General Knowledge Quiz

[EbbwJunction1]

Did the seats change from one party to another in the bye election caused by the resignation / retirement of the sitting MP?

 

[Gloster]

I think that the winner of the election was not allowed to take his seat, Benn because he was a peer and the other due to a criminal conviction or something similar. Therefore St Clair and Beattie were awarded the seat as they had come second.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Did they perhaps take a neighbouring constituency when boundaries were changed? Or did they change party in mid-term?

Neither of those I’m afraid

 

[xotGD]

Did neither of them actually take their seat in the Commons?

 

[SuspectUsual]

Did neither of them actually take their seat in the Commons?

No, not that

But the link is something that neither of them did, rather than something they both did, if you see what I mean

 

[SuspectUsual]

I think that the winner of the election was not allowed to take his seat, Benn because he was a peer and the other due to a criminal conviction or something similar. Therefore St Clair and Beattie were awarded the seat as they had come second.

Apologies, I missed this earlier reply. Yes, this is spot on - neither of them ever won an election. The speaker’s chair awaits you

 

[Gloster]

What is the connection between Francois-Anatole Thibault, ‘Illya Kuryakin’s’ first wife, a journalist who died on the way to Aintree and the author of On the Beach?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Neville Shute Norway was the author of On the Beach
Were they both aircraft engineers?
..
Did they both perish in aeroplane crashes?

 

[millemille]

Neville Shute Norway was the author of On the Beach
Were they both aircraft engineers?
..
Did they both perish in aeroplane crashes?

I'm pretty sure Neville Shute died of old age after he emigrated to Oz. I do know that Neville Shute served as a war correspondent during the second world war so I'll hazard a guess, based on nothing more than knowing that, they were all war correspondents?

 

[SuspectUsual]

Francois-Anatole Thibault was better known as Anatole France, so that plus Neville Shute’s full name suggest they all have surnames that are the names of countries?

 

[Gloster]

Francois-Anatole Thibault was better known as Anatole France, so that plus Neville Shute’s full name suggest they all have surnames that are the names of countries?

You are well on the way to the answer.

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Shute was not Norwegian, and Thibault was not French?

 

[Calthrop]

What is the connection between Francois-Anatole Thibault, ‘Illya Kuryakin’s’ first wife, a journalist who died on the way to Aintree and the author of On the Beach?

Guessing about the journalist: Nancy Spain ?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Or Pierre Mendes-France? Do we need a clue?

 

[John Griffiths]

deleted

 

[Gloster]

Guessing about the journalist: Nancy Spain ?

Correct. It was Nancy Spain, who died in a light plane crash on the way to the 1964 Grand National. You have three answers, but I am surprised that none of the older generation remember the name Illya Kuryakin.

 

[Calthrop]

Correct. It was Nancy Spain, who died in a light plane crash on the way to the 1964 Grand National. You have three answers, but I am surprised that none of the older generation remember the name Illya Kuryakin.

I remember that he was one of the joint heroes of the somewhat "cod" TV spy series The Man From UNCLE; but about the name of the actor who played him, or said bod's spouses, I am totally without clue.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

I remember that he was one of the joint heroes of the somewhat "cod" TV spy series The Man From UNCLE; but about the name of the actor who played him, or said bod's spouses, I am totally without clue.

He was played by David McCallum, who also played Lt Cmdr Eric Ashley-Pitt RN (aka "Dispersal") in The Great Escape.

 

[Gloster]

He was played by David McCallum, who also played Lt Cmdr Eric Ashley-Pitt RN (aka "Dispersal") in The Great Escape.

Indeed, he was. David McCallum’s first wife was an actress called Jill, who is known to have commented about her second husband, “I’m in so many XY films because no other actress will work with him.” Her surname is needed.

SteveM70 has pretty well got the answer, but it is just missing one detail (one word) for completeness. Had I not been so nit-picking, I could have included a former Formula 1 team owner, and a former footballer and current radio host.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Indeed, he was. David McCallum’s first wife was an actress called Jill, who is known to have commented about her second husband, “I’m in so many XY films because no other actress will work with him.” Her surname is needed.

That'll be (the late) Jill Ireland, who subsequently went on to become the wife of Charles Bronson.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Indeed, he was. David McCallum’s first wife was an actress called Jill, who is known to have commented about her second husband, “I’m in so many XY films because no other actress will work with him.” Her surname is needed.

SteveM70 has pretty well got the answer, but it is just missing one detail (one word) for completeness. Had I not been so nit-picking, I could have included a former Formula 1 team owner, and a former footballer and current radio host.

Eddie Jordan and Alan Brazil?

 

[Gloster]

That'll be (the late) Jill Ireland, who subsequently went on to become the wife of Charles Bronson.

Eddie Jordan and Alan Brazil?

Correct, corrct and correct. So what is the specific connection between the first four, but not the other two. I think we can say that Steve M70 has got the most and will be preparing the next question.

 

[xotGD]

First four are European countries. Other two are elsewhere in the world.

 

[Gloster]

First four are European countries. Other two are elsewhere in the world.

That is the final point. So it is now for SteveM70, who got the most important elements of the question, to produce a new question.

 

[SuspectUsual]

Which celebrated British poet’s first works were written under the pseudonym Brunette Coleman, and described by their author as ‘.......an obscene Lesbian novel in the form of a school story’?

 

[Gloster]

John Betjeman?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Not Larkin, surely?
Sylvia Plath?

 

[SuspectUsual]

Not Larkin, surely?
Sylvia Plath?

Yep, Philip Larkin

All yours....

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

Thanks very much

I thought I knew Larkin, just guessed, did not really think it could be him. I obviously need to delve some more into his exploits
..
Please arrange these countries/regions in order of population density, highest first (inhabitants per square km)

Eire (the Republic)
Norway
Bangladesh
Macau
Powys

 

[SuspectUsual]

I thought I knew Larkin, just guessed, did not really think it could be him. I obviously need to delve some more into his exploits

Their existence wasn’t made public until the publication of his collected letters and then the biography in 1992/93. I think they were actually published in the early 2000s