Guy Fawkes

[HollyElise]

This last year my next door neighbor, who is English, invited everyone to celebrate Guy Fawkes day with her. For some reason today as i passed her house i wondered if there is a different version of the story where the day is not so celebrated.

Can anyone enlighten me on this?

[ANDY-J3]

Guy Fawkes was one of a group of Catholics who tried to blow up the houses of parliament because the reigning monarch,James VI wasn't as sympathetic to the Catholic cause as had been expected. Guy Fawkes night was traditionally celebrated thereafter to commemorate the survival of the King and the maintenence of protestantism although it also incorporates a lot of anti-Catholic sentiment and in some places an effigy of the Pope rather than Guy Fawkes was burnt. Some Catholics might take an alternative view of Guy Fawkes and see him as a martyr who sacrificed himself for his faith rather than the terrorist he is portrayed as.

[HollyElise]

Thank you, Andy. My neighbor burned an effigy of George W. Bush instead, which was greatly appreciated by all who attended. She had said something about a huge amount of gunpower found in the basement? ...and from her description, the attempted coup was almost pulled off?

[Polwarth]

Bonfire Night is still a great celebration in Lewes in East Sussex. I lived near the town for a while and it was really the highlight of the year for the 'natives'.

http://www.lewesbonfirecouncil.org.uk/

[HollyElise]

HEYYYY!

A friend of mine described that to me, but i never saw pictures! Thanks, heaps!

[teashoci]

Guy fawkes was one of britains greatest hero's

[NovaBritannia]

Originally Posted by HollyElise

Thank you, Andy. My neighbor burned an effigy of George W. Bush instead, which was greatly appreciated by all who attended. She had said something about a huge amount of gunpower found in the basement? ...and from her description, the attempted coup was almost pulled off?

Yep, he (and obviously some others) filled the basement under the House of Lords (where the Throne is) with barrels of gunpowder. He was only narrowly caught that night (known as 'Mischief Night') - but today the basements are ceremonially given the once-over before every State Opening of Parliament.

Some people claim that it was actually a case of entrapment and that it wasn't actually close to being pulled off. But that is not the story that most people will know.

BTW - I believe only Lewes burns the Pope these days - and they have other reasons for it. Most of us burn a 'Guy' - although oddly enough, GF was not burned, but hanged (and not on the 5th of November either).