As you might have expected, this month’s quiz has a festive theme. As before the correct answer will turn green when it’s clicked upon and expanded to give more information. The incorrect answers will turn red giving the correct explanation.
1. The first Christmas card was invented in London by Sir Henry Cole in 1843. What was the picture on it?
A family drinking wine
CORRECT Illustrated by John Callcott the central picture showed three generations of a family raising a toast to the card’s recipient, on either side were scenes of charity, with food and clothing being given to the poor.
A robin singing
WRONG Illustrated by John Callcott the central picture showed three generations of a family raising a toast to the card’s recipient, on either side were scenes of charity, with food and clothing being given to the poor.
A bobby apprehending a pickpocket
WRONG Illustrated by John Callcott the central picture showed three generations of a family raising a toast to the card’s recipient, on either side were scenes of charity, with food and clothing being given to the poor.
2. The demo of The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York was recorded in one London studio, the final cut in another London studio, and the orchestra in a third. Which of these studios had nothing to do with the song?
Abbey Road Studios in St John’s Wood
WRONG In the UK, “Fairytale of New York” is the most-played Christmas song of the 21st century. Stiff Records had a difficult time getting it published using these London studios Elephant; Sarm West; AIR; Abbey Road; RAK Studios, but NOT Eel Pie Studio.
Eel pie studio in Twickenham
CORRECTIn the UK, “Fairytale of New York” is the most-played Christmas song of the 21st century. Stiff Records had a difficult time getting it published using these London studios Elephant; Sarm West; AIR; Abbey Road; RAK Studios, but NOT Eel Pie Studio.
RAK Studios in St John’s Wood
WRONG In the UK, “Fairytale of New York” is the most-played Christmas song of the 21st century. Stiff Records had a difficult time getting it published using these London studios Elephant; Sarm West; AIR; Abbey Road; RAK Studios, but NOT Eel Pie Studio.
3. In A Christmas Carol, which form of poultry does Scrooge send a young lad off to fetch?
Turkey
CORRECT Scrooge asks if the big prize turkey has been sold at the poulterer’s shop. The boy tells him it is still there. Planning to give the turkey to Bob Cratchit, Scrooge orders the boy to have the man bring the turkey to his home, and if he does it in less than five minutes, he’ll give him a half-crown.
Chicken
WRONG Scrooge asks if the big prize turkey has been sold at the poulterer’s shop. The boy tells him it is still there. Planning to give the turkey to Bob Cratchit, Scrooge orders the boy to have the man bring the turkey to his home, and if he does it in less than five minutes, he’ll give him a half-crown.
Goose
WRONG Scrooge asks if the big prize turkey has been sold at the poulterer’s shop. The boy tells him it is still there. Planning to give the turkey to Bob Cratchit, Scrooge orders the boy to have the man bring the turkey to his home, and if he does it in less than five minutes, he’ll give him a half-crown.
4. In festive musical The Ghosts of Oxford Street, who features as an all-singing, all-dancing Harry Gordon Selfridge?
Tom Jones
CORRECT Malcolm McLaren charts the extraordinary history of London’s famous shopping street in a musical film that features Sir Tom Jones, Sinead O’Connor, The Pogues, and Kirsty MacColl. Perversely Tom Jones played the lead of Harry Gordon Selfridge.
Malcolm McLaren
WRONG Malcolm McLaren charts the extraordinary history of London’s famous shopping street in a musical film that features Sir Tom Jones, Sinead O’Connor, The Pogues, and Kirsty MacColl. Perversely Tom Jones played the lead of Harry Gordon Selfridge.
Brian Blessed
WRONG Malcolm McLaren charts the extraordinary history of London’s famous shopping street in a musical film that features Sir Tom Jones, Sinead O’Connor, The Pogues, and Kirsty MacColl. Perversely Tom Jones played the lead of Harry Gordon Selfridge.
5. Which of these does NOT normally open in London on Christmas Day?
Fortnum & Mason
CORRECT Believe it or not, Ripley’s normally opens on Christmas Day. Hardly surprising for their employees Fortnum & Mason keep their door firmly closed.
St Paul’s Cathedral
WRONG Believe it or not, Ripley’s normally opens on Christmas Day. Hardly surprising for their employees Fortnum & Mason keep their door firmly closed.
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not?
WRONG Believe it or not, Ripley’s normally opens on Christmas Day. Hardly surprising for their employees Fortnum & Mason keep their door firmly closed.
6. The Trafalgar Square tree has been donated every Christmas since 1947 by which city?
Reykjavik
WRONG The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is a Christmas tree donated to the people of Britain by the city of Oslo. The first Tree was cut down by Mons Urangsvåg in 1942 during a raid on the Norwegian Island called Hisøy. Hisøy Island is located on the west coast between Bergen and Haugesund. After it was cut down, the tree was then transported to England where The Norwegian King was hiding, and given to him as a gift.
Oslo
CORRECT The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is a Christmas tree donated to the people of Britain by the city of Oslo. The first Tree was cut down by Mons Urangsvåg in 1942 during a raid on the Norwegian Island called Hisøy. Hisøy Island is located on the west coast between Bergen and Haugesund. After it was cut down, the tree was then transported to England where The Norwegian King was hiding, and given to him as a gift.
Stockholm
WRONG The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is a Christmas tree donated to the people of Britain by the city of Oslo. The first Tree was cut down by Mons Urangsvåg in 1942 during a raid on the Norwegian Island called Hisøy. Hisøy Island is located on the west coast between Bergen and Haugesund. After it was cut down, the tree was then transported to England where The Norwegian King was hiding, and given to him as a gift.
7. Which of these is NOT a Christmas Day extract from Samuel Pepy’s diary?
“…taking occasion from some fault in the meat to complain of my maid’s sluttery, my wife and I fell out…”
WRONG While Pepys wrote his diary for own his consumption, Roy Wood and Wizzard in 1973 had no such reservations and inflicted us with “I wish it could be Christmas every day” forevermore.
“Captain Cock came to us half-drunk…”
WRONG While Pepys wrote his diary for own his consumption, Roy Wood and Wizzard in 1973 had no such reservations and inflicted us with “I wish it could be Christmas every day” forevermore.
“For indeed, I wish it could be Christmas every day…”
CORRECT While Pepys wrote his diary for own his consumption, Roy Wood and Wizzard in 1973 had no such reservations and inflicted us with “I wish it could be Christmas every day” forevermore.
8. Noel Edmonds’s 1984 Christmas Day TV show was broadcast from the top of which lofty London landmark?
The Monument
WRONG For 90 minutes on 25 December 1984 “nothing less than one of the greatest communications projects ever put forward” as Noel modestly described proceedings from the top of the Post Office Tower, as it was then known. Featuring Rila Lenska and Dennis Waterman drinking a can of lager in Australia and the Krankies play host to the highest Christmas party on a jumbo jet flying over Britain.
Centre Point
WRONG For 90 minutes on 25 December 1984 “nothing less than one of the greatest communications projects ever put forward” as Noel modestly described proceedings from the top of the Post Office Tower, as it was then known. Featuring Rila Lenska and Dennis Waterman drinking a can of lager in Australia and the Krankies play host to the highest Christmas party on a jumbo jet flying over Britain.
The BT Tower
CORRECT For 90 minutes on 25 December 1984 “nothing less than one of the greatest communications projects ever put forward” as Noel modestly described proceedings from the top of the Post Office Tower, as it was then known. Featuring Rila Lenska and Dennis Waterman drinking a can of lager in Australia and the Krankies play host to the highest Christmas party on a jumbo jet flying over Britain.
9. In 1963 the switching on of Oxford Street’s Christmas lights was postponed. Why?
In tribute to the recently assassinated JFK
CORRECT The lighting up of London was postponed as a mark of respect to the recently assassinated John F Kennedy. And in 1989, the great switch on in Oxford Street bowed to the power of pop celebrity, waiting several weeks past its usual mid-November date for Kylie Minogue to make a window in her hectic schedule.
There was a major power cut in central London
WRONG The lighting up of London was postponed as a mark of respect to the recently assassinated John F Kennedy. And in 1989, the great switch on in Oxford Street bowed to the power of pop celebrity, waiting several weeks past its usual mid-November date for Kylie Minogue to make a window in her hectic schedule.
The Beatles cancelled an appearance at the last minute
WRONG The lighting up of London was postponed as a mark of respect to the recently assassinated John F Kennedy. And in 1989, the great switch on in Oxford Street bowed to the power of pop celebrity, waiting several weeks past its usual mid-November date for Kylie Minogue to make a window in her hectic schedule.
10. In 2015 a box of six luxury Christmas crackers from Fortnum & Mason set you back £1,000. Which of these items was NOT inside?
Scarf
WRONG The cracker included that essential: a rose gold-plated heart tea infuser, plus a scarf and a tie, but no diamond earrings.
Diamond earrings
CORRECT The cracker included that essential: a rose gold-plated heart tea infuser, plus a scarf and a tie, but no diamond earrings.
Tie
WRONG The cracker included that essential: a rose gold-plated heart tea infuser, plus a scarf and a tie, but no diamond earrings.
On 28 November 1994 Buster Edwards, great train robber, inspiration for Phil Collins’ Buster, committed suicide in Lambeth
Serial killer Dennis Nilsen once lived at 195 Melrose Avenue, Cricklewood the scene of 13 murders. Nilsen was sentenced to 6 life sentences
The GDP of London is significantly larger than that of several European countries, including Belgium and Sweden
Swedish mystic Emanuel Swedenborg who lived off Farringdon Road predicted there would be a special part in heaven reserved for the English
A white spike at the south end of London Bridge commemorates a practice of displaying traitors heads dipped in pitch on the original bridge
Kenneth Grahame author of The Wind in The Willows and Secretary of the Bank of England was shot at at the bank by a deranged George Robinson
6ft 5in circus strongman Carl Dane in 1926 was the first to pull a London bus with 12 passengers inside using only his teeth
When he was Prime Minister the Duke of Wellington held indoor races along Downing Street corridors with men pulling women seated on rugs
In 2014, not a single 07.29am Brighton–London Victoria train reached its destination on time after failing to roll in at its scheduled time of 8.35am on a single occasion
When Selfridges opened in 1909 their information bureau answered queries on subjects from crossword clues to government stats
The City’s Square Mile is now an imperfect 1.16 square miles following 1990s boundary changes incorporating an area north of London Wall
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