When I began my quiz career, the first quiz I supplied the questions for was a pub called the Greyhound in Hendon, next to the farmhouse Museum as was. The farmhouse was run by Gerry Roots, son of the Civil War historian Ivan. Gerry was a regular attender at the quiz, along with his Australian antique dealer friend Barry. I was a regular player and one night I agreed to write a quiz for the pub.

A packed pub, a good quiz, question papers swapped and marked by other teams. At the end of the quiz one young team appeared to have won the quiz by some distance. The papers were handed back to me and I read the results. I noticed that the winning team had a very scruffy paper: lots of crossings out, different handwriting…

I was a beginner in the question master role. Our antique dealer Barry, never one to holdback on his opinions marched over to the winning team and called them ******** cheats. Insults were exchanged, it is a long time ago but I think no one was hurt. It transpired afterwards that the winning team had swapped papers with another young team who appeared to know each other, they certainly left the pub together.

Occupation of the two teams… Police Cadets at Hendon Police Training College.