Bonfire good old days

[winks 10]

Back in the day when life was or seemed simpler, bonfire night was held on the 5 November, and was looked forward too for weeks before hand. My dad worked for a brewery and always managed to get some old broked wooden beer crates for the fire, someone always turned up with an old chair or settee or both to burn. There was plenty to eat, baked potatoes cooked in the bonfire, home made parkin and bonfire scotch. Fireworks were set off by my dad and whoobetide andone else who was caught touching them. Happy Times

[scousemouse 10]

My birthday is very close to bonfire night, and my father worked for a firework company, so I have very happy memories of that time. However, those were the days when fireworks were only let off ON bonfire night, unlike today when they started last week, and when you have animals that are terrified, its no joke.

[bassett one 452]

I agree totally ,as i have said many times ,why dont areas club together and do community events,its easy and makes life easier,but you will always get idiots who set off fireworks in the streets,which is a no no,re-turnips had a laugh the other week,we as a tara arranged a pumpkin making day at our tara,and i said if i cannot get 70 pumpkins,we are doing a turnip making day,i wish i had a camera,there faces,not to mention the replys,but in the end a local super market helped,pity i smile at the turnip idea.

[Guest]

Slightly off topic who remembers making turnip lanterns for Halloween

I do. Late 70s. I don't recall any reference to trick or treating though, and pumpkins were wildly exotic, unheard of in my neck of the woods. We carved the turnips and delighted in the spooky shadows and glow cast by the candles while we put TCP and plasters on our sliced up fingers.

 

We didn't go door to door harassing folk at Halloween like children today; 70s children made Guys a few days later and harassed folk on the street instead.

[ormester 11]

all the parks in sheffield used to have bonfires funfairs sadly stopped and were left with paying over the odds for events like afterdark

[melthebell 864]

we used to always have a bonfire on the field behind the junction pub at woodhus, all the kids spent weeks finding wood, even railway sleepers.

We used to blow settees and milk bottles up with airbombs.

 

there also used to be a firework display / bonfire on the field down the bottom of the badger, behind what became the fire training centre

[Ontarian1981 10]

It depends on your age. I don't remember ever doing anything for Hallowe'en. It wasn't observed until someone in the USA saw a commercial opportunity, and whatever happens there, happens here ten years later

 

Exactly, I had never heard of Halloween until I saw the film with Donald Pleasance. Then I saw it close to hand when I emigrated to Canada in 1981 and had to take my daughter trick or treating. We used to have a mischief night prior to bonfire night which was probably the English version. I do remember some kids with turnips hollowed out though, but most kids were busy doing the penny for the guy stuff or stealing other kids' wood lol, on the nights leading up to the 5th Nov..

[bassett one 452]

ormester correct ,it was great in parks and i presume the funfairs paid most of the cost,but we at south of sheffield believe all areas with taras,tennants associations should club together and offer free firework displays ect,ect.

[Dorset Blade 10]

Yes, I do. Pumpkins were only something you saw on American T.V. shows.

[bassett one 452]

did you know pineapples make fantastic spooky lanterns? yes they seem far better,new craze i presume?

[hobinfoot 25]

I grew up in Pitsmoor and towards the end of the 60s there were lots of empty houses waiting to be demolished we had some huge bonfires back then.

[bassett one 452]

the old days were great with a big bonfire that was collected by the kids and the adults sorted from there on,the fireworks were great to us then and lots of home cooked food,but today most fireworks are so big they in my belief shouldnt be allowed in gardens,but those times were great and the fresh air and exercise of building and collecting,