The Hastings Link Trivia Quiz

Answer: William the Conqueror

St. Martin's Abbey (more commonly referred to as Battle Abbey), is a partially ruined complex in the small town of Battle, East Sussex. William the Conqueror vowed to build an abbey on the spot where King Harold fell in battle in 1066. William died before the building was completed.

Some parts of the abbey built between 13th and 16th century are still standing. King Ethelberht ruled Wessex and Kent for 5 years until his death in 866. King Arthur fought against invading Anglo-Saxons sometime in the late 5th to early 6th century. William Rufus, son of William the Conqueror, ruled England from 1087-1100.

Answer: Catherine Cookson

Catherine Cookson was born in South Shields (then part of County Durham) in 1906. Catherine started her writing career in Hastings after joining the Hastings Writers' Group and went on to write almost 100 books. She spent 46 years in Hastings and was married to a local Grammar School teacher. Catherine George was born on the English/Welsh border; Catherine Gaskin and Catherine Gavin were both born in Ireland.

Answer: Aleister Crowley

Aleister Crowley, born Edward Alexander Crowley was a British occultist and writer. He was an influential member in several occult organisations and gained much notoriety during his lifetime. Anton LaVey was born in Chicago in 1930. In April 1966 he declared the founding of the Church of Satan. Israel Regardie was born in London in 1907 and regarded as one of the 20th century's significant occultists.

He became Secretary to Aleister Crowley in 1928. Albert Pike was born in Boston, Massachusetts.

It is claimed that Pike was a Satanist who owned a bracelet through which he summoned Lucifer.

Answer: Michael Kitchen

Michael Kitchen (born 1948) is an English actor best known for his role as DCS Foyle in the British TV series "Foyle's War" which began in Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea in 2001. Martin Shaw is well known for his role as Ray Doyle in the CI5 series, "The Professionals" and, more recently, "Judge John Deed". David Jansen is well known for many roles including Detective Inspector Jack "Frost". John Nettles plays Detective Chief Inspector Tom Barnaby in "Midsomer Murders".

Answer: John Logie Baird

John Logie Baird (1888-1946) was a Scottish engineer who went to live in Hastings in 1922. He had previously experimented with television while still at school. The public demonstration was attended by representatives from national newspapers. Thomas Edison is credited with many patents for inventions including the lightbulb. James Watt was an inventor and mechanical engineer and Alexander Graham Bell is credited with the invention of the telephone.

Answer: (Henry) Rider Haggard

Rider Haggard is the author of many adventure novels including "King Solomon's Mines", "Allan Quatermain", "She" and "Ayesha". In 1918 Rider Haggard went to live at St Leonards-on-Sea at North Lodge, Maze Hill. The house is built across the road at the entrance to 'old St Leonards' and is still a landmark today. William Blake is most famous for writing "Jerusalem"; Ernest Hemingway for "The Old Man and the Sea" and Walter Scott for "Ivanhoe".

Answer: Grey Owl

Archie Belaney was born and raised by maiden aunts in Hastings and dreamt of escaping to the Canadian wildness. At age 17, he went to Canada where he adopted native Indian customs, called himself Grey Owl and became famous throughout Northern Ontario as a trapper and riverman.

He fell in love with an Iroquois girl called Anahareo, and together they worked towards the protection of animals and conservation. After his death in 1938, the truth of his background was revealed, about which Anahareo knew nothing.

Answer: Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria died in 1901 after reigning almost 64 years. During the Victorian era, the British people enjoyed a period of prosperity. At the end of 1902, the Queen Victoria Memorial statue, which stands on the seafront at Warrior Square, was unveiled in front of a very enthusiastic crowd.

However, Victoria would NOT have been amused by the bullet hole made in the statue's skirt by a Messerschmitt during WWII. Queen Boadicea was the wife of the King of the Iceni. Urban myth claims that her body is buried under a platform at Kings Cross Railway Station in London. Queen Anne was the last of the Stuart monarchs whose reign spanned 12 years. Queen Elizabeth I, also known as the Virgin Queen or Good Queen Bess, was the last monarch of the Tudor dynasty.

Answer: Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

Each member (or 'Winkler') must produce a winkle shell when challenged to 'winkle up' otherwise they incur a fine which goes towards local charities. The Queen Mother was presented with a gold winkle brooch and wore it on her 100th birthday in 2000. It is reported she said "I'm a Winkler too" when the Winkler contingent passed by during her centenary birthday parade.

Other famous Winkle Club members are Lord Montgomery, Sir Winston Churchill, Edward VIII (Duke of Windsor) and Prince Philip.

Answer: Edith

King Harold was married to his first wife, Edith Swanneck, for about 20 years but the marriage was not considered legitimate. On or about January 1066, he married Edith, daughter of the Earl of Mercia. Which Edith is depicted in the statue is unclear although it is thought that Harold's first wife identified his body. Guinevere was the wife of King Arthur, Ealhswith was the wife of King Alfred and Matilda was the wife of William the Conqueror.