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Quiz about More Oddities From British History

More Oddities From British History Quiz

Of course history is about 'causes and effects', and evolutions on a broad basis and all that, but sometimes the details and the gossip are nice too. Here follow some such 'odd facts' from Britain's history.

A multiple-choice quiz by flem-ish. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
flem-ish

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
56,725

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
5890

Last 3 plays: Guest 67 (10/10), Hmsvictory (7/10), Guest 146 (7/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What were 'scold bridles' used for in the Middle Ages? Hint

to domesticate 'difficult' kids

to domesticate donkeys

to domesticate nagging wives

to domesticate critics of the church

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. What was the name of the tax that was levied in Anglo-Saxon times to keep the Danes at peace? Hint

Danegold

Danemoney

Danesilver

Danegeld

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Question 3 of 10

3. The U.K. military style is largely based on the traditions of its Military Academy. What's the name of that Military Academy? Hint

Sandwich

Saint-Cyrus

Westpoint

Sandhurst

4. Who was a) the youngest general in the British Army in 1937; b) supervisor of the retreat from Dunkirk in 1940; c) Montgomery's co-general at El Alamein; and d) the last British Governor-General of Canada (period from 1946 till 1952)? Hint

Horrocks

Silvertop

Roberts

Alexander

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which of these was used as the address for Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, but did not actually exist in London at the time when the Sherlock Holmes stories were first published? Hint

London Number One

12 Downing Street

221B Baker Street

10 Rillington Place

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Question 6 of 10

6. What was Charles Cunningham Boycott boycotted for by Irish farmers at the end of the 19th century? Hint

speaking up against Home Rule for Ireland

evicting his tenants

because he was a Protestant among Catholics

for insulting the Pope

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Question 7 of 10

7. Whose mom was Jenny Jerome ? Hint

Tony Blair's

Margaret Thatcher's

Winston Churchill's

Jerome Klapka Jerome, the British humorist's

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Question 8 of 10

8. What strange phenomenon in Wiltshire and Hampshire in the 1970s and 1980s was first explained as the 'footprints of interplanetary travellers'? Hint

crop circles

mysterious light circles in the night

human forms drawn in the chalk hills

gigantic foot imprints in the meadows

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Who was the Irish Saint that is reported to have first seen the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland? Hint

Saint Patrick

Saint Brendan

Saint Brigid

Saint Columba

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Question 10 of 10

10. Who was the British woman who made this prophecy: 'Carriages without horses shall go, And accidents fill the world with woe. Around the world thoughts shall fly, In the twinkling of an eye.'? Hint

the Fair Maiden of Kent

Mother Shipton

Juliana of Norwich

Mary Stuart shortly before her execution

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 10 2024 : Guest 67: 10/10
Nov 01 2024 : Hmsvictory: 7/10
Oct 10 2024 : Guest 146: 7/10
Oct 02 2024 : ZWOZZE: 0/10
Sep 29 2024 : Guest 109: 7/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What were 'scold bridles' used for in the Middle Ages?

Answer: to domesticate nagging wives

Women who wagged their tongues a li'l too much were publicly humiliated and ridiculed by having to wear such bridles. The Middle Ages had obviously not heard of any 'Women's Rights' yet. For a pic of a scold bridle:www.corkscrew-balloon.com balloon*99*siena* torture.html (* stands for slash).

2. What was the name of the tax that was levied in Anglo-Saxon times to keep the Danes at peace?

Answer: Danegeld

The word 'geld' is etymologically related to gold and means money in German, Dutch. Just remember the saying from Luther's times: 'Sobald das Geld im Kastchen klingt, die Seele aus dem Fegfeuer springt.' When the money rolls, the soul jumps out of the hellfire.

3. The U.K. military style is largely based on the traditions of its Military Academy. What's the name of that Military Academy?

Answer: Sandhurst

Saint-Cyrus is the French Military Academy.- Sandwich was a popular port long before Dover. -Aldershot is the military camp near which the Military Academy can be found. -And there is no point in telling the world that West Point might be within the U.K., as there must be hundreds of Hollywood films that help us remember it's in the USA.

4. Who was a) the youngest general in the British Army in {1937;} b) supervisor of the retreat from Dunkirk in {1940;} c) Montgomery's co-general at El {Alamein;} and d) the last British Governor-General of Canada (period from 1946 till 1952)?

Answer: Alexander

Silvertop was the British colonel who first entered Antwerp in 1944. An avenue is named after him. Sir Brian Horrocks was a protege of Montgomery, who introduced him to the command of 13th Corps in the western desert.He was Commander of the 30th Corps in the Battle of Normandy, the advance to Brussels, the Arnhem Battle and the drive into Germany.

There are various Generals whose name is Roberts: Charles Duval Roberts, born 1873, South Dakota. James E.Roberts, born in Texas, 1909. Roberts of Kandahar, Pretoria and Waterford, was a British field marshal and outstanding combat leader in the Second Afghan War 1878-1880 etc.

5. Which of these was used as the address for Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, but did not actually exist in London at the time when the Sherlock Holmes stories were first published?

Answer: 221B Baker Street

London Number One was Wellington's address at Apsley House, Hyde Park Corner; Number 10 Rillington Place was where John Reginald Halliday Christie, the infamous murderer of six women lived. Over the years, 12 Downing Street has served various functions. At one time it was the residence of the Chief Whip but later became the government press office.

6. What was Charles Cunningham Boycott boycotted for by Irish farmers at the end of the 19th century?

Answer: evicting his tenants

The whole of Ireland was still part of the U.K. at that time. Because of the bad crops many tenants were unable to pay rent and the situation led to the foundation of the so-called Land League and land reform. Boycott was born at Burgh St.Peter, Norfolk in 1832. He died at Flixton, Suffolk, in 1897.

7. Whose mom was Jenny Jerome ?

Answer: Winston Churchill's

When she married she became Lady Randolph Churchill.Churchill was born in 1874 and died in 1965. More on his ancestors at www.geocities.com*Heartland*Hills*6975*dat29.htm (*stands for slash).

8. What strange phenomenon in Wiltshire and Hampshire in the 1970s and 1980s was first explained as the 'footprints of interplanetary travellers'?

Answer: crop circles

Crop circles are a prank. More information on crop circles at indigo.ie*dcd*frame.htm (*stands for slash. Insert a tilde after the first *).

9. Who was the Irish Saint that is reported to have first seen the Loch Ness Monster in Scotland?

Answer: Saint Columba

St Columba was born c. 521 AD and died on Iona in 597. Saint Brigid was born at Faughart in Co. Louth in 452 AD, less than fifty years after the beginning of St Patrick's missionary activities. St Brendan was born somewhere near Tralee in 484 AD and died at Annaghdown, Co. Galway, aged 93. Saint Brendan saw many monsters during his sea-voyage but he does not seem to have sailed up the Caledonian Canal.

More on him at www.boatmail.net*page19.html (* stands for slash) Saint Patrick was active in 5th century AD.

10. Who was the British woman who made this prophecy: 'Carriages without horses shall go, And accidents fill the world with woe. Around the world thoughts shall fly, In the twinkling of an eye.'?

Answer: Mother Shipton

Mother Shipton was born as Ursula Sonthill in 1485, Norfolk. More on her at www.mothershipton.co.uk*mother.htm and at www.pyramidtle.org*mother.htm. Juliana of Norwich, born c. 1300-d. Sept 29, 1349. The Fair Maiden of Kent: Joan Plantagenet, was married to Edward Plantagenet IV, better known as the Black Prince.

Source: Author flem-ish

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