Remember Remember...

Simone Stanbrook-Byrne investigates the background to the ‘season of treason’ and finds a range of events around the county

“COME ON, Gramps, HURRY UP!” I yelled, waving sparklers wildly in the kitchen. Grandad appeared, ushering me out of the house. It was the family’s Bonfire Night tradition. Back then, I had no idea what it was all about.

Cast your mind back a few centuries to the England of 1605, a time when religion influenced daily life to a greater extent than it does in today’s more secular society. Protestant King James was on the throne and Catholics were increasingly unhappy at the intolerance shown towards their faith. Something, they felt, had to be done about it. Their plan was drastic.

With the State Opening of Parliament about to take place a group of Catholic conspirators felt this was an ideal opportunity to put gunpowder beneath the House of Lords as they aimed to blow up the King, the Lords and the Commons. But some began to get cold feet, fearing that innocents and Catholic supporters could be killed. Word of the conspiracy reached King James and on the night of 4-5 November his forces stormed the cellar where one of the conspirators, Guy Fawkes, was guarding the gunpowder.

What became known as the Gunpowder Plot was foiled; Fawkes was tortured, executed – and immortalised.

When Parliament reconvened in 1606 Protestant MP, Sir Edward Montagu, proposed an annual commemoration to mark the thwarting of the Plot. Parliament was so relieved that it had been spared that his Bill was passed in just two days, the Statute originally stipulating that everyone should go to church on 5 November to give thanks – though it wasn’t to become a public holiday.