Bonfire Night is celebrated in the United Kingdom to celebrate the thwarting of the Gunpowder Plot on 5th November 1605. The Gunpowder Plot saw several conspirators try to assassinate King James I because of religious differences. James became king in 1603 after the death of Queen Elizabeth I, who was a protestant. His reign started with more leniency for the Catholics, with fines ended for Catholics not attending Anglican services. However after a couple of plots were discovered in 1603, he expressed hostility towards Catholics again, and in February 1604 reintroduced the fines and had all priests and Jesuits expelled again.
On 20 May 1604, a group of Cathlics met at the Duck and Drake in the Strand. They were led by Robert Catesby, who met with friends Thomas Wintour, Jack Wright and Thomas Percy, and Guy Fawkes. Guy had been recruited in Flanders, where he had been serving in the Spanish Army, and he was born in York. They discussed blowing up the Houses of Parliament to kill the king, and shortly leased a small house in the heart of Westminster, installing Fawkes as caretaker, under the name of John Johnson. Parliament was postponed though to the 5th November 1605, and before then the number of plotters increased to bring in more money and resources. These were Robert Keyes, Robert Wintour, John Grant, Kit Wright and Thomas Bates. Luckily for them, they were able to rent a cellar underneath the House of Lords, and over the following months they moved in 36 barrels of Gunpowder. Fawkes travelled back to Flanders to gather support, but didn’t, and was spotted by English spies, who alerted Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury and Kames’ first minister. Catesby recruited more people in Ambrose Rockwood, Francis Tresham and Sir Everard Digby. With weeks to go it was all planned. Fawkes would light the fuse and escape to continental Europe, travelling to gather support, while Digby would lead an uprising in the Midlands and kidnap King James’ daughter Princess Elizabeth, and install her as puppet queen.
On the night of 26th October, an anonymous letter was delivered to Lord Monteagle, warning him to avoid the opening of Parliament. He took this letter to Cecil, who decided to leave it till the last minute to catch them. On the night of 4th November, Cecil asked for Westminster to be searched, and Fawkes was found with the barrels of Gunpowder. He gave them his alias name, and was tortured to gain the names of his other conspirators. They had rode on towards the Midlands, and were alerted that the Plot had failed. They raided Warwick Castle, and travelled onto Holbeche House in Staffordshire. As they prepared to defend themselves, they tried to dry their wet gunpowder in front of the fire, which caused an explosion and blinded John Grant, as well as injuring others. 200 men led by the High Sheriff of Worcestershire surrounded the house on the morning of 8th November, and shot four of the conspirators dead, and captured the other three. The remaining survivors were put to trial and all sentenced to death by being hanged, drawn and quartered, which happened on 30th and 31st January 1606.
Bonfires were held to celebrate the plot being discovered and the King being saved. This tradition has continued until now, with the addition of Fireworks.
Holidays & Special Events 