.

It was not until 1985 that television coverage of the House of Lords started on a six month trial basis, and the House of Commons remained television free until 1989, when a trial period began, which became permanent in July 1990.

Answer: Stabbed with a poisoned umbrella tip

In one of the most bizarre incidents of the Cold War, Georgi Markov was stabbed with a poisoned umbrella tip whilst waiting for a bus in Waterloo Road. He died three days later of ricin poisoning. The Bulgarian dissident was a great supporter of, and writer for, Radio Free Europe and had received various warnings about threats against his life. For many years the identity of his assassin was a mystery, but in 2005 journalist Hristo Hristov named him as Francesco Gullino, a renowned Danish assassin often used by the Soviets. Mr Gullino's whereabouts remain a mystery.

Answer: Naomi James

Naomi James was possibly an unlikely single handed sailor as in her youth she suffered from sea sickness. However, in 1978 she completed the first single handed round the world trip by a woman, and also cut 2 days of the record set by Francis Chichester in the process.

Hers was not however the first female non stop circumnavigation, she made stops along the way. The first non stop trip was not done until 1988, by Kay Cottee of Australia. Naomi James was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 1979.

Answer: Douglas Adams

Written by Douglas Adams "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" started life as a radio comedy for BBC Radio 4. It became an instant cult success and has spawned a television series, five books, a film, stage shows and computer games. Originally designed to be just a six episode serial it received such an overwhelming audience reaction that a second series was hastily commissioned.
The rest, as they say, is history.

Answer: Louise Brown

Once the stuff of science fiction, "test tube babies" became reality with the birth of Louise Brown in 1978. In fact the term is somewhat misleading, as the baby is not born in a test tube. Instead an egg is fertilised outside of the womb, and then implanted back into the mother to be carried naturally. Since Louise many thousands of babies have been born using this method. Louise Brown has now grown up and has become a mother herself.