Bonfire Night in Greater Manchester is remembered for childhood traditions such as asking for a 'penny for the Guy', eating treacle toffee and parkin, and watching Catherine Wheels spin, even as fewer people now host their own garden bonfires.
Whether attending a bonfire or not, this time of year sparks memories of Guy Fawkes' Night from years gone by. For some, the favourite childhood memory is the fireworks themselves, while others recall keeping warm around a mammoth bonfire, usually on or near the street where they grew up. Food played a big part in proceedings, typically jacket potatoes or hot pot, followed by treacle toffee or a slice of parkin.
Changing Traditions
Some seasonal traditions are less common these days. Children asking for a 'penny for the Guy' is no longer the familiar sight it once was, and fewer people seem to host their own garden bonfires, with most choosing to attend organised displays instead. This year there are plenty to choose from, including the return of big family-friendly events at Wythenshawe Park, Heaton Park and Platt Fields Park in Fallowfield.
A classic childhood memory for many is writing in the air with a sparkler, scribbling patterns and words like a wizard in a duffel coat and mittens. Another is nailing a Catherine Wheel to a wet gate or fence post, with the fizzing and spinning sparks of a successfully lit firework. This was usually achieved only after watching a dad try to hammer the firework to a piece of wood in the back garden on a cold and rainy November the 5th, before repeatedly failing to light it.
Penny for the Guy and Loggin' for Wood
Many will remember stopping passing strangers and asking 'Penny for the Guy?' in the hope a few coins would be tossed their way. Generations have fond memories of building a Guy in the run-up to Bonfire Night, often by stuffing old clothes with newspaper or rags, perhaps topped off with a hat and a leftover mask from Halloween. The Guy would then be taken around in an old push chair to busy spots, such as outside shops or even better, pubs. Afterwards, the Guy would traditionally be thrown on the bonfire to be consumed by the flames.
There was a time when it was not strange to leave a shop with an armful of fireworks as a child. In more recent years, the government has cracked down on the sale of such items to minors, most definitely for the best. A lot of the excitement on Bonfire Night also came in the lead up to the day itself, particularly collecting firewood to build the bonfires, referred to by some as 'loggin' for wood. Groups of kids would scavenge for anything that would burn to add to the massive pile of wood accumulating in the street, or croft, behind the houses. No gate, fence, or piece of wood lying around would be safe if it was not securely nailed down in the run-up to Guy Fawkes' Night.
Street Bonfires and Firework Safety
Another tradition that has become rarer is the local bonfire. One of the most vivid and enduring memories is of entire streets gathering around a blazing bonfire on a cold November night. There was real excitement in lighting the wood and watching the faces of the old and the young bathed in the fiery glow, with the dads coming together to light the fireworks while the kids watched in awe.
For some people, attending a funfair on Bonfire Night is another fond but distant memory from childhood, with few forgetting the smell of the chip van and fireworks as dusk fell over the amusements. The firework public safety films always popped up on TV in the weeks running up to the big night, whether showing the dangers of picking up a hot sparkler or returning to an unlit firework, ominous enough to make you think twice.
Traditional Bonfire Night Food
Traditional Bonfire Night food often meant hot baked potatoes, preferably wrapped in foil and cooked in the embers of the bonfire itself. In some parts of Greater Manchester, the night is all about a pot of parched (or black) peas, while in others, nothing more than a bowl of hot pot or 'tater ash'. Then there are the sweet treats: homemade treacle toffee is often enjoyed on Bonfire Night, as are toffee apples and parkin.
