Latest questions: 11 May 2021

This week's questions have been gleaned from those set for use in Weeks 2 and 4 of the 2011–12 season in Stockport Quiz League, by the Horse & Farrier (Questions 1 to 18) and the Crown (19 to 32).

What name do astronomers use to refer to the distant zone of the Solar System in which comets are now believed to have originated (rather than in the less extensive Kuiper Belt)?		The scattered disc
Which Mediterranean island was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1669, after a 24–year war with Venice?		Crete
On entering the American War of Independence, Britain's confidence was boosted by the fact that in 1770, France had withdrawn its support for Spain in a diplomatic standoff over which British possession?		The Falkland Islands
What's the two–word title of the song recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939, which completes the opening line: "Southern trees bear a ... "		Strange Fruit
Which Mediterranean island was captured by the Royal Navy in 1708, became a British possession (along with Gibraltar) five years later in the Treaty of Utrecht, but after a turbulent time throughout the eighteenth century, was finally repossessed by Spain in 1802 under the terms of the Treaty of Amiens?		Minorca
Give one of the two middle names of George Osborne, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer (these being the names that he was given as a child, before deciding at the age of thirteen to start calling himself George, as he didn't like the first one).		Gideon Oliver
Which town in Normandy – birthplace of William the Conqueror – gave its name to the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy, which took place on the 21st of August 1944 – leading to the liberation of Paris four days later?		Falaise
Which English marathon runner failed to finish in the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, having entered the stadium in first place – 17 minutes ahead of the next runner – but collapsed through exhaustion and dehydrayion?		Jim Peters
Name the captain of Wales's rugby union team, who overtook Richie McCaw's record as the world's most–capped player in 2020, and in May 2021 was named as Lions captain for the forthcoming tour of South Africa.		Alun Wyn Jones
Which classic, allegorical short English novel, first published in 1945, is described in its title (or subtitle) as "a fairy story"?		Animal Farm
In which city, on the shores of the Baltic Sea, was the scientist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit born in 1686?		Danzig (Gdańsk) gdansk
Which company – one of the world's largest insurance brokers – has sponsored Premiership Rugby since 2018?		Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Which Hollywood sex symbol was the mother of the actress Mariska Hargitay – star of the NBC drama series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (broadcast from 1999 to the present)?		Jayne Mansfield
In which country was Robert Van de Graaf – inventor of the eponymous high–voltage generator – born?		USA
Which New Zealand three–day eventer was voted Rider of the 20th century by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports? He won Olympic golds in 1984 and 1988 (riding Charisma), team silver in 1992, and bronzes in 1988, 2000 and 2012		Mark Todd
In Rugby Union, who became Scotland's most–capped player in 2017, in what was his last international?		Ross Ford
Whose record total of 109 Scotland caps was passed by Ross Ford in 2017? He remains his country's highest points scorer (with 809).		Chris Paterson
Originally built as a passing place, and opened in 1894, Britain's highest mainline railway station is 1,340 feet above sea level, beside Loch Ossian on Rannoch Moor, on the West Highland Line. The nearest public road is ten miles away. What's the name of the station?		Corrour
Who is the mother of the actress Rumer Glenn Willis (born 1988), her brother Scout LaRue Willis (born 1991), and their sister Tallulah Belle Willis (born 1994)?		Demi Moore
In which English county is the market town of Oundle, famous for its public school – the third largest boarding school in England (after Eton and Millfield)?		Northamptonshire
Which Stevenage–based motorcycle manufacturer produced the Black Shadow, from 1948 to 1955 – the world's fastest production bike at the time, with a racing version known as the Black Lightning?		Vincent
Which company, established in Redditch, Worcestershire in 1851, began making bicycles in 1886, but is most famous for its motorcycles – including the Bullet (the longest–lived motorcycle design in history), the Crusader and the Interceptor?		(Royal) Enfield
The Portable Document Format (or PDF) and the Flash multimedia platform are industry standards developed by which California–based software company?		Adobe
Spending twelve weeks on the chart in 1965, and peaking at No. 4, what was Bob Dylan's most successful single in the UK?		Like a Rolling Stone
In the popular ITV drama series Downton Abbey, who played Lady Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham?		Dame Maggie Smith
In The Archers, who married Kenton in 2013?		Jolene (Perks)
What is Jolene Archer's real first name?		Doreen
In Coronation Street, what was the name of the supermarket manager played by Ken Morley from 1989 to 1995?		Reg Holdsworth
What was the name of Ken Holdsworth's mother–in–law (after he married Maureen)?		Maud Grimes
Cork is the largest city in which of the four traditional provinces of Ireland?		Munster
Leonard Alfred Schneider was born in 1925, in Nassau County on Long Island, New York. He died of a morphine overdose, at his home in the Hollywood Hills, in 1966. By what name had he achieved fame?		Lenny Bruce
First published in 1946, Deaths and Entrances was the first critically successful collection, and remains the best–known, by which British poet?		Dylan Thomas

© Haydn Thompson 2021