Bonfire Night Traditions: The Story Behind the Guy Fawkes Effigy

‘Remember, remember, the 5th of November.’ A rhyme that has helped generations of Britons to remember the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Guy Fawkes and other Catholic protestors attempted to blow up Parliament and assassinate the King of England, James I.

If you are unfamiliar with the history of the date and the Bonfire Night traditions that we still see in Britain, we’ve put together a guide for you. When you are discussing some of the big dates in the calendar every year in Britain, along with Christmas, Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Eve events, Easter, and the bank holidays in May and August, Bonfire Night is right up there.

How to celebrate Bonfire Night as a student in the Britain?

It’s a big couple of weeks for students at this time of year. Halloween is a big one, with parties and fancy dress and loads going on in every town and city, and then within a week you’ve got all the Bonfire Night traditions, penny for the guy, bonfire’s, firework displays and a different vibe again. A crisp, clear, Autumn night is what we all hope for on Bonfire Night, so what are the options for you to celebrate?

Is your university putting on Bonfire Night events?

The first thing that you should do is find out whether your university is putting on any events. If the university isn’t itself, there might be organised events or nights out linked to different societies and sports clubs, or at the university or around student accommodation. If you can, you should head to there as your first choice.

Attend official firework events

If there are not any official events through your university, the likelihood is that there will be some fireworks that are officially put on by the local town or city that you are living in.

In big cities, this is often in the largest park or open area, and they can be fun, busy events that are great to go out to with a big group of mates, picking up some hot chocolate, taking sparklers and watching the fireworks go off above your heads.

Always choose silent fireworks if you do buy your own

We would never recommend putting on your own firework display, as they can be incredibly dangerous and are best supervised by professionals. However, one improvement we have noticed in the last few years is the release of silent fireworks.

To be honest, this should probably be widespread, as at this time of year the noise from fireworks cause distress for animals, young children, and for neuro divergent people.

Throw a party with tasty snacks and drinks

Whether you are heading out before or after to an organised firework display, why not throw a party this Bonfire Night? This gives you the chance to impress your friends, and cook some delicious Bonfire Night classics, such as sumptuous slow cooked stews, hot dogs, toffee apples, and more.

For drinks, consider a hot drink selection, such as premium hot chocolate with all the cream, marshmallows and chocolate shavings, as well as an alcoholic hot drink if you have the audience for it.

The history of Bonfire Night

Every year on 5th November, Britain celebrates Guy Fawkes Day. This is the date of the infamous Gunpowder Plot of 1605, where a group of protesters attempted to blow up Parliament and assassinate the King.

Guy Fawkes was born in York in 1570, his father a Protestant, and his mother from a family of secret Catholics at a time where to be Catholic was outlawed. After his father’s death, and his mother’s subsequent marriage to a Catholic, Guy was drawn to the religion and fought for Catholic Spain in the Eight Years War.

In 1605, Guy Fawkes and other conspirators decided to take drastic measures to end religious persecution against Catholics in the country. Fawkes, Catesby, Wintour and other conspirators, planned to blow up Parliament on its opening on 5th November, where James I and the Queen would be present.

The hope was that the King’s young daughter, Princess Elizabeth would be crowned. The plan nearly succeeded, despite Fawkes being the only person who knew about gunpowder. An anonymous letter was sent to the authorities in late October that the King’s life was in danger, and in the early hours of 5th November, Guy Fawkes was discovered in the cellars of The House of Lords with 36 barrels of gunpowder, a fuse, a box of matches and a small lamp.

After several days of torture, Guy Fawkes signed a confession and named his co-conspirators. They were hanged, drawn and quartered on 31st January 1606. Guy Fawkes has become a name that is synonymous with anti-establishment movements across the entire world. This, despite the Gunpowder Plot failing at the time.

Bonfire Night traditions

Guy Fawkes in particular, has stuck with generation after generation in Britain, and the date of the Gunpowder Plot became known as Guy Fawkes Day by the time the Victorian Era arrived. It was seen as anarchic by the government, but as larger numbers of people ‘celebrated’ the date each year it was only right that eventually there was regulation of communal events around the country.

By the 1870s Bonfire parties were commonplace across the country, and then in 1910, firework manufacturers decided to cash in by adopting the night and calling it ‘Fireworks Night’. Since then, children have created a Guy Fawkes effigy that would be carried around in the weeks leading up to Bonfire Night, asking for a ‘penny for the Guy’, with the funds being used to buy fireworks and the effigy would be placed on top of the bonfire.

Although there have always been large, organised events, during the late 20th century, many people would host fireworks night at home, putting on food and having parties with families, with rockets and Catherine wheels sold. There has been a move away from this, back to regulated events in large open spaces in the past couple of decades.

It’s always good to know what to expect with any event during the year. Whether it’s working out the best costume for a Halloween party, choosing the best gift for Mother’s Day, or making plans for New Year’s Eve, we are always on the hunt to give you the best choices, the best events, and the historical background so that you can make the most of your time as a student. What are your favourite Bonfire Night traditions? And will you be heading out to an official firework’s night in your town?