Alexandra Palace - Quiz
Alexandra Palace
  • 1. Where is Alexandra Palace situated?
A) In east London, near Stratford
B) In north London, between Wood Green and Muswell Hill
C) In central London, next to Hyde Park
D) In south London, near Croydon
  • 2. What is the London Borough where Alexandra Palace is located?
A) Harrow
B) Hackney
C) Haringey
D) Hillingdon
  • 3. What architectural listing status does Alexandra Palace hold?
A) Grade II listed building
B) Not listed
C) Grade I listed building
D) Grade III listed building
  • 4. On what former site is Alexandra Palace built?
A) Tottenham Wood and Tottenham Wood Farm
B) Greenwich Royal Park
C) Kensington Palace grounds
D) Hampstead Heath farm
  • 5. Who designed Alexandra Palace?
A) John Nash and Isambard Kingdom Brunel
B) John Johnson and Alfred Meeson
C) Owen Jones and Christopher Wren
D) Sir Joseph Paxton and Augustus Pugin
  • 6. In what year did Alexandra Palace originally open?
A) 1873
B) 1900
C) 1883
D) 1863
  • 7. What major event happened two weeks after the original opening?
A) A massive flood
B) A royal wedding
C) A political riot
D) A fire
  • 8. What is the common nickname for Alexandra Palace?
A) North Dome
B) Ally Pally
C) Alex House
D) The Palace
  • 9. What was the original intended name for the venue?
A) The Palace of the People
B) The Victoria Pavilion
C) The Royal Exhibition Centre
D) The North London Hub
  • 10. What event caused the owners to plan to sell the Palace and park for development in 1900?
A) Bankruptcy caused by the BBC
B) Government acquisition
C) It was initially a private venture
D) The building burned down completely
  • 11. Who acquired the Palace and park to save them from development in 1900?
A) A group of neighbouring local authorities
B) English Heritage
C) The Hornsey Historical Society
D) The British Broadcasting Corporation
  • 12. Which Act of Parliament created the Alexandra Palace and Park Trust?
A) The London Government Act
B) The Public Recreation Act
C) An Act of Parliament
D) The Heritage Trust Act
  • 13. Who is the present trustee of Alexandra Palace?
A) The British Government
B) The BBC Trust
C) The London Borough of Haringey
D) The Greater London Authority
  • 14. What depicts Alexandra Palace's pioneering role in television on the Haringey coat of arms?
A) Radio waves
B) A television screen
C) An antenna
D) Lightning bolts
  • 15. In what year did the BBC lease part of the Palace for television services?
A) 1935
B) 1925
C) 1945
D) 1955
  • 16. What milestone did Alexandra Palace achieve in television in 1936?
A) First colour television broadcast
B) Home of the world's first regular public high-definition television service
C) First international broadcast
D) First satellite television transmission
  • 17. What broadcasting system was used for the BBC's early television service at the Palace?
A) 625-line colour television
B) 30-line mechanical television
C) 405-line monochrome analogue television
D) 819-line high definition television
  • 18. Which original television studios still survive in the southeast wing?
A) Studios X and Y
B) Studios 1 and 2
C) North and South Studios
D) Studios A and B
  • 19. What is exhibited inside the surviving Studios A and B?
A) Photographs of royal visits
B) Early radio transmitters
C) Historic BBC costumes
D) Original historical television equipment
  • 20. In what year did Alexandra Palace become a listed building?
A) 1996
B) 1986
C) 1973
D) 2007
  • 21. Who instigated the listing of Alexandra Palace in 1996?
A) English Heritage
B) The BBC
C) The London Borough of Haringey
D) The Hornsey Historical Society
  • 22. What blocked the planned commercial development of the building into a mixed leisure complex in 2007?
A) The High Court
B) The Fire Service
C) The BBC
D) The Prime Minister
  • 23. Which halls are typically used for exhibitions, concerts, and conferences?
A) Studios A and B
B) The Great Hall and the West Hall
C) The East Hall and North Hall
D) The Victorian Theatre and Palm Court
  • 24. In what year was Alexandra Park declared a local nature reserve?
A) 2013
B) 2003
C) 2018
D) 1993
  • 25. What is the nature conservation grading of Alexandra Park?
A) National Nature Reserve Grade A
B) Metropolitan Wildlife Site Grade 3
C) Site of Special Scientific Interest Grade 2
D) Site of Borough Importance for Nature Conservation, Grade 1
  • 26. Which railway services run to Alexandra Palace railway station?
A) Great Northern services from Moorgate
B) Southeastern services from Victoria
C) Greater Anglia services from Liverpool Street
D) Thameslink services from Brighton
  • 27. Which London Underground station is nearest to Alexandra Palace?
A) Wood Green on the Piccadilly line
B) Finsbury Park on the Victoria line
C) Tottenham Hale on the Victoria line
D) Highgate on the Northern line
  • 28. Which London Buses route serves Alexandra Palace?
A) Route 134
B) Route W3
C) Route 91
D) Route 29
  • 29. Which company operates the London Buses route serving Alexandra Palace?
A) Go-Ahead London
B) Metroline
C) Arriva London
D) Stagecoach London
  • 30. Who conceived the 'Palace of the People' in 1859?
A) John Johnson
B) Alfred Meeson
C) Henry Willis
D) Owen Jones
  • 31. Which company was established by 1860 to build the Palace but initially failed to raise financing?
A) The Great Northern Palace Company
B) The Alexandra Park Co. Ltd.
C) Kelk and Lucas
D) The Palace Development Syndicate
  • 32. From which demolished 1862 building were construction materials recycled?
A) The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park
B) The Great Exhibition building in Westminster
C) The International Exhibition building in South Kensington
D) The Royal Albert Hall
  • 33. What company acquired the land of Tottenham Wood Farm in 1863?
A) The Hornsey Land Trust
B) Kelk and Lucas
C) The Great Northern Palace Company
D) Alexandra Park Co. Ltd.
  • 34. At what height on a ridge of Muswell Hill is the Palace site located?
A) More than 400 ft (122 m) high
B) More than 500 ft (152 m) high
C) More than 200 ft (61 m) high
D) More than 300 ft (91 m) high
  • 35. On what date did Alexandra Park open to the public?
A) 1 May 1875
B) 10 March 1863
C) 23 July 1863
D) 24 May 1873
  • 36. After whom was the Palace and park renamed?
A) Queen Victoria
B) Queen Mary
C) Princess Alexandra of Denmark
D) Princess Margaret
  • 37. Who did Princess Alexandra marry on 10 March 1863?
A) Prince Arthur
B) Prince Alfred
C) Prince Albert Edward (future King Edward VII)
D) Prince George
  • 38. When did construction commence on the Palace using John Johnson and Alfred Meeson's design?
A) July 1863
B) May 1871
C) May 1873
D) September 1865
  • 39. What railway work started in 1871 to connect the site to Highgate station?
A) The Edgware, Highgate and London Railway
B) The North London Railway
C) The Great Northern and City Railway
D) The Piccadilly and Highgate Railway
  • 40. How many acres does the Palace structure cover?
A) Some 3.2 acres (1.3 ha)
B) Some 20 acres (8.1 ha)
C) Some 15 acres (6.1 ha)
D) Some 7.5 acres (3.0 ha)
  • 41. Which builders constructed Alexandra Palace?
A) John Johnson and Alfred Meeson
B) Cubitts and Lucas
C) Kelk and Lucas
D) Sir Robert McAlpine and Peto
  • 42. Which other famous building was built by Kelk and Lucas at around the same time?
A) The Tower Bridge
B) The Royal Albert Hall
C) The British Museum
D) The Houses of Parliament
  • 43. Who sang on the opening day of Alexandra Palace before an audience of 102,000?
A) Michael Costa
B) Arthur Sullivan
C) Charles Santley
D) Sims Reeves
  • 44. How many staff members were killed in the fire that destroyed the Palace 16 days after opening?
A) Three
B) Five
C) Ten
D) None
  • 45. What survived the devastating fire of 1873?
A) The entire concert hall
B) The central dome
C) The theatre stage and machinery
D) Only the outer walls
  • 46. What historic loan collection was destroyed in the 1873 fire?
A) English pottery and porcelain comprising 4,700 items
B) Victorian scientific instruments
C) Royal paintings and portraits
D) A collection of Roman coins and artifacts
  • 47. When did the rebuilt Alexandra Palace reopen?
A) 1 May 1875
B) 24 May 1874
C) 10 March 1875
D) 1 July 1876
  • 48. What features were included in the newly rebuilt 1875 Palace?
A) An indoor swimming pool and cinema
B) A concert hall, art galleries, a museum, a lecture hall, a library, a banqueting room and a large theatre
C) Only a theatre and an exhibition hall
D) A television studio and radio mast
  • 49. What capability did the machinery on the Victorian theatre stage provide?
A) Special-effects for pantomimes and melodramas like disappearing, reappearing, and flying
B) Translating plays into foreign languages
C) Creating artificial rainstorms on stage
D) Rotating the audience seating 360 degrees
  • 50. What political events besides entertainment were held in the theatre?
A) International peace summits
B) Mayoral coronations
C) Political meetings
D) Parliamentary elections
  • 51. Where was the open-air swimming pool constructed in the park?
A) At the summit of Muswell Hill
B) Inside the Great Hall
C) On the roof of the West Hall
D) At the base of the hill in the surrounding park
  • 52. What remains of the park's open-air swimming pool today?
A) The ticket office building
B) Nothing at all
C) The original diving board and empty basin
D) Some reeds, as it is long since closed
  • 53. What was the nickname of the horse-racing course in the park grounds?
A) The 'Oval Circuit'
B) The 'Long Track'
C) The 'Frying Pan' or the 'Pan Handle'
D) The 'Horseshoe'
  • 54. When did the Alexandra Park Racecourse operate until its closure?
A) From 1868 until 1970
B) From 1863 until 1980
C) From 1873 until 1950
D) From 1900 until 1990
  • 55. What status did the Alexandra Park Racecourse hold in London from 1868?
A) It was London's only racecourse
B) It was London's first royal racecourse
C) It was London's only floodlit racecourse
D) It was London's largest racecourse
  • 56. What attractions were found in the grounds alongside the racecourse?
A) A roller coaster, a zoo, and a funfair
B) A Japanese village, a switchback ride, a boating lake, and a nine-hole pitch-and-putt golf course
C) A botanical garden and a wildlife safari
D) A roller skating rink and bowling green
  • 57. Since what year have Alexandra Park cricket and football clubs played within the grounds?
A) 1888
B) 1863
C) 1900
D) 1875
  • 58. Where do the cricket and football clubs play within the grounds?
A) In the middle of the old racecourse
B) Near the West Hall
C) Next to the Palm Court
D) At the base of Muswell Hill
  • 59. In what year was a Henry Willis organ installed in the Palace?
A) 1929
B) 1888
C) 1875
D) 1863
  • 60. In what year was the Henry Willis organ vandalised?
A) 1929
B) 1945
C) 1900
D) 1918
  • 61. When was the Henry Willis organ restored and reopened?
A) 1918
B) 1929
C) 1935
D) 1973
  • 62. Who declared the restored Henry Willis organ to be the finest concert-organ in Europe?
A) John Johnson
B) Owen Jones
C) Sims Reeves
D) Marcel Dupré
  • 63. What feature provides visitors with a panoramic view of London from the Palace?
A) A palm court and panoramic viewpoint
B) A high-altitude cable car
C) An observation wheel
D) A revolving restaurant
  • 64. Which English Heritage register includes the Victorian theatre and stage structure?
A) Buildings at Risk register
B) National Heritage List
C) Historic Monuments register
D) Protected Architectural register
  • 65. As of what year is the Victorian Alexandra Palace Theatre back in use?
A) 1996
B) 2013
C) 2019
D) 2007
  • 66. What is still in use today that was established by the BBC during their long tenure at the Palace?
A) The BBC canteen
B) Studio A
C) The original 405-line transmitter
D) Its radio and television mast
  • 67. What type of business operates the Great Hall and the West Hall for exhibitions and concerts?
A) The London Borough of Haringey council
B) A private commercial entertainment corporation
C) A BBC subsidiary company
D) The trading arm of the charitable trust
  • 68. What year were the owners of Alexandra Palace and Park threatening to sell them for redevelopment?
A) 1935
B) 1900
C) 1967
D) 1921
  • 69. Who headed the consortium that raised enough money to purchase Alexandra Palace just in time?
A) Henry Burt JP
B) E. T. Spashett
C) W. J. MacQueen-Pope
D) Charles Samuel Franklin
  • 70. In what year was a plaque erected at the entrance of the south terrace in honour of Henry Burt?
A) 1935
B) 1956
C) 1900
D) 1921
  • 71. From what years was the Palace used as an internment camp for German and Austrian civilians during WWI?
A) 1912 to 1915
B) 1915 to 1919
C) 1916 to 1920
D) 1914 to 1918
  • 72. Who was the camp commandant of the internment camp until his death in May 1917?
A) Henry Burt JP
B) Lt. Col. R. S. F. Walker
C) W. J. MacQueen-Pope
D) Charles Samuel Franklin
  • 73. Who spent war reparation money on refurbishing the theatre auditorium in the early 1920s?
A) Gracie Fields
B) Louis Bizat
C) Archie Pitt
D) W. J. MacQueen-Pope
  • 74. Which theatre manager was married to Gracie Fields when he leased the theatre?
A) Archie Pitt
B) E. T. Spashett
C) Henry Burt
D) Charles Samuel Franklin
  • 75. Who designed the antenna for the BBC Television service at Alexandra Palace?
A) E. T. Spashett
B) Charles Samuel Franklin
C) John Logie Baird
D) Lt. Col. R. S. F. Walker
  • 76. When were the world's first public high-definition television broadcasts made from Alexandra Palace?
A) September 1939
B) May 1945
C) January 1937
D) November 1936
  • 77. What feature in the modern coat of arms of the London Borough of Haringey alludes to the 1936 television broadcasts?
A) The rose window
B) The anchor
C) The rays
D) The organ
  • 78. What was the theatre used for after the BBC leased the eastern part of the Palace?
A) An ice hockey arena
B) A roller-skating rink
C) Props storage space
D) A refugee camp
  • 79. Until what year did the Palace continue as the BBC's main transmitting centre for London?
A) 1981
B) 1956
C) 1969
D) 1937
  • 80. What alternative use did the BBC transmitter find during the Second World War?
A) Tracking incoming German doodlebugs
B) Broadcasting secret messages to occupied Europe
C) Jamming German bombers' navigation systems
D) Powering anti-aircraft searchlights
  • 81. What exploded just outside the organ end of the Great Hall in 1944?
A) An incendiary bomb
B) A stray artillery shell
C) A gas leak
D) A German doodlebug
  • 82. Which architectural feature was blown in when the doodlebug exploded in 1944?
A) The Rose Window
B) The main dome
C) The south terrace entrance
D) The television antenna mast
  • 83. Who incorporated pieces of the shattered rose window into a new design during 1947 renovations?
A) Louis Bizat
B) Henry Burt
C) Charles Samuel Franklin
D) E. T. Spashett
  • 84. From the top of which structure was an outside broadcast made in the early 1960s to watch a satellite?
A) The tower
B) The South terrace
C) The Great Hall dome
D) The antenna mast
  • 85. Until what year was Alexandra Palace used for BBC News broadcasts?
A) 1956
B) 1981
C) 1969
D) 1977
  • 86. Until what year was the Palace used for the Open University?
A) 1969
B) 1956
C) 1990
D) 1981
  • 87. How much was Alexandra Palace insured for by Haringey Council when they took over the trusteeship in 1980?
A) £60 million
B) £31 million
C) £30 million
D) £20 million
  • 88. During which event did a fire start under the organ and destroy half the building in 1980?
A) The BBC Television service launch
B) Capital Radio's Jazz Festival
C) An ice hockey tournament
D) A charity event hosted by Gracie Fields
  • 89. How much of a deficit was created by Haringey Council overspending on the restoration after the 1980 fire?
A) £30 million
B) £60 million
C) £31 million
D) £20 million
  • 90. In what year was the Palace reopened to the public after the fire under management head Louis Bizat?
A) 1990
B) 1980
C) 1991
D) 1988
  • 91. When did the first performances in about 70 years take place in the theatre foyer?
A) June 2004
B) July 2004
C) October 2007
D) September 2005
  • 92. Which theatre company's major season was planned for 2005 but later cancelled?
A) Complicité
B) Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
C) Willmott Dixon
D) Edible London
  • 93. Who granted the application to quash the Charity Commission's order authorising a 125-year lease on 5 October 2007?
A) Dylan Moran
B) Mr Justice Sullivan
C) Jacob O'Callaghan
D) Gareth Malone
  • 94. Who brought the application to the High Court to challenge the 125-year lease to Firoka Ltd.?
A) Mr Justice Sullivan
B) Jacob O'Callaghan
C) Ronnie Scott
D) Gilbert & George
  • 95. What was the maximum occupation allowed for the main hall at Alexandra Palace after September 2009?
A) 10,250
B) 200
C) 3,000
D) 2,000
  • 96. When was a masterplan comprising six "big ideas" drawn up for the future of the site?
A) 2012
B) 2004
C) 2018
D) 2007
  • 97. What organization awarded a Round 1 pass in 2013 to develop the redevelopment proposals?
A) English Heritage
B) Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
C) Haringey Council
D) Heritage Lottery Fund
  • 98. Who constructed the brick infills in the colonnade on the southeastern face of the building after 1936?
A) Edible London
B) The BBC
C) Haringey Council
D) Willmott Dixon
  • 99. When did the Heritage Lottery Fund award Round 2 major grant funding for the proposals?
A) June 2004
B) March 2015
C) September 2009
D) December 2018
  • 100. Which contractor completed the East Wing Restoration Project in 2018?
A) Willmott Dixon
B) Firoka Ltd.
C) Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
D) Complicité
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