Monday 9 November 2009

Remember, Remember the 5th of November!

Christmas is clearly on the horizon now, but before I embrace the tinsel bedecked festivities, there's one more traditional celebration to honour - Guy Fawkes Night!  I can't imagine how our overseas friends view the UK celebrating the 1605 Gunpowder plot, which was designed to bring down our monarchy all those centuries ago, but such traditions are what make a country unique, don't you think?!


I have loved to see the fireworks each November 5th since I was a little girl living in Titchfield, back in the early 70's; Titchfield is an ancient village in Hampshire and every year since the early 1800's has celebrated Guy Fawkes Night with a spectacular carnival which my sisters and I always enjoyed when we were kids.  This year Stuart and I walked with my kids and their partners to our local community display in Allington ...


My daughter and her boyfriend


My son and his girlfriend


... big as they are now, they still enjoy wrapping up warmly on Bonfire Night to 'ooh' and 'ahh' as fireworks explode across the night sky!

Traditional British poem

Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot;
I know of no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes,
'Twas his intent.
To blow up the King and the Parliament.
Three score barrels of powder below,
Poor old England to overthrow.

By God's providence he was catch'd,
With a dark lantern and burning match
Holloa boys, Holloa boys, let the bells ring
Holloa boys, Holloa boys, God save the King!

Hip hip Hoorah!
Hip hip Hoorah!

A penny loaf to feed ol' Pope,
A farthing cheese to choke him.
A pint of beer to rinse it down,
A faggot of sticks to burn him.

Burn him in a tub of tar.
Burn him like a blazing star.
Burn his body from his head,
Then we'll say: ol' Pope is dead.

6 comments:

  1. oh how wonderful, I feel so home sick on the 5th of Nov, how I miss going ooooo and ahhhh with numb toes out in the cold! Thanks for sharing the wonderful photos :) Catherine x

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  2. my isnt your son like you?! You are never too old to celebrate what you enojoyed when you were little,i will always be my mums little girl!! x

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  3. One of my fav nights as a child in NZ too. They don't have it here in Australia bushfire risks and it's spring time so I think that's understandable.

    Raewyn

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  4. Thanks for popping in to enjoy Guy Fawkes with me! It's good to hear from you. Heidi, it's only recently that I realised my son looks like me ... I've always thought he is the spitting image of his Dad, but I happened to see a couple of photographs of us together and was really surprised to discover he's more like me than I realised - I think it was quite a shock for him too!! LOL!

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  5. Thanks for popping in to enjoy Guy Fawkes with me! It's good to hear from you. Heidi, it's only recently that I realised my son looks like me ... I've always thought he is the spitting image of his Dad, but I happened to see a couple of photographs of us together and was really surprised to discover he's more like me than I realised - I think it was quite a shock for him too!! LOL!

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  6. Titchfield Carnival returned this year after a small break. maybe not as grand as in the 70's but still hanging on in there!

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