Living North’s Big New Year Quiz: North East!

SECTION ONE

 1. Which Australian state is the city of Melbourne in? 

2.  Who was the first king of both England and Scotland following unification in 1603? 

3. The Hindu and Sikh festival Diwali is known as the Festival of what?

4. What is the name of the eldest brother of the Phoenix family (which includes notable actors Joaquin, Rain, Liberty and Summer Phoenix) who died in 1993?

The connection is…?

SECTION TWO

1. What breed of dog was Lassie? 

2. What’s the name given to someone who removes wool from sheep?

3. What’s the slang term given to last-minute intensive studying to absorb large amounts of information in a short time, generally prior to an exam?

4. What is the name given to someone who traditionally makes or alters men’s clothing. -

5. What is the statue of Queen Victoria outside Newcastle’s St Nicholas Cathedral made of?

The connection is…?

SECTION THREE

1. What was Robbie Williams’ first solo UK number one in 1998? 

2. Which Australian cricketer holds the record for the highest individual test score ever achieved by an opening batsman, with 380?

3. What’s the name of the form of jazz music that developed in the United States in the 1930s and 1940s, whose name is derived from the emphasis on the off–beat, or weaker pulse?

4. What was the name of Queen Victoria's eldest son, who was crowned in 1901 and reigned until 1910?

The connection is…?

SECTION FOUR 

1. Which Northern Italian city is famous for its eponymous hard cheese and cured ham?

2. Gregor Mendel’s observation of inherited traits of which vegetable flowers led to the foundation of modern genetics?

3. What is the Geordie word for bounce, often used if banging your heed on something hard? 

The connection is…?

1. South Shields born film director Ridley Scott has just turned 84. With so many awards under his belt, but never an Oscar, can you name his latest 2021 film which looks set to get yet another Oscar nomination?

2. Tyne Tees Television in the 80s was the birth place of this hugely popular music programme starring, amongst others, Jools Holland, Paula Yates and Leslie Ash.

3. James Bolam and Rodney Bewes starred in a popular TV sitcom about two long-time friends in the North East, Bob and Terry. Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, what was it called?

4. Newcastle’s Theatre Royal is an iconic building, but do you know why it has Royal in its name?

5. The iconic Penshaw Monument, standing at 136 metres tall, features on the Sunderland AFC badge and is a replica of a famous Greek temple. Do you know which one?

6. The knocker on Durham Cathedral’s northern door played an important part in the Cathedral’s history, and those who ‘had committed a great offence’, such as murder in self-defence or breaking out of prison, could rap the knocker, and would be given 37 days of sanctuary within which they could try to reconcile with their enemies or plan their escape. Do you know what the knocker is known as?

7. Avid Newcastle United supporter Brian Johnson, who was born in Dunston, Gateshead, once tried to buy the club. He performed in various bands, including one called Geordie, before he came the front man for his current band. What is it called?

8. Built in the 14th century and now a museum, this is the oldest, purpose-built jail in England. Where is it?

9. The Victoria Tunnel is the famously preserved 19th century waggonway which runs under Newcastle, built to carry coal underground from the colliery to the river to reduce the exposure of the city’s well-heeled residents to dirt and coal dust. But how long is it?

 Work out the famous North Eastern figure from the biography

1. Born in Hartlepool in 1955, I began my sports journalism career on Radio Tees in the late 70s. I became lead presenter of Sports Saturday in 1994, which became Soccer Saturday in 1998, and I have hosted it ever since, although I have announced my retirement at the end of this season.

2. I was a mathematician, astronomer and in fact an Astronomer Royal. I was also responsible for calculating the mean density of the earth (not easy in the 1800s) but am best known for establishing Greenwich as the Prime Meridian.

3. I am a baritone opera singer. I was born in the mining town of Seaham, educated at Ryhope Grammar and the Royal College of Music. Although I am a singer rather than a dancer, my story provided the inspiration for Lee Hall in creating the character Billy Elliot in the famous film of the same name.

4. I was born in Shotley Bridge and lived in Tanfield Lea. I was a famous local songwriter, and my songs included Wor Nanny’s a Mazor, The Trimdon Grange Explosion and ‘Dorham Jail’, or Durham Jail, where I was briefly imprisoned for stealing a pair of stockings from a shop when slightly inebriated. My nickname is the Pitman Poet. 

5. Having trained as a lawyer, I am now an author and my debut novel reached number one in the Amazon UK chart just five months after publication in May 2015. I now have another 20 UK No1 best-selling titles and have sold more than 7,000,000 copies and counting.

6. Born in South Shields in 1985, I joined a girl band formed on the eighth series of the X Factor, which became the first group ever to win the show. We have since recorded six albums, with five number one singles, selling more than 60 million records worldwide.

7. Born in Benwell in 1952, I worked as a welder and served in the British Army before joining a theatre company. I rose to fame playing Dennis Patterson in Auf Weidersehen, Pet and have more recently played Les/Lesley in the comedy series Benidorm.

Can you name these pieces of public art, and do you know where you’d find them? 

Discover the answers here