Yes, it’s that time of year again where we all stand around a huge fire and gaze up at the sky.
Here at Team Crush we thought we’d share some facts about Bonfire Night that you may or may not already know.
• A Chinese cook in the 10th Century invented fireworks. Common kitchen ingredients were mixed together accidentally and set alight, which resulted in colourful flames.
• Up until 1959 it was illegal to not celebrate Bonfire Night in Britain.
• During World War I and World War II, people celebrated Bonfire Night indoors as no-one was allowed to set off fireworks.
• The first ever fireworks display was hosted by King Henry VII during his wedding celebrations.
• You can still see the lantern carried by Guy Fawkes when he was caught in the Houses of Parliament.
• Queen Elizabeth I really loved her fireworks, so much so that she created a title for anyone that she considered to be the best firework maker in the country. They would be known as “Fire Master of England”
• To this day the Yeoman of the Guard searches the Houses of Parliament before Bonfire Night to make sure no one else tries to copycat this event.
• A small village in Devon (Ottery St Mary) has a unique way of celebrating Bonfire Night. Locals take turns carrying large barrels of burning tar on their shoulders – we would not recommend trying this at home.
• A sparkler burns between 1000 – 1500°c so putting three together can reach the same temperature as a blowtorch – stay safe people!
• There is an Island in the Galapagos, North-West of Santa Cruz that is named after Guy Fawkes and to this day no one knows why.
• If Guy Fawkes had been successful the blast from the 2500kg of gunpowder would have caused damage within a radius of 500 metres, including Westminster Hall, the Abbey and many buildings that surround the Houses of Parliament, changing how we see London today.
Happy Bonfire Night!
Team Crush