Guy Fawkes

**steveb64** · 2nd November 2007, 19:24

Originally Posted by ynot slow

Shit yeah,double happy's and cow shit,what fun. Especially when the fuse stops about 2mm from igniting,and the local slow kid,goes to relight,gets about 1/2 a mtr away and covers himself in crap.

Had a mate whose older brother did some weird stuff,join a few tom thumbs together for bigger bang,same with double happy's,then tie to a frog or some other small rodent.

We used to tie sky rockets to an arrow and light fuse wait,and fire into sky,extra lift sent them many feet into the air,just as well the tips of arrows were removed and taped up as we used semi broken arrows.

Seem to remember though if we did anything stupid the parents would put us back into line,one guy threw a tom thumb at his mum,she took all his crackers and said fuck you this year,your mates can come and you won't be able to use any of yours,they can let them off.Sure as shit pissed him off as a 11 yr old,next year he was fine with the rules.Mind you he was a bit slow at times.

I was in a hostel for high school (not by choice, or affluence - bus run ended 10 miles short of home - bit too far to walk) - and a bunch of us were talking to the hostel manager one afternoon, when one guy pulled out a double happy, and said "What would happen if I set this off?" - manager made some dire threat (too longa go to remember what...) - then another of the guys pulled out a lighter - and boys being boys - lit it - boys still being boys - the one with the double happy started waving it around near the flame... You can guess what happened...

...Funniest thing was watching the guy with the double happy trying to pinch the fuse out - burning his fingers, then dropping it in the managers office... Boys running in all directions...

At least the manager saw the funny side of it...

**0arbreaka** · 2nd November 2007, 23:34

I for one love fireworks and anything that makes a bang. Anyone got some explosives for sale? even some det cord?

**Skyryder** · 3rd November 2007, 00:01

Always use to have a fire down on the beach with fireworks and whitebait fritters.

**MaxB** · 3rd November 2007, 01:04

As a kid the Gunpowder plot was the only thing that made me pay attention in history class. AFAIK It was a Catholic plot to assassinate the Protestant King James I (or VI) and as many supporters/MPs as they could.
Guy Fawkes was a Yorkshireman and soldier who fought in Catholic armies overseas before returning to England. He was caught after a Catholic MP; Lord Monteagle suspected something was happening when he got a warning letter from one of the plotters. That led to the discovery of the barrels under Parliament and the arrest of GF. He was then tortured into confession, tried then hung, drawn and quartered. But he snapped his own neck before the drawing bit to save himself a lot of pain.

The bonfire is part of the ritual burning of an effigy of the 'Guy' on a fire and the fireworks are meant to celebrate the saving of the King and democracy. Hmm?

I have both Pr and RC sides in my family and we all celebrate together. Screw the PC brigade, I want my fireworks and the right to set them off on my property. Plus my kids learn about fireworks in a safe and controlled manner.

So I voted yes.

**cynna** · 3rd November 2007, 03:41

nz has its own version of guy fawkes. about 29 years ago neil roberts blew himself up on his way to destroy the wanganui police computer. he didnt quite make it...

**Wolf** · 3rd November 2007, 08:11

Max, pretty much all correct except the bonfires and burning effigies were around long before the Gunpowder plot. They are said to be hanger's on from old pagan festivals and The Powers That Be used the Guy Fawkes celebration, with it's (relatively) safe letting off of fireworks, to absorb the pagan festivities into something "respectable".

Guy "Guido" Fawkes was hanged, not burned. He was supposed to be hanged, drawn and quartered for the crime of Treason (hanged until nearly dead, cut down, revived and then emasculated and had his guts pulled out and burned in front of him then beheaded and his torso cut in quarters for displaying around the country).

However, he deliberately jumped before they could hang him and snapped his neck, killing himself instantly, so he was spared the rest of his planned prolonged death.

One of his fellow conspirators also tried jumping but the rope broke and they took him straight to the drawing and quartering bit.

**007XX** · 3rd November 2007, 09:33

Originally Posted by steveb64

I remember taking half a day off when in the 6th form, to go to an agricultural explosives training course, put on by ICI. Cool. Got to watch all sorts of different types of explosive being set off, with suitable shockwaves...

And what's the best banging firework (and DON'T say your S.O!) that you know of... mine was ('cos they're not allowed to sell them this year) a multi shot thing called "Stu's Revenge". The differnce between them, and the next loudest (still pretty loud) was like the difference between a .22 and a 12 gauge shotgun (or a small cannon!).

If any WR riders are lookin for loud fireworks, checkout the guy selling them outside the Yamaha shop on Port Rd.

What's S.O...and also, got to admit I haven't found any in NZ that were outstanding!

Too heavily regulated and PCd to death....

**Ocean1** · 3rd November 2007, 09:56

Originally Posted by Griff

A bonfire with a bloke tied to the top comes from the Pagans.
It was a sacrifice to warm up the sun for next year's crops. (Wicker Man).
The Church were so unsuccessful in stopping the practice, so they highjacked it.

Originally Posted by Wolf

Max, pretty much all correct except the bonfires and burning effigies were around long before the Gunpowder plot. They are said to be hanger's on from old pagan festivals and The Powers That Be used the Guy Fawkes celebration, with it's (relatively) safe letting off of fireworks, to absorb the pagan festivities into something "respectable".

They hijacked quite a few heathen celebrations, quite successfully, as evidenced by the general ignorance of the original versions.

Anyone researched the source of most of our nursery rhymes? Most of them are tutorial mnemonics, you might be surprised how unsuitable for young ears they are.

Originally Posted by 007XX

What's S.O...and also, got to admit I haven't found any in NZ that were outstanding!

Too heavily regulated and PCd to death....

Significant Other.

And yes, bring back motal danger, the gene pool is deteriorating rapidly.

**Daffyd** · 3rd November 2007, 10:25

I bloody hate it! I, too live on the edge of a rainforest and dread the thought of it going up in smoke.
Also, I have two dogs who are terrified of fireworks.

**cynna** · 3rd November 2007, 11:35

Originally Posted by Wolf

(hanged until nearly dead, cut down, revived and then emasculated and had his guts pulled out and burned in front of him then beheaded and his torso cut in quarters for displaying around the country)..

we should bring that back in as a punishment to get deter the thieving scum that get away way too lightly

**Wolf** · 3rd November 2007, 21:29

Originally Posted by cynna

we should bring that back in as a punishment to get deter the thieving scum that get away way too lightly

So I can count on you when I make my bid to take over? How's your shooting?

**MaxB** · 4th November 2007, 00:07

Originally Posted by Wolf

Max, pretty much all correct except the bonfires and burning effigies were around long before the Gunpowder plot. They are said to be hanger's on from old pagan festivals and The Powers That Be used the Guy Fawkes celebration, with it's (relatively) safe letting off of fireworks, to absorb the pagan festivities into something "respectable".

Guy "Guido" Fawkes was hanged, not burned. He was supposed to be hanged, drawn and quartered for the crime of Treason (hanged until nearly dead, cut down, revived and then emasculated and had his guts pulled out and burned in front of him then beheaded and his torso cut in quarters for displaying around the country).

However, he deliberately jumped before they could hang him and snapped his neck, killing himself instantly, so he was spared the rest of his planned prolonged death.

One of his fellow conspirators also tried jumping but the rope broke and they took him straight to the drawing and quartering bit.

Was a bit blurry last night.

One thing I can't seem to find is what happened to GF after his neck broke. Some say they went ahead with the drawing and quartering process in any case in order to carry out the sentence handed down and others say the body was released to the family. But he was a traitor. So would they?

I asked around at the fireworks party tonight but no-one seems to know

**Wolf** · 4th November 2007, 08:08

Originally Posted by MaxB

One thing I can't seem to find is what happened to GF after his neck broke. Some say they went ahead with the drawing and quartering process in any case in order to carry out the sentence handed down and others say the body was released to the family. But he was a traitor. So would they?

I don't know either.

I know that once he snapped his neck he was beyond feeling anything else they decided to mete out (unlike his less fortunate fellow conspirators) but I don't know if they stopped there or continued.

I doubt there would be a lot of entertainment value in emasculating and drawing him whilst dead so far as the public execution went. Nothing to stop them from doing it, of course, so that the letter of the law was carried out.

As to the beheading and quartering, they still could have done that to display his bits as a warning to other would-be traitors.

Would you hand the body back to those who might seek to display him as a martyr?

**Daffyd** · 5th November 2007, 16:44

Watched a very interesting doco on the Doco channel this arvo... Presented by Richard Hammond (Top Gear).
They recreated the Parliament buildings at an army exercise area, filled it with crash test dummies, and tracked down a metric tonne of gunpowder, put it in wooden barrels identical to those used by GF, and blew the guts out of it.
Result: If the plot had gone ahead, there would have been NO survivors.

He did say that King James ordred bonfires be lit to celebrate the uncovering of the plot.