General Knowledge Quiz

[Gloster]

None of the above are correct. It is the basis of the tunes in the overture that is the joke: so what did he base them on? (I won’t let this run on too long, but I will give it a bit longer before giving the full answer.)

 

[Calthrop]

Rude and indecorous local folk songs -- or music-hall songs, if there were such things in 1870s Germany?

 

[Gloster]

Rude and indecorous local folk songs -- or music-hall songs, if there were such things in 1870s Germany?

You are very close. If nobody comes up with the exact answer, I will award the winner’s laurels to you this evening.

 

[Gloster]

The full answer is that he based the tune of the overture on a number of student drinking songs, something that I am sure was appreciated by the dons. (German universities had a reputation for being particularly serious-minded and po-faced at the time.)

As @Calthrop came closest, it is for him to compose a new question.

 

[Calthrop]

@Gloster: my thanks -- but since the overall subject, concerns things re which my interest / liking / knowledge are essentially zero; and my last suggestion was basically fanciful-and-facetious -- I don't feel that I merit setting the next question. Please may it be, open floor?

 

[D6130]

I'll jump in if I may:

From the early 1970s onwards, the left-leaning 7:84 Theatre Company toured Scotland to considerable critical acclaim and had a "Play for Today" on BBC 1. To what does the ratio 7:84 refer?

 

[Donny Dave]

Wild guess, Pi?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

12 could be said to be a ratio equivalent of 7:84. Were there 12 members in the theatre company?

 

[Gloster]

I have a vague feeling that it was something like division of wealth, possibly 7% of the population holding 84% of the wealth?

 

[D6130]

Wild guess, Pi?

No.

12 could be said to be a ratio equivalent of 7:84. Were there 12 members in the theatre company?

Afraid not.

I have a vague feeling that it was something like division of wealth, possibly 7% of the population holding 84% of the wealth?

You're so close that I shall give you it. It's actually that 7% of the population of Scotland at the time owned 84% of the land....although I suspect that nowadays it's more a case of a small caucus of oversees investors - including one D. Trump - owning 84% of the land. Your turn to watch a performance of "The Cheviot, the Stag and the Black Black Oil".

 

[Gloster]

It is said that at one time there were more pubs named after John Manners, Marquess of Granby, than any other individual. Even if this is not true, he did have a lot of pubs named after him. Why?

 

[D6130]

It is said that at one time there were more pubs named after John Manners, Marquess of Granby, than any other individual. Even if this is not true, he did have a lot of pubs named after him. Why?

Because following the end of the Crimean War, he gave all the surviving men - or possibly non-commissioned officers - in his troop a sum of money to set themselves up as publicans.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Because following the end of the Crimean War, he gave all the surviving men - or possibly non-commissioned officers - in his troop a sum of money to set themselves up as publicans.

Surely not the Crimean War? Wasn't John Manners (the Marquess of Granby) in military service a whole century or so before that?

 

[D6130]

Surely not the Crimean War? Wasn't John Manners (the Marquess of Granby) in military service a whole century or so before that?

Quite possibly. In view of the quiz rule about no looking-up on Wikipedia, etc., I was just going from vague memories of reading about him somewhere in the dim and distant past.

 

[Calthrop]

I thought he -- and his pubs-as-rewards -- were Peninsular War, i.e. early 1800s; but am by no means certain.

 

[Gloster]

Because following the end of the Crimean War, he gave all the surviving men - or possibly non-commissioned officers - in his troop a sum of money to set themselves up as publicans.

Surely not the Crimean War? Wasn't John Manners (the Marquess of Granby) in military service a whole century or so before that?

These two effectively provide the answer. He was considered to a good leader who was considerate towards his men and who gave many of them grants on demob which they used to set up pubs. This was all a century before the Crimean War.

So, as a tie-break between @D6130 and @Mcr Warrior ,what conflict was it?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Would suggest that @D6130 has effectively already provided the correct answer, and should perhaps now pose the next question.

 

[Gloster]

Would suggest that @D6130 has effectively provided the correct answer.

I will presume that you are allowing D6130 to set the next question. The conflict in which the Marquess of Granby made his name was the Seven Years War (1756-1763). At the Battle of Warburg he lost his hat and wig when leading a cavalry charge, which is said to be the origin of the phrase ‘to go at things bald-headed’.

To @D6130 to lead the charge to the next question.

 

[D6130]

I will presume that you are allowing D6130 to set the next question. The conflict in which the Marquess of Granby made his name was the Seven Years War (1756-1763). At the Battle of Warburg he lost his hat and wig when leading a cavalry charge, which is said to be the origin of the phrase ‘to go at things bald-headed’.

To @D6130 to lead the charge to the next question.

I'm happy to let @Mcr Warrior set the next question!