Bonfire Night

2012-11-19

'Remember, Remember the 5th of November Gunpowder, Treason and plot'

Picture: Bonfire with an effigy of Guy Fawkes

This are the first lines of a poem about the events of November 1605. It was a time of battle between Protestant and Catholics in the UK and a group of Catholics planned to blow up Parliament buildings. They rented a cellar underneath the Parliament chamber and filled it with barrels of gunpowder. This is why it is known as the Gunpowder Plot.

The King and his family were going to the 'State Opening of Parliament' that happens every Autumn. The entire government would be in the same place at the same time. Normally, this happens in October but it was delayed until November because of an outbreak of The Plague in London. This long wait gave the plotters time to think, one of the them sent a letter to a a Member of Parliament that was from his wife's family, telling him to stay away from the State Opening. This MP, showed the letter to the King's guards and they searched the buildings. They found a man, called Guy Fawkes, in the cellar with the gunpowder. He was arrested and tortured to make him name the other plotters. They were all arrested and hanged.

Every year since, we have a big party in Britain to celebrate the fact that the plot failed. We have a big bonfire outside, lots of fireworks and play with sparklers . As we watch, we eat toffee apples and drink mulled wine. The bonfire usually has an effigy or model of Guy Fawkes on it, and children make these out of newspapers. He is the most famous traitor in British history. It is only celebrated in the UK and I love this holiday, going outside in the cold evening with family and friends and watching the display. This year, I went to the one organised by the town council instead of having a bonfire in our garden. There were more than 2000 people there so it was very busy but great fun!

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