Guy Fawkes

[rich47]

Does anyone know when Guy Fawkes Night became Bonfire Night? And do any of today's children know the origin?

[royfromaus]

Are all of today's children thick?

I would say...no.

[Mozz71]

It's always been both to my knowledge, just a different name for the same thing. See also Fireworks Night.

And most kids know of Guy Fawkes. After all, he, or a similar "Guy" is still burnt on the bonfire. One thing you don't see much anymore, and good riddance to it, are kids doing "Penny for the Guy".

[bhg481]

I'm 76 and I've always known it as Bonfire Night, NEVER Fireworks Night and we usually had a Guy on our bonfire. It was ALWAYS on Nov 5th.

[barry1010]

Surprising the number of adults I have on social media asking why the hell we celebrate somebody who tried to murder a lot of people.

[dannyk13]

Barry, burning an effigy of Guy Fawkes is hardly a celebration.

[Ken4155]

Do any of today's children care. Probably not. And why should they?

[AuntPG]

Why on earth do the British feel the need to celebrate a failed act of Terrorism that happened over 400 years ago?

My suspicions are that November 5th was near enough to the Pagan festival of Samhain as to be a front for a good old Pagan knees up.

[mushroom25]

until 1859, the law mandated the commemoration of the failed 5th November plot......
https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentaryauthority/the-gunpowder-plot-of-1605/collections/thanksgiving-act/

[bhg481]

I've been told that the pupils of St Peter's School, York don't celebrate Guy Fawkes night; it's considered bad form to celebrate one of their Old Boys being burned.

[New Judge]

//Are all of today's children thick?//

I wouldn’t term them “tick” but many display a remarkable lack of general knowledge:

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-10167795/TOM-UTLEY-shocked-woke-school-children-think-Guy-Fawkes-invented-fork.html

“…researchers found that almost a quarter of the country’s young (23 per cent) thought Bonfire Night was a pagan festival, while another 17 per cent believed it was a ‘traditional celebration to ward off evil spirits’. As for Guy Fawkes himself, 74 per cent said they had heard of him, but a tenth thought he was a fictional character, while seven per cent laboured under the delusion that he achieved fame as the inventor of fireworks. Another seven per cent ticked the box claiming he was the designer of the fork, while six per cent thought he was an MP.”

“None of this would be very surprising, perhaps, if the 1,500 people interviewed were under ten years old. But they were all aged between 16 and 29, with at least 11 years of formal education under their belts.”

This lack of general knowledge is not, in my observations, confined to Guy Fawkes.

//Do any of today's children care. Probably not. And why should they?//

They should because it is an important part of their nation’s history, ken. The Catholic/Protestant friction in England in those times gave rise to conventions which carried on well into the 20th Century (restrictions on the monarch marrying a Catholic, etc.) and played a large part in shaping the country. If they have an interest in their nation’s history they should have an interest in the Gunpowder Plot. Unfortunately too few young people have any interest in such things.

//Why on earth do the British feel the need to celebrate a failed act of Terrorism that happened over 400 years ago?//

See above. It isn’t the act itself that should necessarily be of interest but the circumstances and events which led up to it.

[Mamyalynne]

If the children of today haven't heard of him or he and his cohorts deeds, who is at fault?

We were taught it in school and at home and play we learnt some of the many bloodthirsty rhymes or songs.

If the knowledge isn't passed down, don't blame the children.

[New Judge]

The children are partially to blame because many of them demonstrate no curiosity or inquisitiveness. I didn't learn everything I know from either school or parents. I found things out for myself. If I heard of something unfamiliar to me I'd usually find a book to read up the details. Young people today don't have to go to that trouble because they have the internet. You cannot be personally taught everything you know. Sometimes you have to make an effort to find out things for yourself.

However, as far as the Gunpowder Plot goes, it should be taught in school. The 16th and 17th Centuries were turbulent times in this country, particularly as far as the Monarchy and religious intolerance goes, and much of what happened had a profound influence on the development of modern Britain.

[Khandro]

Isn't the celebration aspect that he was caught & the plot avoided?

[ynnafymmi]

Another thing i learned about old Guido was the fact that he hated us Scots.I never knew this till recently.Barsteward.I hope he had a painful death.

[Mamyalynne]

Many children do just that even now, follow up on things that catch their attention and want to learn more - however we cannot expect them all to know the nuts and bolts of every topic.

Day after day on here when viewing crossword and puzzle Q&As I see people say 'I never knew that' (including me).

Learning in a lifelong occupation.

[Mamyalynne]

It was ymmi.

[barry1010]

Yes, Khandro

[ynnafymmi]

Yes,i know,Mamy.But not any worser than any of the executions at that time.

[Mamyalynne]

I obviously misconstrued your last sentence above.

[THECORBYLOON]

Fawkes either jumped or fell from the scaffold and broke his neck so his death was not as painful as it could have been.