Best of the Best: Famous English Quiz

Answer: Horatio Nelson

A respected leader during the Napoleonic Wars, Admiral Nelson was injured in battle on several occasions, losing an arm at Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and the sight in one eye at Corsica. After winning decisive victories against Napoleon at the Battle of the Nile and against the Danes at the Battle of Copenhagen, Nelson was killed by a sharpshooter at his greatest victory, the Battle of Trafalgar. Today he his considered to be one of England's greatest heroes.

Answer: Robert Baden-Powell

Robert Baden-Powell, a lieutenant-general in the British army, organized the Scout Movement after successfully serving in India and Africa. It is said that at the beginning of WWI, Baden-Powell, then fifty-seven years old, offered his services; however, he received no command. Lord Kitchener, the Secretary of State for War, said "he could lay his hand on several competent divisional generals but could find no one who could carry on the invaluable work of the Boy Scouts." An artist who drew nearly every day, Baden-Powell drew propaganda posters during this time, like the one seen in the picture.

Some believe he also did intelligence work for the government over the course of the war.

Answer: Stephen Hawking

An Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society, Hawking is well-known for his book "A Brief History of Time", which sold more than 10 million copies in 20 years. Translated into thirty-five languages, the book remained on the London "Sunday Times" bestseller list for over four years. Recently, Hawking has appeared on several popular shows, including an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation", as well as "The Big Bang Theory".

Answer: Boudica

Queen Boudica's husband was an independent ally of Rome; when he died, he left his kingdom to his daughters and to the Roman emperor. Nevertheless, his will was overturned, and the kingdom was annexed. Over the course of Boudica's rebellion, it is estimated that 80,000-100,000 Romans were killed, and the cities of London and Verulamium were burned and destroyed.

While Nero was considering a withdrawal, Roman forces won the Battle of Watling Street, confirming Roman superiority in the region. It is believed that soon after, Boudica either became sick and died or committed suicide to avoid capture.

Answer: John Wesley

Although he is known as the "founder of Methodism", John Wesley remained in the Anglican Church, believing that Methodism could exist within its framework. He organized small groups in Great Britain, Ireland, and North America, that were known for a belief in strict personal accountability and discipleship. Traveling ministers then were assigned to preach to the groups and care for them. Methodists became ardent supporters of prison reform as well as the abolition of slavery.

After his death, the Methodist Church split from the Anglican Church, largely due to a disagreement over Wesley ordaining preachers in North America who were then allowed to administer the sacraments.

Answer: Sir Edward Elgar

Edward Elgar, a self-taught composer, wrote orchestral compositions, and concertos for violin and cello, as well as two symphonies. Brought up in a musical household, (his father, William, had become a violinist after beginning as a piano tuner and owner of a music store), Elgar turned to music as a career, after deciding that he didn't like working in an office.

He worked in his father's music store and gave piano and violin lessons, eventually marrying one of his students. Although he worked as a band conductor and professor of violin, he slowly acquired a reputation as a composer, both in England and on the continent.

In 1904 he was knighted after an unprecedented three day festival of his works was held in Covent Garden. In the Coronation Honours of King George V, he was appointed to the Order of Merit.

Answer: William Caxton

Caxton is believed to be the first English person to work as a printer, as well as the first English retailer of printed books. After moving to Bruges in 1453, Caxton became governor of the Company of Merchant Adventurers of London. Further travels in Europe took him to Cologne, where he came into contact with the German printing industry.

He set up a printing press in Bruges, and printed his translation of "Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye", the first book printed in English, but abroad (1473).

It is believed that the first book was printed in England in 1476; it was an edition of "The Canterbury Tales".

Answer: Sir Walter Raleigh

After receiving a royal patent from Queen Elizabeth I, Walter Raleigh became one of the first Englishmen to have the right to explore the area called Virginia. The charter was given for a period of seven years, during which time Raleigh was to establish a settlement.

More interested in looking for El Dorado in South America, Raleigh provided for the establishment of Roanoke Colony, which eventually inexplicably disappeared. Being a favorite of the Queen did not protect him from punishment; he was sent to the Tower of London after marrying one of her ladies-in-waiting without permission.

Interestingly, he was released after the capture of the "Madre de Deus", a Portuguese ship with a valuable cargo, to help divide the loot, but returned to the Tower when the job was completed! After the death of the Queen, Raleigh was arrested for treason as part of the plot to kill James I and was eventually beheaded.

Although many speculate on the validity of the claim that Raleigh introduced the potato to Europe, it is agreed that he did popularize the use of tobacco.

Answer: Charles Babbage

It is said that when Babbage entered Trinity College at Cambridge, he was more advanced in mathematics than his tutors! At the age of twenty-five he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, and four years later helped to establish the group that became the Royal Astronomical Society.

Called "the Father of Computing", Babbage's "Difference Engine No.1" would have been a successful automatic calculator; unfortunately, lack of funding or governmental backing meant that Babbage's calculating machines was not constructed during his lifetime.

Answer: Emmeline Pankhurst

Although historians disagree concerning the wisdom of some of her tactics, Emmeline Pankhurst did help gain English women the right to vote. Supported by her husband, Richard Pankhurst, she organized the unsuccessful Women's Franchise League. After his death she founded the Women's Social and Political Union, which was known for illegal activities, such as assaulting police officers and even arson! Members of the group were repeatedly given prison sentences, and were known for staging hunger strikes.

The group's activities were suspended when WWI broke out; afterwards Pankhurst formed the Women's Party. Sadly, she died a few weeks before the Representation of the People Act extended suffrage to all women over the age of twenty-one on July 2, 1928.