Remember, remember

the 5th of November
The Gunpowder, Treason and Plot

Guy Fawkes day is not my favourite holiday, even if I do like bonfires and fireworks.
Many years ago I went to bonfire night in Lewes, Sussex, where some of the protestant martyrs were burned. They seem to still take it personally after all these years. And that is in a quiet peaceful country.
One of the very few times I have been scared of a mob, and none of it was directed at me.

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Remember, remember the fifth of November, The gunpowder treason and plot, I know of no reason Why the gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot. On this day, in 1604, Guy Fawkes was arrested in his attempt to overthrow the English monarchy by blowing up the House of Lords and assassinate King James…
the fifth of november... I spent a year living in Lewes, just down the hill from the castle and jousting field shown at the start of the video. In fact, my bedroom window looked out over the exact spot where Virginia Woolf committed suicide, or so we were told - the location does not exactly…
Remember remember the 5th of November! Gunpowder treason and plot. And so we gathered to burn the heap of junk at the bottom of the garden and set off some fireworks. At least we did it on the fifth - far too many naughty people did it yesterday. Tut tut.
"Celebrate the independence of your nation by blowing up a small part of it." -The Simpsons For those of you who aren't from the U.S. or U.K., this coming Monday is the day that my nation celebrates the birth of its independence. This date, of course, as Aimee Mann will sing to you, is the 4th Of…

I always wonder how it came to take so thoroughly in British society - literally everybody takes part, I certainly don't remember ever hearing of anyone staying away for religious reasons. Perhaps it latched on to pre-existing local traditions? There's certainly something northern and pagan about it - a good communal burn-up just as the nights start to get long and dark.

That would have been a great opportunity to inform them that you were a Viking invader.

By Mustafa Mond, FCD (not verified) on 07 Nov 2006 #permalink

Well depends, eh? I don't think there are any actual hard feelings down in Sussex - not the French, we don't talk about the French there...

As for York; while we do provide for a good tourist attraction, there is always that good old "pit of snakes" welcome back, that was famously provided once.

Sunderland man injured after launching firework from bottom

LONDON (AFP) - A man was rushed to hospital in Britain with severe internal injuries after trying to launch a powerful firework from his bottom, an ambulance service spokesman said.
...
The incident took place on November 5, when Britons light bonfires and let off fireworks to commemorate a 17th century plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

By Mustafa Mond, FCD (not verified) on 09 Nov 2006 #permalink

Sunderland man injured after launching firework from bottom

LONDON (AFP) - A man was rushed to hospital in Britain with severe internal injuries after trying to launch a powerful firework from his bottom, an ambulance service spokesman said.
...
The incident took place on November 5, when Britons light bonfires and let off fireworks to commemorate a 17th century plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

By Mustafa Mond, FCD (not verified) on 09 Nov 2006 #permalink