Remember, remember, the fifth of November
When the first firework you light on 5 November lights up the sky,
falling to earth like a shower of colourful rain, will you be remembering the
man who turned this date into an annual celebration in the UK?
His name is Guy Fawkes and in 1605 he tried to blow up the Houses of
Parliament. However, he got caught before he managed to put his plan into
action and was subsequently executed. He didn’t act alone, however. He was one
of a group of 13 young men who wanted to assassinate King James I and his
followers at the state opening of Parliament.
When Guy Fawkes was discovered, so were 36 barrels of gunpowder. These
were stacked in the cellar directly below where the king would have been
sitting. As to the huge quantity of gunpowder, Guy Fawkes explained it was
needed ‘to blow you Scotch beggars back to your own native mountains!’ The
irony, however, is that the gunpowder was believed to have actually decayed.
So, if it had been lit, it may not have even exploded. But, of course, we’ll
never know for certain because Guy Fawkes and the other conspirators got caught
before trying to ignite the powder.
To commemorate the failure of the Gunpowder Plot, as it has become known, people have been lighting bonfires for almost 420 years. The practice started on the night of 5 November 1605 to celebrate the safety of King James I. By the 19th century, effigies of Guy Fawkes started being placed on bonfires. And today the tradition continues with the addition of fireworks, to remind us of the gunpowder that Guy Fawkes hid in the cellar of Parliament.
But one questions remains. When you do set light to that first firework on Bonfire Night, will you be celebrating Guy Fawkes' execution or honouring his attempt to do away with the government?
If you're looking to enhance your Bonfire Night celebration, why not get in some sparklers? They're sure to add to the fun at any fireworks party. And it won't just be the children who love 'em!
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