November 5th - Happy Bonfire Night

In 1605, Guy Fawkes and a group of conspirators attempted to blow up the
Houses of Parliament. Before they were able to carry out their plan they
were caught, tortured and executed. Every year since then we have
traditionally celebrated his failure by letting off fireworks and burning
an effigy of 'Guy'.

There
had been many many years of fighting between the Catholics and the Protestants.
The Catholics regarded the Pope (in Rome) as the head of their Church, but
the Protestants said that the head of the English Church was the King of
England. By the time that James I, a Protestant, became King, the
Catholics had been treated very badly and were restless. So it was
that a Catholic called Robert Catesby decided to do something about it.
He brought five men together and told them of his secret plan. One of the
men was Guy Fawkes.



THE
PLOT

Catesby wanted to get rid of the King and his Parliament. He decided to
blow them up with gunpowder! In early November, the members of Parliament
were going to meet together and the King would be there too, so Catesby
and the other men decided that this would be a good opportunity. They
rented a house next door to the Parliament buildings, and started to dig a
tunnel underneath to get to the cellars! This took a very long time and
was very hard work. Later they found a cellar underneath the Parliament
buildings which they could rent. Much easier! They moved the gunpowder
into the cellar.


More
Catholics joined the plotters, but as more men heard about the plot, it
became harder to keep it secret. Eventually, someone sent a warning letter
to one of the Members of Parliament and the plot was discovered.
Soldiers were sent to the rented house and
the cellars and found the gunpowder. They also found Guy Fawkes, waiting
with matches ready to light the fuse which would make the gunpowder
explode. He was arrested and horribly tortured to make him tell who else
was involved. All the plotters were found guilty of treason and executed.

The
Members of Parliament were so pleased they had not been blown up, they
made a law that 5th November would be a day of thanksgiving and
celebration, and that is why we have bonfires and fireworks on
"bonfire night".

The guy is a figure
usually made by the children out of old clothes, papier mache and anything
else we can use. It represents Guy Fawkes and is burnt on the bonfire.
Sometimes in the week or so before Bonfire Night children will take their
guys on to the street and beg "a penny for the Guy". The money
then goes towards the fireworks.

Quote :

Sometimes in the week or so before Bonfire Night children will take their
guys on to the street and beg "a penny for the Guy". The money
then goes towards the fireworks.

yeah more likely to buy their fags and white lightening!

Actually we don't see many kids doing it any more....not come across one kid this year?



Probably not doing anything special tonight, it's not the same without the kids, we normally go up onto the hill and watch across the city, all depends on how cold and rainy it is......


What ever you are doing make sure it's a safe and happy one!

I took the son out last night and let some fireworks of couldent bloody see a thing. and it was next to a cemetery I dont know about my son but I was wanting home asap sice that film lol. then when we had finished what we were dpoing there was some on on a bike with lights coming our way decide to run a bit then watched when we were a SAFE distance away think it must have been the police making sure it wasent kids messing about.

will take thew son out after his dinner when its a bit lighter and finish the rest of the fireworks off.

Not allowed to do penny for a guy, it encourages violence and cross dressing.

well took the kid out and finished the rest of his fireworks he enjoyed it. still people letting of around this way was murder trying to get the wee man in his bed he wanted to watch them from the window. lol