Bonfire Night- Why do we still celebrate it? By Alice Foster, Gumley House Convent School

Since the 1600s, Bonfire Night on the 5th of November has been an annual event on the British calendar. We all know the gruesome story of Guy Fawkes and have been told, from a young age, the short but sweet rime of:

Remember, remember!

The fifth of November,

The Gunpowder treason and plot;

I know no reason

Why the Gunpowder treason

Should ever be forgot!

But why, you might ask, does this seemingly unnecessary celebration have relevance today?

First, a quick recap. The Gunpowder plot of 1605 was the plot proposed by some English Catholic’s (the denomination was under persecution at the time) to blow up the Houses of Parliament. At the time, James I was king and his councils were all very anti-Catholic, and there was increasing discrimination and punishment against the Catholic population. This ongoing oppression hugely angered many Catholics so eventually, a group – led by Robert Catesby – decided that they needed to overthrow the king and his government. Their plan was to put 36 barrels of gunpowder underneath the houses of parliament and blow up everyone in it. However, as we all know, the infamous Guy Fawkes was found in the House of Lord’s cellar and, after about 2 weeks in the tower of London, gave up his fellow conspirator’s names and they were subsequently hung, drawn and quartered.

 In the following years after 1605, Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night was celebrated as an annual national holiday by order of the king every 5th of November. In the 17th century, this celebration would have made sense as it was a night in praise of the monarch and therefore God as, at the time, it was believed that the reigning monarch had a ‘divine right’ and was blessed by God. However, nowadays, according to a YouGov poll in 2015, around one third of the British public believe we shouldn’t even have a monarch so why do we care about Bonfire Night?

I think that the reason is simple: like all festive celebrations, Bonfire Night is unifying. It brings people together to gaze and the beautiful fireworks that some may only see once a year and it feels like an inclusive way of celebrating being British. Sure, we might not have much in common with Mr. Fawkes and his comrades but, it’s one of the few annual celebrations that isn’t overtly linked with religion or a belief. Unlike Christmas, Easter or even Halloween, Bonfire Night is open to everyone, just as long as you’re partial to some toffee apples and the odd sparkler or two.

By Alice Foster