In honor of the coming election for President/USA here is a trivia quiz regarding the first President, George Washington. Please do add your guess, but if you really know the answer just send me a PM to confirm and keep the others guessing.

 

Ready? Ok, what was the name of President George Washington's horse?

 

This was the horse which he would ride in victory parades as he entered cities on his way from his home in Virginia to and from from New York City. The citizens would line the streets and cry Horah, Horah as he trotted by on his horse, .........

 

Oh, here is a clue to help you navigate this tricky question; the horse shared the same last name as a well known Brit who was a contemporary of Washington.

 

Be clever with your guesses.

Hmmm....have read a couple of biographies, ol' George had several horses and all apparently had different names (and some, it seems, had names that changed over time). But I think I know which name you're referring to (was the horse, perhaps, missing a leg and the sight in one eye?).

Sorry Bob, this horse was a fine specimen with no deformities. George W rode this horse when he was President, not necessarily as a General.

 

And for you Brits, the horse's name was not Rex as in George III Rex

Be clever with your guesses.

 

That can be a dangerous suggestion!

 

But in the spirit of the suggestion, I’ll guess the name was ‘Harris’.

 

I’ll admit I did a little research, but found nothing! However, I did read about “Harris’s List of Covent Garden Ladies” published between 1757 and 1795. This directory of prostitutes then working in Georgian London sold about 8,000 copies annually. Each edition described the physical appearance and sexual specialities of about 120 – 190 prostitutes working in and around the Covent Garden district.

 

A Germen traveller to London in the late 18th century, Johann Willem von Archenholz, felt that Covent Garden prostitutes were somewhat low class, noting ­–

 

The better class of courtesans lived in the West End. Archenholz reckoned that 30,000 ladies of pleasure resided in the single parish of Marylebone, of whom 1,700 were kept mistresses paid an annuity by their seducers, living in elegant apartments and attended by servants. ‘These live very well, and without ever being disturbed by the magistrates.’ Archenholz wryly observed that if prostitution were suppressed, England’s trade and economy would suffer. Without prostitutes, the shops supplying fashionable clothes and luxury products would fail, the theatres would close (for men went to the playhouse mainly to ogle and converse with prostitutes), and most of the entertainment industry would cease: ‘London would soon be depopulated; the fine arts would be frightened away; one half of the inhabitants would be deprived of subsistence.’

 

http://en.wikipedia....t_Garden_Ladies

http://rictornorton.co.uk/gu15.htm

 

Interesting! I guess if there's a booby prize, perhaps I might win

Sorry FH, Harris the Horse is incorrect; but I will say you are first in line for the booby prize and first in line for creative guesses. Although the mention of a lady of dubious reputation is a worthy clue to consider.

 

But you do get another clue! The horse has a name in common with another President.

Re dubious reputations, are we talking about mistresses - and one in particular? One who is said to have danced naked on a dining room table at age 15 and was a talented singer, to boot?

 

A President. Not a Vice President?

Dancing naked on a table at 15! Sounds more like a lady of the evening rather than a lady of the realm.

 

But yes, a lady and a mistress.

 

The horse did share a name in common with both a President and a Vice President. Now I bet that confuses you!! If you can figure that one out you will get an extra bag of M&Ms.

 

Waiting for a response from Rogie.

Now I must disqualify myself - despite the temptation of the M&Ms. Something in the little research I should not have done now rings a bell. I will leave it to others to make the links.

 

Did you know, by the way, that a famous composer is probably also closely associated with your horse?

The horse has a name in common with another President.

 

Damn, maybe I don't know it! My clue about the deformities related to the man who I thought the horse was named after. But if it's that name, I sure as hell can't think of an American President with that name (although there was a man from New York State who attempted to garner the Republican nomination for President who had the same name).

Got a PM from Khortose who knew the answer. No doubt FH knows but Bob has second thoughts.

 

Bob, did Koko say that the namesake was an American president? Although the Vice President namesake was American.

 

A famous composer associated with the horse? Hmm, now I am puzzled Kuhn FH..

 

For all you still guessing, there are both an American rock and a country singer with a name in common with the horse and even an American gangster.

 

And for our British cousins the famous Brit with the same name was a military man.

Enough clues for even me to summon up a stab.

 

Could the 'famous Brit' be none other than Lord Horatio Nelson?

 

Could the American VP be Nelson Rockefeller?

 

I think i know a country singer with Nelson in his name as well.

 

So that'sy guess, Nelson

 

Sounds good on a hoss, too!

WIllie Nelson was not quite what I intended in talking about a singer.

 

The famous composer was the 'father of the symphony' Joseph Haydn. A month after Nelson's victory at the Battle of the Nile, Haydn premiered his new Mass titled "Missa in Augustiis" (Mass in Time of Anxiety) at the Palace of Esterhazy south of Vienna where he worked for his patron, Prince Esterhazy. Two years later Nelson paid a visit to the Prince when a special performance of the Mass was given. Knowing that Lady Emma Hamilton, Nelson's notorious mistress, was a singer, Haydn arranged that she sing a solo part at this performance. Soon after, he indicated on the score that from then on the Mass should be known as "The Nelson Mass", the name that is still used today.

 

Now as to the name of that President . . . . . !

Now as to the name of that President . . . . . !

 

That's what's made me slightly wonder if I had the right name.....as I can think of no American President so named. Now, even though the topic is about an American President, Koko now's suggesting he meant another President....perhaps Nelson Mandela? Really cheesy, that clue...hehe.

Yes, the horse was named Nelson. The famous Brit was Lord Admiral Horatio Nelson. In my first post I did drop some clues such as the words victory (HMS Victory was Nelson's flagship); navigate; and Horah as in Horatio.

And, as Bob slyly mentioned, Nelson was missing an eye and a limb!

 

Fountainhall sure threw me when he mentioned Harris and the Ladies,. Lady Hamilton was Nelson's mistress which was quite a scandal at the time.

 

The American Vice President was Nelson Rockefeller and the other President was Nelson Mandela of South Africa.

 

The pop/rock star was Ricky Nelson and the country singer was Willie Nelson. And who could forget the gangsta Baby Face Nelson!

 

All in all I would say a tie among Bob, FH and Khortose although Khortose knew the answer sans clues.

......although Khortose knew the answer sans clues.

 

That interloper!?! Unless he provided the answer prior to 10:38AM (Thai time) this morning, he's way behind the curve.....

Here is Khortose's PM sent yesterday; too easy-peasy for him.

 

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Sent Yesterday, 03:09 PM

I wasn't going to answer this as I thought it would be too easy. The horse he fought the war with was NELSON.

Sent Yesterday, 03:09 PM

 

Hmm, you've confirmed what I said - he's a Johnny-come-lately! But he's often slow on the uptake.

 

(above, I should have said "earlier than 10:38AM YESTERDAY..."

Funny thing happened after Hurricane Sandy where I live in USA; I finally got my Cable TV activated today and when I switched it on there was Lord Horatio Nelson standing on HMS Victory in the guise of Laurence Olivier. Koko is psychic.

Koko is psychic.

 

Koko is indeed psychic. He is also telepathic. Put them together and Koko is psychopathic.