Bonfire Night - Guy Fawkes

5/11/2015 - Bonfire Night - Guy Fawkes

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So, it's that time of year again, where you will find many streets / neighbourhoods collecting up everyone's old wood etc. To build up a fire and set it alight, with the figure of Guy Fawkes at the top of it all.

Many fires, fireworks, displays, sparklers and so on.

GREAT STUFF!!!

What is bonfire night / Guy Fawkes all about?

Briefly;

Going back to November 1605.... Yes 1605! A catholic male called Guy Fawkes, planned to blow up the houses of parliament. In turn British citizens decided to set fire to everything in sight.

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Was Guy Fawkes alone?

Defiantly not. He was part of a Roman Catholic activist gang of which was led by a man known as Robert Catesby.

Why?

It started because Protestant King James I took over from Queen Elizabeth and the English Catholics thought that 45 years of the persecution they had felt would end under the new heir to the thrown. However this wasn't the case.

So in turn, a group of conspirators decided to assassinate the King by blowing up the Palace of Westminster, during the state opening of parliament.

How?

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Guy Fawkes and co managed to smuggle 36 barrels of gunpowder into a cellar of the house of lords.

More than enough to totally destroy the building. They weren't messing around!

What happened?

An anonymous letter was sent to the 4th Baron Monteagle to warn him off attending the house of lords, and word got around of this letter, so Westminster Palace was thoroughly searched early hours on the 5th of November 1605.

The guards of the palace caught Guy Fawkes, who was in charge of lighting the fuse and arrested him.

Guy Fawkes punishment.

Guy Fawkes was sent to the tower of London and tortured until he revealed the names of his fellow associates.

Overall outcome.

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All Guy Fawkes fellow associates were either executed, as was Guy Fawkes or they were killed resisting capture.

Names of Guy Fawkes Associates.

Thomas Bates, Robert and Thomas Wintour, Thomas Percy, Christopher and John Wright, Francis Tresham, Everard Digby, Ambrose Rookwood, Robert Keyes, Hugh Owen, John Grant and the man who organised the whole plot - Robert Catesby.

Interesting fact.

Dummies used to be used, dating back to the 13th century to warn off evil spirits, but the focus of throwing a figure / dummy onto the bonfire has been turned to Guy Fawkes since 1605. Following the gunpowder plot.

Other information.

Bonfire night is tradition to the British and to past British empire but is celebrated in many other countries too.

What will you be doing for bonfire night?

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As always - weather permitting! 

My family and I are hoping to attend a fireworks display, and have a greasy burger / hot dog off a mobile burger van. Naughty but good!

Wrap up warm, welly boots on, and off you go.

I really enjoy the smell of the burger van as we stand watching the great firework displays... Awesome times!

And £20 for a family ticket isn't bad at all either.

We choose to watch a display because if you think of how much money fireworks are, compared to a display and not forgetting the quality of the fireworks then, I believe it just doesn't make sense not to attend a display.

OK, so there maybe quite a lot of people at the display, but arrive in plenty of time, find a parking space, get on the burger van, find a space to stand with your family (some even have seats) and hey presto.... Great times.

It beats spending £100 to £300 on fireworks that last for around half an hour, as opposed to spending around £35 to watch a good display of good fireworks and add a burger plus coffee to that as well. I really see no comparison. Although I do know a few people who drive up the mountain and watch the fireworks from there.... That sounds like a good idea also.

But please remember, no matter what your plans are... Always be safe!!!  You and your children's safety is paramount.