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"Remember,
remember
The 5th November
Gunpowder treason and plot
We see no reason
Why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!"
Bonfire
Night is a British festival and is celebrated on the 5th
November. The date marks the failed attempt to blow up the
Houses of Parliament by Guy Fawkes along with a group of
co-conspirators in London in 1605.
The
intention was to kill King James I and wipe out everyone in
government. The group were Catholic extremists who wanted
to return England to the Catholic faith. One of the
conspirators had a friend in the Houses of Parliament and sent a
letter to him, warning him to stay away from the House on the
day the attack was supposed to take place. The letter was
intercepted and handed to the king.
Meanwhile,
Guy Fawkes and friends, having formulated their plan, known as
the 'Gunpowder Plot', had rolled 36 barrels of gunpowder into
the cellars of the Houses of Parliament, and were waiting for
the king to arrive when guards broke in and arrested them.
They were tortured and executed.
Nowadays
on Bonfire Night people organise their own parties or attend big
organised fireworks displays. They stand around the bonfire, set
off fireworks and eat lots of nice warming Bonfire Night foods,
like sausages, jacket potatoes, and black peas. They might
chant ...........
Remember,
remember the fifth of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot,
We see no reason,
Why gunpowder treason,
Should ever be forgot!
...Which
sort of suggests that people rather admire the cheek of Guy
Fawkes, trying to blow up Parliament, and that's why they
celebrate Bonfire night, rather than celebrating the fact that
his plot failed and he was caught!
Fireworks
that are sent up on Bonfire night have really evocative names
like, Roman Candles, Mount Vesuvius and Golden Shower. There are
also Catherine Wheels that spin and Sparklers that children
write their names in the air with.
Children
make life-sized effigies of Guy Fawkes which are called Guys, to
put onto the bonfires. The English have been burning effigies to
mark Guy Fawkes' treason for almost 400 years. The
tradition started in 1606, the year after the Gunpowder plot
failed. In these first bonfires, called 'bone fires' at
the time, it wasn't an effigy of Guy Fawkes that was burned, but
one of the Pope. It was not until 1806, two centuries
later, that the people started burning effigies of Guy Fawkes
instead
(info
from www.bbc.co.uk )
The
word bonfire is derived from "bone fire" because
originally bones were the primary material burn't, usually
animal bones that had accumulated over the course of a year
Guy
Fawkes
Bonfire
Night can be related to the ancient festival of Samhain, the
Celtic New Year. The were built to ward off evil spirits.
Bonfires play a part in many customs all over the world. On
November 5th as part of Bonfire Night celebrations we too light
bonfires. As part of our celebration the children make a
guy. This 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.
Bonfire
food
One of the best parts of Bonfire Night is bonfire food. Try
baking potatoes in the bonfire, sausages cooked over the flames
and marshmallows toasted in the fire. Of course, ask an adult to
help you - fire can be dangerous.
Bonfire
Night Toffee
These gorgeous chewy squares of treacle toffee are just the
thing to munch while you ooh and aah at the firework display!
1 lb. (450g) Demerara sugar
3 oz. (75g) butter
4 oz. (125g) golden syrup
4 oz. (125g) black treacle
¼ tsp cream of tartar
¼ pint (150ml) water
Butter
an oblong tin measuring about 12inch x 4 inch x 1inch (30cm x
10cm x 2.5cm)
Pour
the water into a heavy based saucepan, warm over a low heat, add
the sugar and stir until it dissolves. Add the remaining
ingredients and bring to the boil, reaching a temperature of
270F, 140C without stirring. Ideally use a sweet thermometer to
judge this accurately.
Pour
the mixture into the buttered tin and stand for about 5 minutes.
Mark into squares with a buttered knife then leave to set before
breaking up
Yorkshire
Parkin
A traditional sticky cake to serve on bonfire night although it
is good at any time. An irresistible combination of oatmeal,
ginger, treacle and syrup. It is best served a couple of
days after baking.
12 oz / 350g medium oatmeal
4 oz / 125g wholemeal flour
4 oz / 125g margarine or butter
4 oz / 125g honey
4 oz / 125g black treacle
1 tsp ground ginger
4 tbsp milk
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
Grease
a 11 inch (28cm) x 7 inch (18cm) cake tin.
Pre-heat
oven to 325F, Gas Mark 3, 160C
Blend
together the flour, oats and ginger in a mixing bowl. Gently
heat the margarine, treacle and honey in a saucepan until the
margarine has melted. Add the flour, oats and ginger and mix
well. Gently heat the milk until lukewarm and stir in the
bicarbonate of soda. Add to the oatmeal mixture and beat well.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin.
Bake
in the pre-heated oven for one and a half hours. Cool in the tin
for about 15 minutes then finish cooling on a wire rack.
This
cake improves with heating and is best left stored in an
air-tight tin for a few days before cutting.
Baked
Spuds
What could be better than coming in from a fireworks display and
warming up with a steaming jacket potato
Wrap the potatoes in foil and carefully place in the bonfire
around the edge. Adults should do this. Add butter,
salt and pepper when cooked. Top with an assortment of
fillings such as cheese, chill barbequed beans etc.
More
Bonfire
Recipes
Other
Bonfire Activities
http://www.crewsnest.vispa.com/bonfire.htm
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/bonfire_night.htm
Bonfire/Firework
Safety
National
Campaign for Firework Safety
The
Firework Code, and bonfire night safety
Buy Fireworks
marked BS-7114
Keep Fireworks in a closed box
Follow the instructions on each firework
Light all fireworks at arms length
Stand well back
Never go back to a lit firework
Never put fireworks in your pocket
Never throw fireworks
Keep Pets indoors
Never
give sparklers to a child under 5
Sparklers, like other fireworks, must be used with care. They can
get 6 times as hot as a pan of cooking oil and sparkler injuries
have been on the increase. It makes sense to keep sparklers in
safe hands. Store sparklers and other fireworks in a closed
box in a cool, dry place. Always light sparklers one at a
time and wear gloves. Never hold a baby or child if you have
a sparkler in your hand. Plunge finished sparklers hot end
down into a bucket of water as soon as they have burnt out. They
can stay hot for a long time. Don't take sparklers to public
displays. It will be too crowded to use them safely.
Children &
Sparklers
Never give sparklers to the under 5s - they will not understand
how to use them safely.
Always
supervise children using sparklers.
Give
children gloves to wear when holding sparklers.
Avoid
dressing children in loose or flowing clothes - they may catch
light.
Show
children how to hold sparklers - away from their body and at
arm's length.
Teach
children not to wave sparklers near anyone else or run while
holding them.
In
an Emergency
Cool
the burn or scald with cold water for at least 10 minutes.
Cut
around material sticking to the skin - don't pull it off.
Don't
touch the burn or burst any blisters.
Cover
the burn with clean, non-fluffy material - cling film is ideal -
to prevent infection.
If
clothing catches fire, get the person to stop, drop to the floor
and roll them in heavy material like a curtain.
Get
advice from your doctor or accident and emergency department at
your local hospital.
If
you are having a bonfire, make sure that the fire is away from
fences, garden, sheds, and properties.
Never
let your children near the fire and try to cordon off the area.
Never
light the fire using flammable liquids such as petrol and
paraffin.
Consider
the wind direction and other properties nearby such as thatched
roofs etc.
Keep
a bucket of water or a garden hose handy.
Never
leave a bonfire unattended.
Make
sure there are no aerosols that may explode in the fire.
Make
sure the fire is extinguished before going back indoors.
Try
to go to an organised display in your area.
Have
a safe and happy night.
(source
http://www.angelfire.com/co3/NCFS/fireworkcode.html
)
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©
Copyright Rosanne Podmore 2005 ~ All Rights Reserved
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