Back in the old days, in the 1950s and 60s when I was growing up, Bonfire Night was always held on the fifth of November. Nowadays it seems to be held on any random day between the 31st October right up until the weekend after the 5th, it’s not like it used to be. The only exception to the rule was if the 5th happened to fall on a Sunday, then our annual bonfire, and nearly every other, would be held on the Saturday. In the first two decades of my life a Sunday 5th only occurred three times, 1950 when I was too young to know about it, 1961 and also 1967, by which time I was 18 anyway and the novelty of constructing the annual bonfire had worn off a little.
I have a cat, Flickr by name, he’s been with me for about eight years and has never been phased by fireworks. However, he’s never had any go off in close proximity to really frighten him. This year my neighbours unexpectedly had a family firework party on 31st October; had I know I would have kept him inside, but it all started without warning and the first fizzy type fireworks were let off. I called the cat who I could see in the garden, but he was far too interested in something that was probably lurking in the bushes to pay heed to me. The next thing one of those enormous expensive jobs was lit with loud crackly sounds and large explosive bangs to follow. That did it, he ran off in the opposite direction to hide. I wasn’t unduly worried as he hadn’t had his evening meal and I knew he’d soon be back.
Later I called for hours, rattled the dry food box, banged the feed dish, tried everything, but no sign of him. By 9.00 I was getting a little anxious and grabbed a torch to go and search, usually that would bring him out of a hiding place and he could be safely rescued, but no, no sight of him at all. Eventually I had to give up and went to bed which was a fitful night’s rest with frequent visits to the back door to call him in. Eventually I was woken by my 6.00 alarm and ventured downstairs and opened the back door, still no sign, I was just going to have to wait until daylight and then go off on a search. I made my coffee and carried it to the back door and there he was, as if nothing had happened. His adventure must have spooked him a little though as he’s been very clingy since, hanging around my feet and wanting my lap and spending hardly any time outdoors since the event.
Enjoy your fireworks everyone, here are links to a couple of old stories of mine so you can wallow in a little of my childhood nostalgia of bonfire night in the 1950s and 60s, Remember, Remember and Remember, Remember . . . again.
opobs 
We had great bonfire parties in our back yard. Huge bonfire, loads of fireworks, jacket potatoes, mushypeas with ham, and the inevitable parkin made by my grandma.
Here’s an interesting post from one of the blogs I follow. I think it captures the feel of the period nicely – early sixties.
http://kevs-domain.net/2014/11/04/remember-remember/
Thanks for the link. Strange thing is we never used our bonfire to cook anything, seems obvious now, but back then the fire itself was the main attraction of the evening.
We didn’t use it to cook either. Everything was done in the kitchen which opened directly onto the back yard. But I think our individual memories of family and friends’ bonfire parties are interesting because that era has gone. Where I lived so many houses had bonfires and private parties. As I grew older, I would walk round to look at the ones who used to have them, and there were no fires. Kids too old maybe? Or just changing times?
Thanks for that, Kate. 🙂
You are so right. Bonfire night was always held on the 5th November regardless of the day of the week. Sadly the event has been overtaken by Halloween which also seems to be spun out over a whole fortnight!
It’s quite active outside this evening with fireworks popping all around, not much evidence yet of any bonfires though, they used to be the main attraction.
It’s very active outside here tonight. I’ve had to comfort my two cats tonight, but I managed to get them calm. 🙂 I agree with you about it turning into a longer period rather than just on the 5th.
Flix spent the evening on the sideboard behind my place on the settee until it was quiet outside. I’m not bothered about others turning it into a longer festival, that’s their choice, but somehow it’s lost its magic and when before I used to rush to the window to watch fireworks, now I hardly glance up as they occur so frequently.
It always put me in a bit of a mood when they start early… I’m like, can’t they bloody wait? lol But I still enjoy the night. You’re right, it has lost some of its magic.
In our area the bonfires were constructed by the local lads from the surrounding streets and were on the wasteground nearby. There was great rivalry as to who could make the biggest bonfire and ‘raids’ occurred whereby neighbouring groups would steal wood etc and so ‘guards’ had to be posted near the day. We all of course hoped for a dry November 5th and it must have rained on some occasions but I cannot remember it being postponed to another day although the private firework parties were. I remember the blackened and half cooked jacket potatoes and half raw sausages!! Fireworks were organised by groups of parents either at the communcal bonfire or back at someone’s house – rockets, catherine wheels, volcanoes(?), sparklers, jumping jacks – the local lads were always a nightmare before the day throwing bangers around and one got expelled from school for doing so in the playground!
Great memories Sue, thanks for adding them.
My late dog, Zara, was never phased by fireworks (or visits to the vet’s) for most of her life. Strangely however, in the last two or three years of her life, they did bother her – and she also didn’t like going to the vet’s either. It’s as if they know their time is coming to an end.
As for November 5th, we only ever had a small box of fireworks and some sparklers (this was in the ’60s). One of my classmates came along to enjoy our meagre display for two or three years in a row as his parents didn’t bother. What annoys me now is that shops have their Christmas decorations up before Hallowe’en and Guy Fawkes are over.
I think most families had the half-a-crown box of fireworks, I remember one year we had one costing 5 bob plus a couple of shilling rockets, that was a year!
Magic! Such memories of my childhood Bonfire Nights in the 1950’s. What has happened to Nov 5th? Sadly nowadays just a poor, sanitised, ‘elf ‘n safety-obsessed version of a great night. Socially, we are all much poorer as a result, in my opinion.