1 On March 17 in 1580, Prince William the Silent, was welcomed in Amsterdam as the leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs. His ancestral home was the city of Aurenja in France, but the name changed over time. He eventually founded the monarchy in the Netherlands and his family name (and the colour associated with it) became a symbol of the country. How better do we know Aurenja?
2 Born March 17 in 1777, Patrick Brunty was a clergyman in England who had three daughters: Charlotte, Emily, Anne, and a son, Branwell. The siblings were very imaginative and spent a lot of time telling stories to each other. They built intricate fictional worlds and later even published them under pseudonyms. What did Patrick change his name ‘Brunty’ to as an adult?
3 On March 17 in 1845, London-based Stephen Perry obtained a patent for a product that held sheets of paper together. It was made by the simple act of slicing a hollow tube made from latex and sulphur. What did that lead to, which all of us have lying around the house?
4 On March 17 in 1898, Irish engineer John Philip Holland successfully carried out a test run for his invention. Named ‘Holland VI’, it was the first modern version of a vehicle that could stay submerged for more than an hour as it had electric and petrol engines. The earliest version was designed in 1775 and called the ‘Turtle’. What type of vehicle is this?
5 On March 17 in 1901, at a show in Paris, 71 paintings of an artist were put on exhibition 11 years after his death. The bold brushstrokes and expressive colours caused a sensation across the art world. In 2022, his painting ‘Orchard with Cypresses’ sold for $117 million, even though in his lifetime, he only sold one painting for $2,000 (current rate). Who was this misunderstood artist?
6 On March 17 in 1905, this physicist finished his scientific paper detailing his ‘Quantum Theory of Light’. The idea that light travels in bundles of energy called ‘photons’ led to one of the foundations of modern physics. Who was this scientist?
7 On March 17 in 1930, construction began on the world’s first skyscraper with more than a hundred storeys. Built on 5th Avenue in New York City, it gets its name from the nickname of the State. Built by 3,400 men in 410 days, it was the tallest building in the world till the World Trade Center came up. Which iconic building is this?
8 Born on March 17 in 1944, Pattie Boyd is an English model who was married to George Harrison and inspired the Beatles song ‘Something’. After their divorce, she married Eric Clapton, and he wrote the song ‘Wonderful Tonight’ for her. He also wrote the most famous song about her, which is named after a 7th century Persian love story by Nizami Ganjavi. What is the name of the song and the story?
9 Born on March 17 in 1976, Stephen Gately was the co-lead singer along with Ronan Keating of the most successful boyband to come out of Ireland. Formed after auditioning more than 300 singers, the band eventually had five members and went on to release seven studio albums. Which band was this, whose first U.K. chart topper was a cover of the Bee Gees song ‘Words’?
10 Born on March 17 in 1990, this woman is the first Indian athlete to win two Singles gold medals at the Commonwealth Games. She was the first badminton player to win an Olympic medal and a Super Series title. Who is this athlete, whose autobiography is titled Playing to Win: My Life On and Off Court?
A molecular biologist from Madurai, our quizmaster enjoys trivia and music, and is working on a rock ballad called ‘Coffee is a Drink, Kaapi is an Emotion’. @bertyashley
Answers
1. Orange
2. Brontë
3. Rubber band
4. Submarine
5. Vincent van Gogh
6. Albert Einstein
7. Empire State Building
8. ‘Layla’; ‘The Story of Layla and Majnun’
9. Boyzone
10. Saina Nehwal
Quiz | Easy like Sunday morning
George Harrison, 22, with Patti Boyd, 21, after they were married at the register office in Epsom.
