Q&A 1-400 Flashcards
In which year was the permanent stone Cenotaph erected in Whitehall?
1920
Name TWO famous battles which will celebrate significant anniversaries in 2015: one from the 15th century, one from the 19th century.
1.BATTLE OF AGINCOURT - 1415, during the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453) between England and France, Henry V (1386-1422), the young king of England, led his forces to victory at the Battle of Agincourt in northern France.
2. BATTLE OF WATERLOO - 1815
Name the street where HM Queen Elizabeth II was born in 1926.
BRUTON STREET
What annual event will be celebrated on Sunday 22nd February 2015 with a colourful parade and performances of dance, music and acrobatics in Trafalgar Square and surrounding streets?
CHINESE NEW YEAR
What major operational change will be implemented by London Underground on parts of the network on Fridays and Saturdays from 12th September 2015?
the introduction of Night Tube services
Who summoned the parliament, including burgesses from major English towns, 750 years ago this year in the Palace of Westminster?
(Probably asking for) Simon de Montfort (2nd Parliament, 1264).
Which Regency author lived at 10 Henrietta Street Covent Garden, when she stayed in London?
JANE AUSTEN
What was the name of the London-wide body which built the London sewers in the late 19th century?
Metropolitan Board of Works
Give the month and year of the Great Fire of London.
SEPTEMBER 1666
Give the name of the architect who designed the Crystal Palace for the Great Exhibition in 1851
SIR JOSEPH PAXTON
Who was the only British Prime Minister to have been assassinated?
SPENCER PERCEVAL, in 1812
What institution, the oldest in Europe, was founded in Smithfield in 1123?
ST BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL
Name TWO gentlemen’s clubs in St James’s Street.
WHITE’S and BOODLE’S
In which year was the Greater London Council abolished?
1986
For what type of art work was Mortlake famous in the 17th century?
tapestry
Which London prison stood in Borough High Street, Southwark?
Marshalsea
What specific rate of pay was demanded by the Dockers in the strike of 1889?
sixpence an hour
What distinction did the NatWest Tower, now known as Tower 42, hold between 1980 and 1990?
it was the tallest building in London until the topping out of One Canada Square in Canary Wharf in 1990 and the tallest in the City for 30 years.
Give the full name of the Abbey.
the Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster.
In which year were Prince William and Catherine Middleton married in the Abbey?
2011
After which family of craftsmen is the technique of inlaid stone in the Great Pavement in front of the high altar called?
THE COSMATI
Who is the latest person to be commemorated with a memorial in the Abbey?
Sir John Gielgud (2022), actor and director
Name the first king to be crowned in the Coronation Chair.
Henry IV (first definitely crowned in it)
Which family gave the chandeliers in the nave to the Abbey in 1965?
the Guinness family
The black marble covering the grave of the Unknown Warrior was quarried in which country?
Belgium
Who composed the coronation anthem Zadok the Priest?
George Frideric Handel
Name the last English monarch to be commemorated with a full-sized recumbent sculpted memorial in the Abbey.
Elizabeth I
Which king did Henry VII originally intend to have enshrined in the Henry VII Chapel?
HENRY VI
What was the former name of the Bloody Tower?
THE GARDEN TOWER
On whose orders was the moat drained and filled with earth in 1843?
Duke of Wellington
Which military organisation is responsible for royal gun salutes on the Wharf?
the Honourable Artillery Company
According to legend, what is the minimum number of ravens to be kept in the Tower?
6
At what time precisely are visitors admitted under escort into the Tower to see the Ceremony of the Keys?
21:30 precisely
Name the last person executed in the Tower.
Josef Jakobs, a German spy
During whose reign was the Royal Observatory established at the Tower?
King Charles II
At whose execution on Tower Hill in 1747 did a stand collapse killing 20 people?
Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat
What time is Evensong on a weekday?
17:00 - 18:00
Name the present Bishop of London.
From 2018 - The Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE
In which year was the foundation stone of the cathedral laid?
604 - St Paul’s founded
1675 – Foundation stone laid for NEW St Paul’s Cathedral designed by Christopher Wren.
Name the architect who designed the portico for the west front of Old St Paul’s in the 1630s.
INIGO JONES
What is the subject of the spandrel mosaics below the Whispering Gallery?
4 prophets and 4 evangelists
Where is the entrance into the cathedral for wheelchair users?
North porch
Which Pre-Raphaelite artist painted The Light of the World?
William Holman Hunt
Where in the cathedral is Henry Moore’s sculpture Mother and Child: Hood 1983?
In the North Choir Aisle
What are the exact words – in English translation – of the Latin inscription on the wall in Van Eyck`s Arnolfini Portrait?
Latin: Johannes de eyck fuit hic
English: Jan van Eyck was here
What is the significance of the acorns on the chair in Raphael`s Pope Julius II?
a reference to his family name della Rovere, meaning ‘oak’ in Italian
What is the personal device of Richard II which appears on the Wilton Diptych?
the white hart
Who painted The Battle of San Romano?
Paolo Uccello
Which painting was commissioned by the Confraternity of the Immaculate Conception of San Francesco, Milan in the late 15th century?
VIrgin of the Rocks
Where is the inscription CAROLUS REX MAGNAE BRITANNIAE in Van Dyck`s equestrian portrait of Charles l?
On the tree behind him
What major building was demolished to make way for the National Gallery of British Art (now Tate Britain)?
Millbank prison
Name TWO of the original seven members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
William Holman Hunt and John Everett Millais
Which painter, famous for his scenes of Venice, moved to England in 1746?
Giovanni Antonio Canal, known as Canaletto
Name the actor who portrayed J M W Turner in the 2014 film of his life directed by Mike Leigh.
Timothy Spall
Which English artist, born in Smithfield in 1697, is often referred to as the father of English painting?
William Hogarth
Who painted Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy?
David Hockney
In which year did Tate Modern open?
2000
Name the American artist who is nicknamed Jack the Dripper.
Jackson Pollock
An exhibition opened on 5th February dedicated to the work of which South African artist?
2015 - Marlene Dumas
Which painting by Pablo Picasso depicts his recollections of a love triangle which led to his friend’s suicide?
The Three Dancers
The Metamorphosis of Narcissus (1937) was painted by which surrealist artist?
Salvador Dalí
Which triptych when exhibited in 1945, made the artist Francis Bacon`s name?
Three Studies for Figures at the Base of a Crucifixion
From which century does the Mildenhall Treasure date?
4th Century AD
Which sculpture from the left end of the Parthenon west pediment was unexpectedly transported to Russia on loan in December 2014?
statue of the river–god Ilissos
a) In approximately which year was Gebelein Man buried? b) How did he probably die?
a) He was buried in about 3500 BC (if not earlier) according to the British Museum site b) he was stabbed in the back.
Which country is home to one of the world’s oldest continuing cultures, the subject of a major new exhibition at the British Museum which opens on 23rd April 2015?
2015 - Indigenous Australia
What is the family relationship between Assyrian kings Sargon and Ashurbanipal?
Great grandson
What name is given to the form of ceramic decoration, developed in China during the Tang Dynasty, in which colouring agents are added to a low-fired lead-based glaze to give a polychrome effect?
SANCAI
What was the likely reason for the Battersea Shield ending up in the River Thames?
votive offering
Which bed, capable of holding 12 people is housed in the Victoria and Albert Museum?
THE GREAT BED OF WARE
Name the artist who designed and created the glass chandelier in the main V & A entrance hall.
Dale Chihuly
Where would you find the Lord Mayor`s coach on permanent static display?
the City Gallery at the Museum of London
In which London museum could a visitor enter a building that is shaped like a giant cocoon?
the Natural History Museum
Which art collection includes Franz Hals’ The Laughing Cavalier?
WALLACE COLLECTION
In which language was Magna Carta originally written?
LATIN
Which country made a gift of the new Diamond Jubilee Coach now in the Royal Mews?
Australia
Which London museum contains the Ashcroft collection of Victoria and George Crosses?
the Imperial War Museum London
a) In which collection would you find Manet’s Bar at the Folies-Bergere? b) Where is this collection housed?
a) permanent collection of The Courtauld Gallery
b) Somerset House, London
What was the name of the art installation which brought the area around the Tower of London to a standstill in the autumn of 2014?
Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red was a public art installation created in the moat of the Tower of London (red poppies)
Name the streets in which Blue plaques can be found on the former residences of a) Oscar Wilde b) Sir James Barrie.
a) OSCAR WILDE - 34 Tite Street, Chelsea, London SW3 4JA
b) SIR JAMES BARRIE - 100 Bayswater Road, Bayswater, London W2 3HJ, City of Westminster.
Name ONE London railway terminus from where it is possible to take a direct train to Cambridge.
King’s Cross, Liverpool Street
What is the name of the £16 billion railway line, expected to begin operation in 2018, which will create a new east-west route using 26 miles of new tunnels beneath central London?
The Elizabeth line, Crossrail
What is the difference between a High Commission and an Embassy?
Embassies are diplomatic missions of non-Commonwealth countries. High Commissions are the diplomatic missions of Commonwealth countries
Name the architect of the former New Scotland Yard located on Victoria Embankment, now used as parliamentary offices.
Richard Norman Shaw and John Dixon Butler
What direct bus route operates between St Paul`s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey?
11
Which pedestrian crossing in NW8 is Grade ll listed?
The Abbey Road Zebra Crossing
Opposite which mainline station is the Heron Tower located?
The Liverpool Street
Name the longest underground river in London.
THE RIVER FLEET
At which theatre is the English National Opera resident?
the London Coliseum
In which street is Victoria Beckham`s new store?
Dover Street
In which market can be found a statue of Amy Whitehouse?
Camden Stables Market
Name the street in which the Japanese Embassy is located.
101-104 Piccadilly London
A weathervane in the form of which insect can be seen on top of the Royal Exchange?
a gilded grasshopper
Which characters in a popular BBC tv drama series live in a flat above what is actually Speedy’s Café in North Gower Street?
Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson
St James`s Palace was built on the site of what kind of institution?
a leper hospital dedicated to Saint James the Less
At which City church is the annual Lion Sermon preached on the nearest Thursday to 16th October?
St Katharine Cree in Leadenhall St in the City of London
Which novel by Charles Dickens is set against the background of the Gordon Riots of 1780?
Barnaby Rudge
From which tavern did Geoffrey Chaucer`s pilgrims set out for Canterbury?
the Tabard Inn
In which London street is Planet Hollywood located?
Haymarket (now permanently closed)
Which London local police force pre-dates the Metropolitan police?
BOW STREET RUNNERS
With which entertainment industry is Wardour Street associated?
BRITISH FILM INDUSTRY
Name the present Lord Mayor of London.
from Nov 2022 - Nicholas Lyons
Name the sculpture which will occupy the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square from 5th March 2015
2015 - ‘Gift Horse’, Hans Haacke
2022 - Antelope by Samson Kambalu
Which London Underground railway line, the shortest on the network, is nicknamed The Drain?
THE WATERLOO AND CITY LINE
Which side street just off Regent`s Street became the centre of fashion during the “swinging sixties”?
CARNABY STREET
Name the fish market situated in Docklands.
BILLINGSGATE
What is the name of the in-depth study of pre-set London street routes and points of interest that a taxicab driver must complete in order to obtain a license to operate a black cab?
the “Knowledge of London”
Name the designer of the iconic telephone box in the 1930s?
Sir Giles Gilbert Scott
Where did Marble Arch stand from 1827 until 1851?
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
In which former cemetery are John Bunyan, Daniel Defoe and William Blake all buried?
BUNHILL FIELDS
Which art gallery stands on the site of the King’s Mews at Charing Cross?
NATIONAL GALLERY
The only statue of an actress in London depicts Sarah Siddons. Where does it stand?
Saint Mary’s Cemetery at Paddington Green
What visitor attraction did Marie Grosholtz open in Baker Street in 1835?
Madame Tussaud
Which London theatre was built to stage the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas and was the first to be lit by electricity?
THE SAVOY THEATRE
How many passenger capsules are there on the London Eye?
32
In which London Borough is the Tower of London situated?
TOWER HAMLETS
Name the religious building in which Prince George of Cambridge was christened.
Chapel Royal St James’s
Name TWO foreign heads of state whose statues stand in Parliament Square.
- Nelson Mandela – President of South Africa (1918 – 2013)
- Abraham Lincoln – President of the United States (1809 – 1865)
Whose official residence is a) 11 Downing St b) 12 Downing St
11 - Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer; 12 - Chief Whip
By what nickname is the building located at 122 Leadenhall St EC3 generally known?
THE CHEESEGRATER
Which automobile manufacturer, best known for Formula One racing and highperformance sports cars, has a showroom at One Hyde Park?
McLAREN
Which ministry has its head office at 102 Petty France?
MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
Which premiership football team`s home ground is the Emirates Stadium?
ARSENAL
Which world cup sporting event kicks off in West London on September 22nd 2015?
RUGBY WORLD CUP
Television sets were first sold in London in 1928 in which Oxford Street store?
SELFRIDGE’S
In which London hospital is the birth anticipated of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge`s second child in April 2015?
ST MARY’S HOSPITAL
Which major shopping street was known to the Romans as Via Trinobantina?
OXFORD STREET
What distinguishes the Weavers` Company Charter from those of all other Livery Companies?
It’s the most ancient livery company in the City.
And/or their Charter was signed by Thomas Becket
The Roman Temple of Mithras, excavated in 1954, is due to be incorporated in which modern building?
BLOOMBERG HEADQUARTERS
What musical event happened on the roof of 3 Savile Row on 30th January 1969?
THE BEATLES’ ROOFTOP CONCERT (their last)
Which London street is named after a region of Italy and is heavily connected with the banking industry?
Lombard Street
In which London square would you find a statue of Mahatma Gandhi?
Parliament Square / Tavistock Square
In November 2014 a new memorial was unveiled on the Embankment side of the Ministry of Defence to commemorate those who served in which conflict?
2014: Korea
2017: Iraq, Afghanistan and the Gulf
Which architectural company is responsible for the Bevis Marks development?
SKANSKA UK
Whose seated statue stands outside Chelsea Old Church?
SIR THOMAS MORE
How much is the walk up rate for one adult admission to the ArcelorMittal Orbit at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park?
in 2023: £12.50
In December 2015 a wreath was laid in the Abbey to commemorate the bicentenary of the birth of the author of the ‘Chronicles of Barsetshire’. What was his name?
Anthony Trollope
Who is the current Constable of the Tower?
General Sir Gordon Messenger
Who is the current Dean of St Paul’s?
Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett
138 men, severely injured in World War One, made something intricate and beautiful which is currently on display in the cathedral. What is it?
An embroidered altar cloth (frontal)
a) What is the name of the current Director of the National Gallery? b) He was Deputy Director for Collections and Research of which Spanish museum?
Dr Gabriele Finaldi/Previously Deputy Director for collections and Research at the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid/
Name the current Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of the Tate galleries.
Maria Balshaw
What is the title of Abraham Cruzvillegas current work in the Turbine Hall?
Hyundai Commission now until 16 april 2023 > Cecilia Vicuña Brain Forest Quipu
From 11th February 2016 where would you send people to see an exhibition of photographs entitled Vogue 100: A Century of Style?
National Portrait Gallery (2016)
In which museum will an exhibition Undressed; A Brief History of Underwear open on April 16th 2016?
V&A (2016)
Who will become Music Director of the London Symphony Orchestra in 2017?
SIR SIMON RATTLE
What is the name of the musical which will open at the Palace Theatre on July 30th 2016?
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (since 2016)
Which museum has moved into the former Commonwealth Institute in Kensington and will open in 2016?
The Design Museum
The Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Planning Board have approved construction of a project at Enderby Wharf that should be completed in 2017 and provide a significant boost to the tourism industry. What is it?
London City Cruise Port
If a visitor wants to ride on a Heritage Routemaster there is only one route currently using these buses. Which number bus should the visitor take?
no more Heritage services Routemaster buses since 2021
What is the name of the current Foreign Secretary?
JAMES CLEVERLY MP
The current largest infrastructure project in Europe is due to open in London in 2018? What is it called?
(Crossrail, now Elizabeth line, opened 2022)
How much do you pay for a single tube ticket in zone 1 – cash?
£6.30
In October 2016, Twickenham Stadium will host the first ever game of which American sport? (Till now matches have been played at Wembley.)
(was AMerican football, but not a regular thing)
What was London called during the Anglo Saxon period?
Lundenwic
Name the last purpose-built docks, opened in London in 1921?
Royal Docks, opened by King George V
Who was the last person to be executed on Tower Hill?
Jacobite Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat 1747, last judicial beheading in England
In which year did the first Zeppelin raid on London take place?
1915
In which building was the first meeting of the general assembly of the United Nations held in 1946?
Methodist Central Hall
