Margaret Whittaker

Margaret Whittaker, a nurse from Wokingham, Berkshire, became the first ever woman to win £250,000 on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in the UK, on January 19, 2000, which was at the time, the largest amount won by any woman on the show. Here is her fastest finger first question:

Place these four words in alphabetical order:

A. Achieve

B. Acacia

C. Actually

D. Accent                     Correct Order:B,D,A,C

Questions
1. (£100): Who were Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar?

A. Three Wise Men

B. Three Blind Mice

C. Three Wise Monkeys

D. Beverly Sisters                          Correct Answer:A

2. (£200): Suspension, cantilever and humpback are all types of what?

A. Whale

B. Ship

C. Mountain

D. Bridge                                       Correct Answer:D

3. (£300): Who starred in the classic film western 'High Noon'?

A. Alice Cooper

B. Gary Cooper

C. Henry Cooper

D. Tommy Cooper                          Correct Answer:B

4. (£500): In tenpin bowling, what is the name of the front skittle in the triangle?

A. Pinhead

B. Kingpin

C. Rolling pin

D. Safety pin                                  Correct Answer:B

5. (£1,000): Which worker is associated with a holiday spent doing the same thing one does at work?

A. Busman

B. Scaffolder

C. Electrician

D. Gravedigger                                Correcct Answer:A

6. (£2,000): Which is the only poisonous snake native to Britain?

A. Grass snake

B. Smooth snake

C. Slow worm

D. Adder                                         Correct Answer:D

7. (£4,000): What is the name of the ship in which the Pilgrim Fathers sailed to America?

A. Mayflower

B. HMS Bounty

C. Mary Rose

D. Golden Hind                                Correct Answer:A

8. (£8,000): What does a genealogist study?

A. Stars

B. Family history

C. Handwriting

D. Tea leaves                                  Correct Answer:B

9. (£16,000): In Charlotte Bronte's novel, who marries Jane Eyre?

A. Mr. Winchester

B. Mr. Colchester

C. Mr. Rochester

D. Mr. Chichester                            Correct Answer:C

10. (£32,000): In which county is Stonehenge?

A. Wiltshire

B. Cornwall

C. Dorset

D. Hampshire                                 Correct Answer:A

11. (£64,000): Showman, Erich Weiss was better known by which name?

A. Harry Houdini

B. Charles Blondin

C. Phineas T. Barnum

D. Evil Knievel                                 Correct Answer:A

(Margaret asked the audience for this and 60% said Harry Houdini, 6% said Charles Blondin, 7% said Phineas T. Barnum, and 27% said Evil Knievel. Margaret plumped for Harry Houdini, the largest majority, saying that you've got to put your trust in people sometimes, winning £64,000).

12. (£125,000): What is the specific name for an angler's basket for carrying his catch?

A. Trug

B. Creel

C. Skip

D. Pannier                                       Correct Answer:B

(Margaret used 50:50 on this question, leaving Trug and Creel. She then said it was Creel, because a Trug was something that a gardener uses).

13. (£250,000): Five spice powder, is a traditional ingredient of which cuisine?

A. Chinese

B. Mediterranean

C. Polynesian

D. Middle Eastern                             Correct Answer:A

(Margaret phoned a friend for this question. She phoned her friend Rhonda, who said it was Chinese).

14. (£500,000): Who was the US President at the outbreak of World War One?

A. Calvin Coolidge

B. Herbert Hoover

C. William Taft

D. Woodrow Wilson                          Correct Answer:D

(Margaret walked away with £250,000, the biggest amount won by any woman at the time, saying that she didn't have a clue)

Before and after
The contestant before Margaret was Peter Lee, from Cardigan, who became the first £500,000 winner. The contestant after Margaret was Jan Garner from the West Midlands.