This week’s quiz entails identifying three peers:
Peer 1:
I entered the House of Lords when I was 25;
I have served in the House for more than forty years;
I am a dentist and a bandleader.
Who am I?
Peer 2:
I served as a special assistant to a Prime Minister and as head of the private office of a Leader of the Opposition;
I served in several Cabinet posts;
I am a member of the Inner Magic Circle.
Who am I?
Peer 3:
I am an expert in parasitology;
I have been an expert adviser to several UN agencies and overseas governments;
I was Professor of Parasitology at a US Ivy League university.
who am I?
One clue: all three sit for the same party in the House.
1. Earl Ferrers
2. Lord MacGregor
3. Lord Soulsby
All of the Conservative Party.
Peer 1 – Lord Colwyn
Peer 2 – Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market
Peer 3 – Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior
All are Conservative
Excellent, A quiz to start the weekend 🙂
1) Ian Anthony Hamilton-Smith, 3rd Baron Colwyn. (I thought this would be hard as I didn’t know if I was looking for a LP or HP. Luckily I knew Baroness Gardner of Parkes was a dentist and looking her up in hansard she mentions there she is the only other dentist following a speech by Colwyn.)
2) Brian Stanley Mawhinney, Baron Mawhinney. Almost the only thing I remember about him is the magic circle :/
3)Ernest Jackson Lawson Soulsby, Baron Soulsby of Swaffham Prior.
Phew, for once I think I have all the answers; the trouble with this posting authorisation system is I can’t tell if I have spoilt anyone’s fun by getting in first or you all were up at the crack of dawn and have long since answered!
Looking at Stephs answers and a little googling Lord MacGregor looks correct. C’est la vie :/
I am gratified that this week’s questions appeared a little more demanding than previous ones and that none of the three sets of answers matched precisely either of the other two.
The only answer that all three of you agreed on was that Lord Soulsby of Swaffham Prior was peer number three. He served as professor of parasitology at the University of Pennsylvania. Lord MacGregor is peer number two. He was a special adviser to Sir Alec Douglas-Home as prime minister and head of the private office of Edward Heath when he was leader of the opposition, later going on to enter Parliament and hold several Cabinet posts, including that of Education Secretary. And peer number one is Lord Colwyn. As Croft points out, he is one of two dentists in the House. (No need now to set a question asking which female peer is a dentist!) I did, though, greatly enjoy FinnishCowl’s suggestion that the answer was Earl Ferrers. Anyone who knows Earl Ferrers will enjoy conjuring up a vision of him as a bandleader!
So well done to Steph – this week’s winner. Thanks to FinnishCowl and Croft for contributing: two out of three in each case.