Latest questions: 8 September 2020

This week's questions have been gleaned from those set for use in Weeks 16, 17 and 18 of the 2018–19 season in Stockport Quiz League, by the Hatters Arms (Questions 1 to 14), Heaton Moor RUFC (Questions 15 to 26) and the Alexandra (Questions 27 to 36).

The Battle of the Books – more correctly known as An Account of a Battel (sic) between the Ancient and Modern Books in St. James's Library – is a short satire written by whom?			Jonathan Swift
In The Light Fantastic – the second novel in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series – the Librarian of the Unseen University Library is turned (by a beam of magic) into what sort of creature?			An orang–utan
The Camels are Coming (1932) was the first book to feature which popular children's character?			Biggles
Which film, released in 2015, was the first to be granted permission to film in the Houses of Parliament?			Suffragette
What was found in 1799 in the Egyptian port now known as Rashid, by Pierre–Francois Bouçhard, an officer in Napoleon's army?			The Rosetta Stone
The Black Gang, first published in 1922, was the second novel to feature which fictional character – the first being self–titled, and describing him as "detective, patriot, hero and gentleman"?			Hugh 'Bulldog' Drummond
Agulhas, Benguela, Canary, Humboldt and Kuroshio are examples of which natural phenomena?			Ocean currents
Born in Chicago in 1908, by what three–word nickname is Lester Joseph Gillis best known today?			Baby Face Nelson
In the Jewish religion, which unleavened flatbread forms an integral part of the Passover festival, when it's eaten along with the bitter herbs known as maror?			Matzo (a.k.a. matza or matzah)
Which heritage railway line operates between Aberystwyth and Devil's Bridge in mid–Wales?			The Vale of Rheidol Railway
Who said to his players, as extra time loomed: "You've won it once; go out and win it again"?			Alf Ramsey (later to become Sir Alf)
Which fortified manor house on the west bank of the Exe estuary has been the seat of the Courtenay family (Earls of Devon, de jure from 1556 and de facto from 1831) since around 1400?			Powderham Castle
Who said, on whose election as a party leader in 1997, "A tragedy for the party. He's got no ideas, no experience and no hope"?	Said by		Edward Heath
	Said of		William Hague
Who scored 80 goals in 113 League games for Motherwell, and 95 in 336 for Liverpool – all between 1956 and 1971?			Ian St. John
Which painter, born Michelangelo Merisi in Milan in 1571, is best known by the name of the village to which his family moved five years later to escape a plague?			Caravaggio
Which city, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, gives its name (which means 'abode of God') to a traditional fruit cake, laced with rum, eaten by local Christians at Christmas time?			Allahabad
Which famous composer left his native country in 1830, aged 20, less than a month before the start of the event known as the November Uprising? He settled in Paris the following year, and died there 18 years later, having been in poor health for most of his life.			Frédéric (Fryderyk) Chopin
Which prominent figure in the arts turned down five UK honours – more than any other person – between 1955 and 1976?			L. S. Lowry
Which character was played in films by Robert de Niro (in Angel Heart, 1987) and Peter Fonda (in Ghost Rider, 2007)?			The Devil
Which comedian and actress is a fourth cousin, twice removed, of Diana, Princess of Wales?			Miranda Hart
Which Japanese multinational was founded in 1934 as the Precision Optical Industry Co. Ltd. (adopting its current name in 1947)?			Canon
Which spice mixture, widely used throughout the Levant (or Eastern Mediterranean) region, is made with the herb of the same name, along with toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, often salt, and other spices?			Za'atar
Which CIA agent has appeared in eleven Bond films, up to and including No Time to Die – played by eight different actors?			Felix Leiter
In an electrical circuit diagram, what type of component is represented by a zigzag line?			A resistor
Which singer married former World Superbike Champion James Toseland in 2012?			Katie Melua
Saxophonist Raphael Ravenscroft (born in 1954, probably in Stoke–on–Trent) is most associated with which 1978 recording?			Baker Street
First observed in 1876 by the American astronomer Asaph Hall, the Great White Spot is a periodically–recurring feature of which planet?			Saturn
Gary 'Mani' Mounfield was the bass guitarist in which rock band, whose final dissolution was confirmed in September 2019?			Stone Roses
Which Englishman played for Real Madrid against Liverpool in the 1981 European Cup Final?			Laurie Cunningham
Giuseppe Verdi Airport is an alternative name for the airport of which Italian city?			Parma
Tragically I was an Only Twin, published in 2003, is a posthumous collection of the "complete" writings of which influential English comedian?			Peter Cook
What was Michael Owen's last professional football club? He made eight Premier League appearances, and one in the FA Cup, in the 2012–13 season – scoring one goal.			Stoke City
Pop Looks Bach (composed by Sam Fonteyn, and recorded in 1970) is the theme tune to the BBC's television coverage of which sport?			Skiing (Ski Sunday)
Famous among fans of ITV's The Chase for causing Bradley Walsh to 'corpse' in 2014, Germany's Fanny Chmelar was (until her retirement in 2013) an otherwise obscure competitor in which sport?			Skiing
'Synthetic Cream' is an anagram of the name of which British sporting institution?			Manchester City
'Unmatched Entries' is an anagram of the name of which British sporting institution?			Manchester United

© Haydn Thompson 2020