Remember, Remember 5 November history lecture

Post

Subscribe

Thu 05 Nov 2020

Firework displays and bonfires held on 5 November follow a tradition which dates back to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

A group of conspirators planned to blow up London's Houses of Parliament and one of them, Guy Fawkes, was caught in the building's cellars, along with 36 barrels of gunpowder. The anniversary of his arrest on 5 November is celebrated as Bonfire Night and the custom of burning a straw-filled "guy" on a bonfire is still going strong.

The ringleader was Robert Catesby, who plotted to assassinate the Protestant king, James I of England and VI of Scotland, and place a Catholic monarch on the throne. Fawkes was among those arrested and found guilty of treason, along with several other members of the group, and sentenced to death.

The foiled plot is commemorated in the following rhyme: "Remember, remember the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot:I see no reason why the Gunpowder Treason should ever be forgot..."

David Prior, head of Pubic Services and Outreach at the Parliamentary Archives, is giving an online lecture explaining the reasons behind the Gunpowder Plot, the conspirators' plans and why the plot failed. He will discuss the plot's significance and its place in the national consciousness. At the end of the talk, 15 minutes will be allocated to answering any questions.

Bookings are now open for this free online lecture which takes place on 5 November at 6pm.

The event will be hosted on Microsoft Teams Live Events which can be accessed through web browsers like Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge.

Virtual Tours of the Palace of Westminster offer a view of rooms, including Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the building and scene to historic events including the trial of Guy Fawkes.

#public_lectures
#history
#november
!date 05/11/2020 -- 05/11/2020
%wnlondon