answers   to OPs  questions round one

1.              What connects  a failed presidential bid from Arizona  - with a quiet American and the former controversial owner of a means of communication.

answer              1, Barry GOLD water   - Graham GREENE    and  conrad BLACK  -

( telegraph a means of communication )  - its the colours of a shirt  you may be aquainted with.

2.              What connects  a naval battle in the West Indies ;   A seventeenth century parliament  ;  and  a late Labour minister of Sports stamping ground.

answer -             The battle of the SAINTS   1782   - the Saints  are a group of islands near Guadaloupe. Admiral Rodney defeated the French. -  The parliament of the SAINTS   - during the Commonwealth so called because of the  extreme puritans in it -   Birmingham All SAINTS  was the constituency of Dennis Howell.

3.             Why would people in medieval times have worn the remains of a member of the Pectinae around their necks.  

answer  -             A scallop shell  was worn by pilgrims to Santiago de Compestalla  - the scallop shell is the symbol of ST JAMES

4.             Why could there never have been or be a last King of Scotland

answered by Jim winning  - The title is king or queen of Scots

5.             in 1905 , 1830 ,  1993   - three countries split from others to become independent   who were they  and from what or whom did they separate.

answered by Red Saint   -   

Norway split from Sweden in 1905 ; Belgium split from the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1830  ; and Slovakia split from the Czech repiblic   ( formerly Czechoslovakia )  in 1993.     Both Norway /Sweden  and   Belgium - Netherlands were set up by the congresss of Vienna 1815.

What Links?

A village near Banbury

Cropredy

1.     A Grumpy Old Rockstar -Rick Wakeman will be appearing at Cropredy this year

2.     A Director of 48 years Standing Rick Wakeman is from Perivale – Home of the Hoover Building – J Edgar Hoover served 48 years as director of the FBI

3.     A hybrid place between two virgins  - FBI HQ is in Washington DC (Both a town and District) between Virginia and Maryland (Roman Catholic Colony named for the Virgin Mary) -

4.     European Car of the Year 1993 - Washington DC – Washington Tyne and Wear, Home of Nissan in the UK - European Car of the Year 1993

5.     1st Baron Clive’s nuptials - Nissan’s Micra Plant in India is at Chenai – Formerly Madras where Clive of India was married

6.     23rd September 1459 - Clive’s Birthplace was Market Drayton, Shropshire – Battle here in the wars of the Roses

7.     The infra-draw method - Wars of the Roses – Cadburys Roses. Now owned by Kraft who will close the Keynsham Factory this year. Home to “Horace Batchelor’s “Infra Draw” pools scheme

8.     Sir Henry Rawlinson - Viv Stashall’s Bonzo Dog Band Album – “Keynsham”. Stanshall’s Character Sir Henry Rawlinson

9.     The final resting place of a fondly remembered tipple in 2000 - Sir Henry Rawlinson appeared in a famous advert for Ruddles Beer, which was eventually acquired by Morlands who brewed it until 2000 at Abingdon, when they closed the Brewery and the Beer was discontinued.

10.  A departure on 25th May - 25th May 1644 King Charles departed Abingdonon a Journey which ended in a morale boosting victory for the Royalist Cause at

Cropredy Bridge