The Brentwood Gazette’s Weekly Teaser — 15-7-2015: Saint Swithun’s Day

Ah, well, that’s THAT letter published, then … 

You’ve probably worked out I’m a Terry Pratchett fan, hadn’t you?

One saddened by his death: and saddened, but understanding about his position — in the last years of his life — about assisted death.

Last week, my local MP, Eric Pickles (Con. Brentwood and Ongar) wrote in the Brentwood Gazette that he, personally, would be opposing any moves to legalise Assisted Dying.

While I don’t like the idea?   I think that a law allowing it should be in place.

And wrote into the Gazette to say so.

The letter’s pictured: and available, here.

If you’d like to write to your local MP about the subject — or your local paper — feel free to copy and paste the text.

~≈Í≈~

But let’s move on, shall we?

It’s Wednesday: which means it’s time for the Brentwood Gazette’s Weekly Teaser.

Here’s this week’s, covered by the usual Creative Commons License* …

Q1) 15th July is the Feast of Saint Swithin: or Saint Swithun, as it’s sometimes spelt.   According to the old superstition, if it rains today, it’ll rain for how many more: thirty, forty or fifty?

Q2) Again, according to the superstition, if it’s sunny, today, it’ll be sunny for how may days: forty, fifty or sixty?

Q3) What exactly WAS Saint Swithin: a Dane, a Viking or an Anglo-Saxon?

Q4) Saint Swithin is the patron saint of which English city?

Q5) He’s ALSO the patron saint of the county that city is in.   Which English county are we talking about?

Q6) Swithin is ALSO the patron saint of which part of London: Camberwell, Southwark or Peckham?

Q7) The stories of good or bad weather on Saint Swithin’s Day have an element of truth to them.   The weather is due to the position of what, relative to the British Isles: the Arctic Ocean, the Jet Stream or El Ñino?

Q8) If it DOES rain on Saint Swithin’s Day, some say the saint is christening which fruit: apples, oranges or cherries?

Q9) Saint Swithin, Jane Austen, and angler, Izaak Walton, were all buried in which cathedral?

Q10) Finally … the rain — or sunshine — ends on 24th August.   Which apostle’s day is this: Andrew’s, Bartholomew’s or James’s?

Here’s last week’s questions and answers …

Questions.

Q1) 8th July, 1874, saw members of what’s now the Royal Canadian Mounted Police begin their March West.   To what’s now which Canadian province?

Q2) From which province did the force start … ?

Q3) What was the force called, at the time: the North-West Mounted Police, the North-East Mounted Police or the South-West Mounted Police … ?

Q4) The modern Royal Canadian Mounted Police are better known how: Mounties, Montys or Manatees?

Q5) What’s most junior rank of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police?

Q6) What’s the highest?

Q7) The RCMP are a gendarmerie.   Basically, they’re what, acting as police: soldiers, sailors or pilots?

Q8) What colour are the jackets in RCMP dress uniforms?

Q9) The RCMP own the ‘Inkster’, ‘Nadon’, ‘Higgitt’, ‘Lindsey’ and ‘Simmonds’.   Are these helicopters, patrol boats or snowmobiles?

Q10) What, according to the old saying, do the RCMP always get?

Answers.

A1) Alberta.

A2) Manitoba.   From a town called Emerson.

A3) The North-West Mounted Police.

A4) Mounties.

A5) Constable.

A6) Commissioner.

A7) Soldiers.

A8) Red.

A9) Patrol boats.

A10) Their man.

I hope they prove useful.

*        All that means is that you’re free to copy, use, alter and build on each of my quizzes: including the Teasers, Gazette Teasers and the Friday Question Sets.   All I ask in return is that you give me an original authors credit on your event’s flyers or posters, or on the night: and, if you republish them, give me an original authors credit AND republish under the same license.   A link back to the site — and to the Gazette’s, if that’s where you’ve found these — would be appreciated: as would pressing my donate button, here.