Britain in the 1950s Trivia Quiz

Answer: Metal fatigue

The De Havilland Comet entered service in 1952 but in 1954 two crashes caused the air worthiness licence to be withdrawn. After the Royal Navy managed to recover the majority of parts from the first crash, which occured in the Mediterranean Sea, the plane was reassembled and thoroughly tested.

It was discovered that metal fatigue, caused by the pressurising and depressurising of the cabin, was the problem. After extensive modifications, which included redesigning the shape of the portholes, the Comet once again started carrying passengers and became one of the most succesful airliners to have been built in Britain.

Answer: A stone

The Stone of Scone, also known as the Coronation Stone, was stolen by four Scottish Students and taken to Scotland.

In 1951 the stone was found and returned to Westminster Abbey. However it was returned to Scotland in 1996, where it is kept at Edinburgh Castle, only returning to London when required for a Coronation.

Answer: 5

Labour won the 1950 General Election by just 5 seats. They remained in power until October 1951 when the Conservatives won.

Answer: First sub four minute mile

Roger Bannister completed the first sub four minute mile at Iffley Road Track, Oxford, aided by pacemakers Chris Chataway and Chris Brasher. Although this record was a significant milestone in athletics, it was broken 46 days later by John Landy of Australia.

Answer: Did not enter

The first Eurovision Song Contest was held in Switzerland in 1956.

There were seven countries involved, each country submitting two entries. The United Kingdom were prevented from entering as they registered their intent after the deadline for entries had expired.

Switzerland won the competition. This was the only time countries were required to submit two songs each. In in the following year, entries were restricted to one song per country.

Answer: First programme to be transmitted by ITV

Until 1955 the U.K. had only ONE TV channel - which is now BBC1.

After a short 4 minute trailer, commercial television in the UK started with an outside broadcast from The Guildhall in London.

Comprising of speeches welcoming the advent of commercial television, interviews with guests and a performance by the Halle Orchestra, the programme lasted for 45 minutes.

Answer: British Grand Prix

In 1955 Stirling Moss won the British Grand Prix at the Aintree Race Track. Mike Hawthorne, another British driver, finished sixth.

Answer: 8

The plane, an Airspeed Ambassador, crashed on takeoff at Munich whilst attempting to return to England.

United had played Red Star Belgrade in the European Cup and had stopped at Munich for re-fuelling. Seven Manchester United players were killed outright and the eighth, Duncan Edwards, died of his injuries two weeks later.

The crash was caused by slush at the end of the runway although initially it was thought to have been caused by ice on the wings.

The club Secretary, Chief Coach and Trainer were also killed in the crash.

Answer: Empire Windrush

The Empire Windrush, carrying 1,500 passengers and crew members, had an engine room explosion which resulted in a fire which took out most of the ships power. Consequently many of the lifeboats could not be launched.

What occurred afterwards was one of the successful maritime rescues of all time. Approximately 1000 of the passengers were wounded servicemen returning from Korea and many of them, clad in their night attire had to take to the water. Some spent over six hours in the water before being recsued.

The only deaths that occurred were four crew members in the engine room.

The ship was eventually taken into tow bound for Gibralter but sank the next day due to bad weather.

The Empire Windrush was famous for being the first ship to transport West Indian immigrants to the UK in 1948. 480 people landed in the UK from the West Indies, all hoping to start a new life in this country.

Answer: 63,000

Approxomatley 63,00 British troops fought in the Korean War which lasted from 1950 to 1953. There was 1,078 killed, 2,764 wounded and 1,060 missing in action or prisoners of war.

Although a cease fire was agreed the hostilities have not, technically, finished and therefore a "state of war" still exists between North and South Korea.

Answer: Princess Margaret

In 1955 Princess Margaret announced that she had called off her plans to marry Group Captain Townsend. As Group Captain Townsend was divorced then Princess Margaret would have to have sought permission from her elder sister, the Queen, if she was below the age of 25, or seek permission from Parliament if she was over 25 years old.
As it was she was two months older than 25 and Parliament had already declared their intent that they would not give permission for her to marry.
This left the Princess with two options, to give up all of her rights and privileges as a member of the Royal family, or to call the marriage off.

Answer: Anthony Eden

Sir Anthony Eden was the Prime Minister at the time of the Suez Crisis in 1956.
In November, British, French and Israeli forces invaded Egypt and took control of the Suez Canal, but not before Egypt had sunk 40 ships in the Canal, thereby preventing its use.

Eisenhower placed considerable economic pressure on Britain by threatening to sell America's British Reserves thereby forcing down the pound. Saudi Arabia and other Arab Countries refused to sell Britain oil and America refused to make up the shortfall.

Troops were withdrawn in December, and Eden, already suffering from ill health, resigned in January 1957. He was replaced by Harold Macmillan.

Answer: Christopher Craig

Christopher Craig served ten years for his part in the murder of a policeman during an attempted robbery.
His partner in crime, Derek Bentley, was executed for the murder of the policeman although it was accepted that he did not fire the gun. Chrsitopher Craig, at that time, was too young to be executed. In 1998 the Appeal Court overturned the verdict in Derek Bentley's trial declaring that the original trial was unsafe and prejudiced.

Timothy Evans was executed for the murder of his wife and daughter although John Christie subsequently confessed to the wife's murder. To this day it is not known who murdered the baby but many people believed that Timothy Evans was innocent. Evans was granted a posthumous pardon in 1966.

John Christie was charged with the murder of six woman,including Timothy Evans' wife, the bodies being found in the house and gardens of 10 Rillington Place. He was subsequently executed.

Answer: Bert Trautmann

Bert Trautmann, Manchester City,s goalkeeper was knocked out in a collision with a Birmingham City player. As there was no suitable substitute available, Bert continued playing for the final 15 minutes and it was not until 3 days later that it was discovered that he had broken his neck.

Manchester City beat Birmingham by three goals to one.

Answer: Rationing

In June 1954 the last items to be rationed during World War Two, meat and bacon, became freely available to the public, whilst one month earlier butter, cheese, margarine and cooking fat rationing was ended, thus terminating a 14 year period of Ration Card usage by the British people.