General Knowledge Quiz

[DerekC]

Spot on. As well as air to air interception (the first successful interception at night using AI MkIV took place as early as July 1940) TFU also supported the development of ASV (air to surface vessel radar) which played a key role in the Battle of the Atlantic.

Your (disused) runway.

 

[d9009alycidon]

Thanks - simple and probably quick WWII one from me.

What was the code name "Starfish" associated with?

 

[DerekC]

I think it was the plan to light decoy fires to distract German night bombing raids from their intended targets.

 

[d9009alycidon]

Quite correct, over to you.

I visited a site near my old home at Eaglesham, a very basic grid of trenches into which petrol was ignited to simulate fires, although some had more advanced features, such as flashing lights to simulate tram car arcing!

 

[DerekC]

OK. When was the last person imprisoned for witchcraft in the UK?

The right decade is near enough.

 

[Marton]

I’ll go for 1785

 

[DerekC]

I’ll go for 1785

Quite a lot more recent than that.

 

[Marton]

Guess two then

1922

 

[Trackman]

1820ish?

 

[DerekC]

1922 is a lot closer than 1820 - but still not recent enough!!

 

[John Griffiths]

It was in the war - 1942?

 

[DerekC]

It was in the war - 1942?

That's very close. it's an odd story. A "medium" called Helen Duncan revealed in a séance in November 1941 that the battleship HMS Barham had been sunk, although at the time this had not been revealed to the public. Naval intelligence took an interest, suspecting a leak (which did prove to be the case). In January 1944 two naval lieutenants attended one of her seances and reported her as a fraud, which she undoubtedly was. Amongst other things she used cheesecloth and egg white as "ectoplasm". She was convicted for "Fraudulent Witchcraft" under the Act of 1735 and imprisoned for nine months. In 1951 this Act was repealed.

Your tablet.

 

[John Griffiths]

Which British town is named after a trade union leader?

 

[Marton]

Peterlee

 

[John Griffiths]

Well done. Your floor.

 

[Marton]

Thank you.

What links a city with an eponymous saint and “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Thank you.

What links a city with an eponymous saint and “Journey to the Centre of the Earth”.

Total wild guess - Jules Verne?

 

[Marton]

No. I get why you say it, but wrong medium for that journey.

 

[Marton]

24 hours in. Here’s a clue.

The medium isn't a book it’s mid 70s music.

 

[Marton]

Another clue

The musician’s forename was Rick.

 

[krus_aragon]

Wikipedia tells me that Rick Wakeman released an album by the name of Journey to the Centre of the Earth in the 1970s. But I'm drawing a blank on linking that to any eponymous saints.

 

[DerekC]

The only clue I can find is that Rick Wakeman wrote the score for Midnight in St Petersburg - a city with an eponymous saint, but I have the feeling there is more to it.

 

[Marton]

Eponymous to the city with the link to Wakeman.

I could add a railway connection if asked.

 

[Marton]

LNER Queen of Scots.

 

[krus_aragon]

I'm afraid I'm still drawing a blank here, as I'm not absolutely sure what kind of link we're being asked for.

 

[krus_aragon]

If things have drawn to a halt, I can offer an alternative question.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I'd be happy with that, but I'd like to know the answer first, please!

 

[krus_aragon]

@Marton , would you be able to satisfy our curiosity?

 

[krus_aragon]

In the meantime, here's a question of a different scale.

What is the connection between all of the following:

• A Homer Simpson quote
• One of the (original) Ghostbusters
• Wii avatars
• English football's governing body
  
• Making stitches in cloth
  
• A Californian city
• A golf ball's stand
  
• Unbaked bread

(Edit: Try hitting them one at a time if nothing chimes for you.)

 

[martinsh]

Doh !
Ray
Me ??
FA
Sew
LA
Tee
Dough

Would still like to know the answer to the Rick Wakeman question ...