Pep-rallies, football, dancing; oh, my! - RAF Lakenheath

By Sal Davidson – Community Relations AdviserGuy Fawkes and the gunpowder plotRemember, remember the fifth of November,Gunpowder, treason and plot.We see no reasonWhy gunpowder treasonShould ever be forgot.In 1605 Guy Fawkes and a group of conspirators attempted toblow up the Houses of Parliament at the State opening by KingJames I. This bold attempt is still commemorated today withBonfire Night events taking place on or around Nov. 5.Effigies of Guy Fawkes are made and burned, and it is a commonsight to see young people pulling these along asking “Penny for theGuy.”The historyAfter Queen Elizabeth I’s death in 1603, English Catholics whohad experienced a rough time under her reign had hoped her successor,King James I, would be more tolerant of the religion.Unfortunately, he was not, and this angered a number of young menwho decided violent action was the answer. The ‘Gunpowder Plot’was then hatched as a protest against the penal laws.Guy Fawkes was one of 13 conspirators chosen because of militaryexperience and knowledge of munitions. He was thought to havea cool head, and because of this he was trusted to carry out the plot.The plotThe plot, masterminded by Robert Catesby, began by hiring oflodgings close to Parliament House. They hoped to tunnel through tothe Parliament Buildings. The plan proved unrealistic due to thewater from the Thames and the thickness of the Parliament walls.A cellar was then acquired within the Parliament Building. Intime 36 barrels of gunpowder were smuggled in and carefully hiddenunderneath wood and coal.The idea was for Guy Fawkes to ignite these barrels using a longfuse. This would allow him the necessary time to make his ownescape from the building.The discovered plotIt is thought the gunpowder plot was discovered because of ananonymous letter sent to Lord Montague, a member of the House ofLords. It was an attempt to warn the Lord not to attend the openingof Parliament because “a great calamity would consume it.”Word of the letter spread to the conspirators and they thoughtthere was a traitor in their midst. Once satisfied things had calmeddown sufficiently and the letter had not alerted the government to theplot, they decided to go ahead with their actions.In the early hours of Nov. 5, Guy Fawkes was found within thecellar with the 36 barrels of gunpowder. He also had on his personthe equipment needed to ignite the barrels. He was immediatelyarrested and taken before the king. He endured some horrific torturebefore finally being publicly hanged in March 1607.The resultsWord spread around London of the foiled plot and the residentsbegan to light fires in celebration that the King had been saved.This tradition has continued for 400 years.To this day, a search of the Houses of Parliament takes placebefore the official opening by the reigning monarch.Safety points for Bonfire Night– Remember to keep your pets indoors on bonfire night as thenoise and lights can distress them.– It is illegal for persons under 18 years of age to purchasefireworks– Never light fireworks in areas where there is danger to peopleor property.– Sal’s advice: Go to an organized display. Fireworks areexpensive to buy and these displays can be spectacularfor a reasonable admission fee. Safety is also strictly maintained.Displays– Lakenheath Village charity fireworks display at the LakenheathFootball Pitch Nov. 3; gates open at 6:30 p.m.– Earlham Park, Norwich hosts ‘Sparks in the Park’ Nov. 4; under 5years old are free children 5 to 16 years old are £2 or £2.50, adults£5 or £6.50, depending on when tickets are purchased. Gates openat 5 p.m. Toddlers fireworks show start at 6:30 p.m. Fire jugglersentertain with the bonfire, which will be lit at 7:15 p.m. The BigBang Show is set to start at 8:30 p.m. For presales and moreinformation, call (01603) 727 927.– Midsummer Common, Cambridge, Nov. 4 is the largest freefirework display in East Anglia. The fun starts at 6 p.m. withcarnival rides and booths. A firework display starts at 7:30 p.m.,followed by the bonfire. Roads around the common will beclosed so use the public transport provided. For more information,call (01223) 457 5551.For more information, call Sal Davidson at 226-3145 or e-mail her atsal.davidson@lakenheath.af.mil.PAGE 18JET 48 MAGAZINEOCT. 27, 2006