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Remember, Remember, the 5th of November.

motorman-mike

motorman-mike

Brum visitor who stayed.
As I sit here typing this, outside sounds like a war has broken out with continuous firework explosions going off all around. It seems that louder is better now. Such a difference to my childhood days when the loudest bangs came from Brocks Boy Scout Rousers and Standard Cannons with nothing like todays volume. How we looked forward to seeing the fireworks shortly before Bonfire Night in the shops, but couldn't buy 'em ourselves unless we were 14 (or looked it). Parents always chose the pretty ones - Golden Rain and Flower Pot and maybe a Vesuvius and a Roman Candle or two. A couple of sixpenny rockets to fire out of a milk bottle and a usually a catherine wheel that never went round without a nudge. Rememer the firms that made 'em? Astra, Benwell, Brocks, Lions, Pains, Standard, Wells, Wessex and some more I can't recall.
 
thank goodness its a bit quieter than usual this year but god help us at the weekend!

as a child i always went to my auntys for bonfire night. we couldnt afford much so as you say there were a few roman candles and catherine wheels which we had to get spinning by poking with a stick and a couple of rockets.

my aunt would bake potatoes and chestnuts and we had sparklers, thats about it but we loved it.

happy memories
 
Great memories Mike I loved bonfire night and yes it was and only celebrated on November 5th.
 
Your right about being louder, I remember fireworks being more of a display rather than noise. Does any one remember bengal matches, think the flame used to bright colours something like pink, green and yellow.
 
Just got back from bonfire and firework display at the local pub. Charged £3 per head to watch the display, then spent a few quid at the bar - and this a country pub that, more often than not is empty, so you would have thought a donation bucket and the extra custom would have been enough really.

Watching the display set off by three blokes in hi-viz jackets and the big bonfire, with tape to keep us at a safe distance, made me nostalgic for the old days of private bonfires and 'Standard' fireworks in ours or a neighbours garden, with blackened jacket potatoes and chestnuts in the bottom of the bonfire and someone's mum cooking hot dogs with proper fried onions.

I know Bonfire Night is much safer now but I still think 'Health and Safety' is more about common sense than legislation. We never got burned holding a sparkler, because our parents taught us how to be safe around these things. Now sparklers are banned for kids at public firework displays.

Once again, we seem to have thrown out the baby with the bath water.
 
What about them jumping jacks thrown around peoples feet

Mossy
 
smallheathexplorer said:
Once again, we seem to have thrown out the baby with the bath water.
Click to expand...

It's the same with most things these days but fireworks were and still are very very dangerous, especially for kids.

The last bon-fire party I went to in Britain, about 8 years ago, everything was taped off but a large Roman Candle thing toppled over and fired flaming balls into the crowd. Kids were of course in the front row and caught the full blast.

Graham.
 
Shady I remember Bengal Matches, we use to get them if we had no money for Fireworks.

Haven't been to a Bonfire night since we went to the lads School Bonfires 10 years ago and they became a Rip off.
 
I dont know about you folks, but this year there does seem to be less fireworks going of at all times of the day and night than in recent years. could be one of thr better things to come out the credit crunch.
 
Shady, I remember them - there were about a dozen to a box, called Bronco Bengal Matches. I only recall having red or green ones. Haven't seen any for years now, so suppose they aren't made anymore.
Mike
 
It is a lot quieter here this year, our little terrier wants to go outside and sort out who or what ever is making the bangs. We call them Backerackers, which she understands. Our son Steve said only today it's a far cry from the Catherine wheels he watched his dad pinning to the garden fence, with the neighbours drinking my soup hot from the kitchen. Steve's chemistry master, who was also a clergyman, was the Rev Ian Lancaster and he started the rot of the huge fireworks that we now see at displays, and that also unfortunately some people seem to think have a place in the back garden. The noise from the huge things is a reminder of the bangs I heard as a kid in the air-raid shelter.
 
penny for the guy.i made a futune at it when i was a kid,
this is the first year that i have not heared any fireworks,or seen any,mydogs said thank god for that, peace at last.the one is terrified of the banging,she hides under the bed cowering.
 
I had forgotten about those matches Alf, as you say I haven't seen them in years. We get waterproof matches which now I think about it are similar.
We have two firework nights a year here celebrating Queen Victoria's birthday and what is called Home Week. It amazes me how much is spent on fireworks and they seem to get louder every year.
It does frighten the animals and me when it sounds as though they are aiming at the window. They really are lovely to watch.
Glad you had a nice time Dave, hope you got some photos. Mo
 
Alf & Sakura, Dave always has his camera with him and ready for action, am i right or am i wrong Dave!?. Len.
 
Dad always arranged a bonfire for us in the garden. The neighbours would all come as well. There would be chestnuts cooked on a length of chicken wire streched over the fire and spuds baked beneath a pile of red hot ashes. And of course there were the fireworks. These were mainly a visual experience, and very pretty to watch. The modern thing is pay a small fortune to hear a bang. Happy Days.
 
Thats a nice one Dave for starters.

Len I always have my camera with me trouble is I don't get out much
 
My dad always did a small bonfire and fireworks. He had a shed where he did his watch repairing with a small coke stove which had shelves on the side. He would do jacket potates and roast chestnuts I remember one sad November the 5th when I went down the garden and thought my cat was asleep. My parents didn't tell me he had died until the next day so as not to spoil my evening. This is a picture of him named Tibby round about the time he died. That's me when I was sweet and innocent. Jean.
 
The story of my life Jean we had a Tibby Cat and he killed my White Mouse

Lovely photo Jean
 
We had a few fireworks and a barbecue in the garden last night. My husband set up the fireworks and my son lit them. After the first bang my two 4 year old grandchildren ran inside. The Catherine wheels my husband so cleverly fixed to the bird table set fire to it and the rockets turned the wall black. Never mind the sausages and beefburgers were lovely.......even though I say so myself! Tsk!
 
Hi Everyone

I left England when I was 7 in the 50's, but I remember fireworks day Nov. 5. We had roasted potatoes and a few fireworks. In Canada we celebrate Victoria Day in May (queen's birthday) and Canada Day July 1st. We don't set off our own fireworks, but go to the city park and watch the towns display. I never forget November 5th. To this day, I still roast potatoes in the oven on that night and remember the words of the poem. "A Penny for the Guy sir the village children cry. Watch the bonfire blaze, see the sparks fly. Remember its November Sir a Penny for the Guy." not sure where it came from. I think its in a nursery rhymn book somewhere.

Kath
 
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