Entire books celebrate Winston Churchill's insults, but what jibes were directed at him?
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QUESTION Entire books celebrate Winston Churchill's insults, but what jibes were directed at him?
Richard Haldane, a former Lord Chancellor, was famous for a dry sense of humour. On one occasion, Churchill prodded Haldane's portly tummy.
'What's in there?' Churchill asked.
'If it is a boy, I shall call him John. If it is a girl, I shall call her Mary. But if it is only wind, I shall call it Winston,' he replied.
Richard Haldane (pictured) a former Lord Chancellor who was famous for a dry sense of humour
The U.S. poet Ezra Pound had some controversial words to say in a 1945 interview. He said of Churchill: 'Winston believes in the maximum of injustice enforced with the maximum of brutality.'
Dave Taylor, York.
While at Harrow School, Churchill was a 'fag' (a system where younger boys carried out duties for the seniors) to A. C. MacLaren, who later became an England cricket captain. He described Churchill as 'quite useless' and a 'snotty little b****r'.
Peter Gilbert, Rugby.
QUESTION What was the name of the first vinyl album?
The first demonstration disc, ML4001, was Nathan Milstein's performance of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor with the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York (stock photo)
In the 1940s, the engineers at Columbia Records developed a 12 in long-playing vinyl record.
The first demonstration disc, ML4001, was Nathan Milstein's performance of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor with the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra of New York, conducted by Bruno Walter.
Along with the Mendelssohn, there were three further 12 in discs featuring Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue, Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor, Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and a compilation from Bizet's Carmen, Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker and Khachaturian's Gayane.
The collection was completed by two 10 in records featuring Strauss waltzes and works by the U.S. composer Stephen Foster.
Lawrence Duggan, Norwich, Norfolk.
QUESTION I read a horror story called How Grim Was My Valley (a play on How Green Was My Valley). What other titles of novels have been twisted to similar effect?
Further to earlier answers, the Thames TV series Minder (1979-94) often adapted film titles to name episodes.
Examples include The Beer Hunter and Senior Citizen Caine.
Ken Parkin, Stalmine, Lancs.
