Fun with Fireworks

Guy Fawkes Night draws ever nearer and a selection of London... Fireworks Displays are taking place throughout the capital to mark the occasion in traditional style. Only one place to go and admire all the fireworks in and around London on 5th and 6th of November - Rafayel Hotel - the best vantage point.

A little bit of history…

*Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Bonfire Night (more casually in recent times as Fireworks Night), is an annual celebration held on the evening of 5 November to mark the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of 5 November 1605, in which a number of Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, attempted to destroy the Houses of Parliament in London.

The occasion is primarily celebrated in Great Britain where, by an Act of Parliament called The Thanksgiving Act, it was compulsory until 1859, to celebrate the deliverance of the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, organised by Robert Catesby, Thomas Wintour, Robert Wintour, Guy Fawkes, John Wright, Christopher Wright, Robert Keyes, Thomas Percy, John Grant, Ambrose Rookwood, Sir Everard Digby, Francis Tresham, and Thomas Bates was plot to assassinate James I of England and restore Catholicism to England.

The 13 conspirators planned to place a hoard of gunpowder in an undercroft directly underneath the House of Lords. The plotters believed it to be the perfect place to hide explosives, as the undercroft had gone unused for some time. As October came and the plot was finalised, concerns arose that there may be Catholics present in Parliament when the device was to explode.  On Saturday 26 October William Parker, 4th Baron Monteagle, Francis Tresham's brother-in-law, received an anonymous letter warning him not to attend Parliament. On Friday 1 November the King was shown the letter, and it was later decided that a search of the Houses of Parliament would be undertaken on Monday.

According to the King's account, searchers discovered a servant nearby a large pile of firewood in the undercroft on Monday 4 November. He informed the searchers that the firewood belonged to his master, Thomas Percy. The servant's true identity was Guy Fawkes. As the searches had so far failed to locate anything untoward the King demanded that a more thorough search must commence. Shortly after midnight a search party under the command of Thomas Knyvet discovered Fawkes in the undercroft. Fawkes, who identified himself as John Johnson, was placed under arrest, and his possessions searched. He was discovered to be carrying a pocket watch, matches, and torchwood. The search team then unearthed barrels of gunpowder hidden beneath the pile of firewood.

Fawkes, still using the alias John Johnson, claimed when interrogated that he had acted alone. "Johnson" was relocated to the Tower of London on 6 November, where he was to be tortured, after the King gave his consent for the torture to take place. On 7 November Fawkes confessed that he had not acted alone, and the full extent of the plot was unearthed. The plotters were all executed, aside from Catesby and Percy, who had already been killed amidst their refusal to surrender, however the bodies were exhumed and their heads placed on spikes outside the Houses of Lords.(*Source: Wiki)

Spectacular shows

If you can’t make it out for a fireworks display during bonfire night weekend, rest assured. A number of displays will be held before and after the weekend, giving you the chance to enjoy a spectacular show at your convenience.

Friday 5th November
Barkingside Fireworks Display
Displays at 19:00 and 20:00
Bishops Park Fireworks Display
From 18:00, displays at 19:30 and 20:00
Clapham Fireworks Display
Display at 19:30
Crystal Palace Fireworks Display
From 18:00, displays at 19:00 and 20:30
Kingston Fireworks Display
From 18:30, display at 20:00
Southwark Fireworks Display
From 18:00, display at 19:00
Totteridge Fireworks Display
From 17:30, display at 19:15
Walthamstow Fireworks Display
From 18:00, display at 20:00
Wanstead Fireworks Display
From 18:30
Westway Fireworks Display
From 18:15, display at 19:00
Wimbledon Fireworks Display
From 18:30, displays at 18:45 and 20:30
Saturday 6th November
Barking Park Fireworks Display
From 17:30, display at 20:00
Barnes Fireworks Display
From 18:30, display at 19:55
Battersea Park Fireworks Display
From 18:00, display at 20:00
Beckenham Fireworks Display
From 18:00, display at 20:00
Blackheath Fireworks Display
Display at 20:00
Carshalton Park Fireworks Display
From 18:00, display at 19:00
Chislehurst Fireworks Display
From 18:00, display at 19:30
Danson Park Fireworks Display
From 18:00, display at 20:00
Ealing Fireworks Display
From 18:00, display at 19:30
Enfield Fireworks Display
From 18:00, display at 19:30
Epsom Fireworks Display
From 17:30, display at 19:30
Kempton Park Fireworks Display
From 18:00, display at 19:45
Morden Fireworks Display
From 18:30, displays at 18:45 and 20:30
Norman Park Fireworks Display
From 17:00, display at 20:00
Ravenscourt Park Fireworks Display
From 18:00, display at 20:00
Roundwood Park Fireworks Display
From 18:45, displays at 19:30 and 20:00
Southgate Fireworks Display
From 17:00, display at 20:00
Sunday 7th November
Richmond Fireworks Display
From 17:00, display at 19:00
Victoria Park Fireworks Display
Display at 19:30
Saturday 13th November
Lord Mayors Show Fireworks Display
Display at 17:00