A penny for the Guy

The Gunpowder Plot, and the figure of Guy Fawkes in particular, continued to seize people's imagination through the generations.

By the Victorian era, the date had become known as Guy Fawkes Day. The anarchic activity seen before was now frowned upon. Local worthies clamped down on the worst excesses, magistrates issued warnings and the police made shows of force to discourage bad behaviour.

By the 1870s ‘decorum prevailed’, according to The Times, and communal activities became regulated. In Lewes, notorious for its riotous celebrations, four bonfire societies began to organise annual gala events with spectacular fire-shows and parades that continue to this day. Elsewhere in the country, local businessmen came together to organise and sponsor community bonfire parties for charity.

In 1910, firework manufacturers started branding the occasion as ‘Fireworks Night’ to cash in on the act. It saw their sales increase by 20% year on year. Enthusiastic children would create a Guy Fawkes effigy which they carried around asking for ‘a penny for the Guy’ to help them buy fireworks.

By the middle of the 20th Century, Fireworks Night was synonymous with Guy Fawkes Day and was an established family event. As back garden displays became common, the sale of rockets and Catherine wheels was increasingly regulated.

Government public safety adverts in the 1980s warned of the dangers of playing with fireworks as safety became a pressing concern. The films showed worried pet owners how to prepare their animals for the event, while a campaign was launched to save hedgehogs hiding in bonfires. This was a world away from the anarchic festivities of the past.