A Glossary of Bonfire
- Bonfire Boys
- The traditional term for the revellers (of all ages and both sexes!) on
Bonfire Night. They are now organised into Bonfire Societies.
- Bonfire Night
- See
Fifth.
- Bonfire Societies
- Organisations founded to keep alive the spirit of Bonfire in Lewes. Each
Society has its own traditions. One such Society is Commercial Square.
- clergy
- Certain senior officers of the Societies dress up as clergy and are the
target of hand-launched fireworks at the fire sites. Originally
this was to mock the Roman Catholic church, perceived as being
behind the Gunpowder Plot. Its intention now is less clear.
See also Pope.
- Commercial Square Bonfire Society
- A Bonfire Society based in the north of Lewes and named after a
square there. North American themes figure heavily in Commercial's
processions (see Pioneers).
The Archbishop of St John-sub-Castro (see clergy) is named after the local
parish church.
Headquarters: the Elephant & Castle.
Motto: "For Independence".
- Fifth
- The Fifth of November, the anniversary of the discovery of the
Gunpowder Plot in 1605. Pyrotechnical celebrations
of the event are common throughout the country, but
have survived in a very dramatic form in Sussex, and especially in Lewes.
This may be because of the burning at the stake in Lewes of seventeen
Protestant martyrs.
- Gunpowder Plot
- In 1605, a group of plotters attempted to "blow up the King and the
Parliament" by placing gunpowder in its cellars. The discovery of the plot
ensured the Protestant succession in England, and has been celebrated
throughout the country ever since. The most well-known plotter is
Guy Fawkes: Bonfire Night is also called Guy Fawkes' Night.
- guy
- Guy (Guido) Fawkes was one of the Gunpowder Plotters.
Effigies in his likeness are destroyed on Bonfire Night,
and have become known as "guys."
- Pioneers
- The Bonfire Societies have long-standing traditions about who marches
where in the processions. There are typically groups of members who all dress in the
same costume. Those in the first group are called the (1st) Pioneers;
those in the second group the 2nd Pioneers.
The image shows Commercial's 2nd Pioneers in 1998, dressed as soldiers from the
American Civil War.
- Police
- The Bonfire Societies have a tense relationship with the Police on
Bonfire Night. In years gone by, arrests of Bonfire Boys were not uncommon,
and there have been several attempts by the authorities to stop the
celebrations altogether. Even now there is often criticism of perceived
heavy-handedness, and the large number of officers, especially those brought in
for the evening from outside Lewes, generates particular resentment.
The Force, however, maintains that its strong presence is necessary to keep public order.
It is looking at ways to use modern technology to lower its profile.
- Pope
- The Pope at the time of the Gunpowder
Plot, Pope Paul V, is burnt in effigy
along with Guy Fawkes
by several of the Societies.
- Remembrance
- Bonfire has strong connections with Remembrance,
not least because of the proximity of Armistice Day (11th November)
to the Fifth. Early in the evening, each Society in turn processes to the War
Memorial at the top of School Hill, and commemorates its fallen
Bonfire Boys
in its own unique way.
The processions of remembrance mark a solemn moment in the evening's events,
before the exuberance and irreverence to follow.
In 1998, the Police were criticised for interrupting
one Society's two minutes silence with tannoy announcements.
The image shows an illuminated banner reading: "Lest We Forget".
To be continued...
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