Falklands : Guy Fawkes 400 Celebrations in the Falklands
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 26.10.2005 (Article Archived on 09.11.2005)
(Guido) Fawkes died 400 years ago after trying to blow up Parliament.
GUY FAWKES 400 CELEBRATIONS IN THE FALKLANDS
By J. Brock (FINN)
The 400th Anniversary of Guy Fawkes Night is being celebrated in Stanley on 05 November 2005 with a Country Fair in the Parking Lot of the Town Hall, a Children’s Dance and Adult Dance and Fireworks launched from the concrete area of the Government Jetty. Organised in aid of the Stephen Jaffray Memorial Fund and SAMA’82, The Falkland Islands Operatic and Dramatic Society (FIODA) will not be receiving any proceeds from the event.
The event is being organised by Martin Cant and Graham Didlick. According to Martin Cant, the Country Fair will begin at 1600, with the Bouncy Castle, Sweet Stall, a BBQ run by the Guides Association. The Sea Cadets will also be involved in the Fair as well as the Scouts. Involvement can also include clubs and charitable organisations. The Fair, Dance and Fireworks are still in the planning stage so there is plenty of room for people to participate and contribute in some way.
Guy (actually it was Guido) Fawkes spearheaded a plot with 13 other Catholics to blow up Parliament in order to gain relief from persecution from Protestants. He had hoped that James I, whose mother, Mary Queen of Scots was Catholic, would help to ease the persecution but James had other allegiances.
He was betrayed by one or two of his own men, who did not want to be responsible for the deaths of innocent people and sent an anonymous warning letter to Lord Monteagle. Authorities stormed the basement under the House of Lords and found Guy Fawkes with 36 barrels of gun powder.
Guy Fawkes was caught, tried and executed within the space of a few hours on the 5th of November 1605. A full report on the events will be forthcoming in due course.
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