Vaguely Interesting Snippets | 19 September 2013

• Chekov is second only to Shakespeare in the number of times a playwright’s plays have been staged around the world.

• Several Underworld tracks are named after greyhounds that ran at the Romford Stadium, including Born Slippy, Sappy’s Curry, and Pearl’s Girl.

• Heinz baked beans were first sold in the UK in 1886 in the upmarket Fortnum & Mason store in London as an exotic import at a high price.

• The saxophone derives its name from its creator, Adolphe Sax. Sax was a Belgian instrument maker and he invented his eponymous instrument in 1846. His intention was to create an instrument that would be the most powerful and vocal of the woodwinds and the most adaptive of the brass.

• The conclave is so called because cardinals are locked in (or cum clave in Latin) to the Sistine Chapel whilst they are making their decision.