Remember remember the 5th of November
..with gunpowder treason and plot. In the UK we remember Guy Fawkes' failed attempt to blow up parliament 401 years ago. Why? I think because it gives us an excuse to let off fireworks. We don't care very much about the political thing and I bet 9 out of ten don't even know it was a catholic trying to blow up the protestant monarch. Good.
posted by Ham at 00:07 --
Comments here: 14
Comments on "Remember remember the 5th of November"
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Cheltenhamdailyphoto said ... (21:28) :
post a commentAny excuse for firworks and alcohol!
Awesome fireworks shot!
Beautiful shot. I put it in my Eric's Album but I marked it Ham's fireworks.
Good information. I've linked to this post on my blog Ackworth born, gone West
Great shot - where was it taken?
Jackie - I was at a friend's "bring a firework" party nearby. This was from his back garden.
your post remininded me how old is the democracy in the UK.
I always thought that the message of the Guy Fawkes' Day celebrations had somehow become abstracted from the details of the political power struggles 401 years ago.
I always thought that the citizens of the UK were celebrating and reminding politicians of the existence of boundaries to their actions. These boundaries were crossed, by those with political power, at their own personal risk. The risk was represented (illuminated?) by large community bonfires and, perhaps, fireworks across the country.
Of course, I think that I have always thought incorrectly. Today, you are most likely right. It is a good excuse for fireworks, beer and a little legal rabble-rousing.
Oh! Wait a minute! Your "Why?" was rhetorical. Sorrrrry! :-)
briang - you are right. Most people would come up with an answer that we celebrate stopping someone - a guy in a black hat - blowing up parliament - the guys in the white hats.
Truth is a lot more complex and a lot less comfortable. Ah well.
Appropriate time for another bit of trivia - there is an English expression "Hoisted on his own petard" which means to be caught in your own trap. When I was young I thought that a petard was probably a flag of some sort and that the expression related to getting caught up in the ropes and ending up high on a flagpole by accident. In later life I found out that a petard was an explosive box used to blow open doors. I prefer my original version ;-)
Your "bit of trivia" brought a smile to my face. Thank you! It reminded me that, for years, I used the expression and thought a petard was a piece of clothing! For some reason, I looked it up - an eye opener. This, and other examples, have often left me wondering if what I said had anything at all to do with what I meant. LOL.
As always, daily, I am enjoying your brilliant blog! Cheers - Brian.
Funny! To us French, the petard is a firecracker, the kind that just makes a lot of noise.... I had no idea the English used the word in a different sense.
In colloquial French, the petard is also a joint (of marijuana) but that's another story!!!
I always thought petard was a type of sword/epee/foil type of thing. You learn something new every day.
lol. Probably not. It's all good though isn't it. And so is your photo. Better than mine i fear. at - www.ukdailyphoto.blogspot.com