history
> History of Bonfire in Lewes   > History of Cliffe Bonfire Society   > Bonfire Prayers  
> Bonfires of the Past   > Life Members

Origins and History of the Lewes Guy Fawkes Night Celebrations

Following the capture of Guy Fawkes on 5th November 1605 and the arrest of his fellow conspirators the Government responded immediately to this attempt to blow up the King and Parliament. An Act entitled ‘An Acte for a publique Thancksgiving to Almighty God everie yeere of the Fifte day of November’ was passed in January 1606 that proclaimed the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot should ‘be held in a perpetual Remembrance’ and that the day be ‘a holiday for ever in thankfulness to God for the deliverance and detestation of the Papists’. This annual ‘remembrance’ was to be marked by a morning service in every parish church at which a special prayer of thanksgiving was to be offered up.

The origin of today’s Lewes ‘Bonfire Night’ celebrations is undoubtedly rooted in this Act and many would like to believe that the Discovery of the Gunpowder Plot has been commemorated each 5th November since 1606. However insufficient documentary evidence supports this and it seems likely that the ‘holiday’ was discontinued during Cromwell’s Commonwealth when entertainments of the common people were suppressed, reflecting the Puritanical outlook of that period. The restoration of monarchy probably saw the reintroduction of the commemoration, but whether it was more than a church service has to remain conjecture.

It is not until 1679 before Benjamin Harris, in the Domestick Intelligence, records an isolated account of events in Lewes. He provides a detailed description of an anti-papal procession parading through the streets of Lewes, participants attired in mock religious regalia and carrying a papal effigy. However whether this was an annual occurrence is uncertain as in that year Titus Oates falsely claimed the existence of a Popish Plot. Such was the paranoiac fear of Roman Catholicism that Oates’ revelations provoked large anti-papal demonstrations in London and which may have similarly influenced events in Lewes.

During the 18th century events in Lewes on the ‘Fifth’ were occasionally reported in the local press. These suggest no established form of celebration until towards the end of the century when a fire was beginning to be regularly lit at the top of School Hill, often accompanied by disturbances and arrests. Following riotous events in 1806 the firesite was moved to the safety of Gallows Bank. The celebrations subsequently went into decline leading the press to comment in 1814 that ‘we scarcely remember our streets to have been so free from annoyance of squibs, rockets and other fireworks’.

Enthusiasm for the ‘Fifth’ was rekindled during the 1820’s and from that time the local press has reported the annual celebrations. These reports graphically describe very lively, if not riotous, proceedings with a large bonfire being built in the High Street between the White Hart and County Hall (now the Law Courts) attended by large crowds. Fireballs and squibs were thrown and an increasing number of blazing tar barrels being dragged through the streets. The magistrates, supported by local people sworn in as special constables, attempted to curtail the more unruly elements and in 1847, following an attack on a local magistrate the previous year, London police were drafted into Lewes in an attempt to suppress the bonfire boys’ activities.

Such was the support for the celebrations in the town that this attempt failed, but the bonfire boys were compelled to hold their celebrations in Wallands Park, away from the High Street, until 1850. In that year the reintroduction of the Catholic hierarchy into Britain led the town authorities to permit the celebrations to return to the High Street. However this return to the streets of Lewes was marked by a significant change in the celebration’s character and heralded the formation of the Cliffe Bonfire Society. Recognising that riotous proceedings would no longer be tolerated the bonfire boys formed themselves into Bonfire Societies and set about organising military style torchlight processions efficiently marshalled by members resplendent in various titles including Commander-in-Chief, Staff Officer and Inspector General.

© 2003 Jim Etherington

back to top

A Brief History of Cliffe Bonfire Society

Although the ‘Fifth’ had been commemorated before 1853 in Cliffe it is generally accepted that the Cliffe Bonfire Society was formed in that year. The Society adopted the ‘Guernsey’ costume for its members and, accompanied by a band, its torchlight processions paraded through the streets of the Cliffe area dragging blazing tar barrels, displaying banners proclaiming ‘No Popery’ and carrying papal and political effigies. With the procession’s arrival at the firesite at Cliffe Corner the proceedings were then conducted by the Society’s ‘Bishop’ who, standing on a raised platform, lambasted the crowd with an anti-catholic and patriotic tirade before condemning the effigies to the fire.

The remainder of the century witnessed an increasingly better organised and elaborate celebration in Cliffe. As the need for disguise declined the striped jerseys of the ‘Smugglers’ gave way to a range of costumes. Initially worn by Society officers to distinguish them, by 1861 costumes included Bedouin Arabs, highwaymen, soldiers, sailors, clowns and North American Indians. During the 1870’s Pioneer groups became a regular feature, the first group to lead the Cliffe’s processions being members of the Cliffe Volunteer Fire Brigade. Reflecting Britain’s expanding Empire, firemen were superseded by Squads of Bengal Lancers and, leading up to World War One, by Indian Princes.

Until 1906, when street fires were banned, Cliffe Corner continued as the firesite, and here the Cliffe’s display increased in size and ingenuity. The traditional effigies of Pope and Fawkes were frequently accompanied into the fire by local notorieties or opponents of Britain’s imperialist ambitions. Elaborate tableaux, three-dimensional structures mounted on a cart, depicting some aspect of current political or local significance became an integral feature of the firesite firework display, becoming increasingly more spectacular as the pyrotechnic artistry of the Society’s ‘tab builders’ improved.

Following World War One Cliffe resurrected its celebrations retaining all the traditional elements including the ‘No Popery’ banner and the burning of a papal effigy. During the 1920’s Cliffe withstood constant criticism for this practice and when, in 1933, the then Mayor, J.C.Kenward, wrote to the Society requesting the discontinuation of the offending effigy, the Cliffe declined.

This determination to maintain the true Bonfire traditions of the ‘Fifth’ led to the Society being ostracised by the other Lewes bonfire societies. In the 1950’s the Bonfire Council attached pre-conditions to Cliffe’s participation in the United Grand Procession, the Society being permitted to join only if the ‘No Popery’ banner was not carried. Cliffe rejected this offer, and while it now plays a full part in the Lewes Bonfire Council’s activities the Society has maintained its independence by refusing to join the ‘United’ procession.

© Clare Brown

The Cliffe continues to march alone on the ‘Fifth’, taking the view that the Society is ‘Strong enough to Stand Alone’.

However Cliffe has frequently had to overcome ‘behind the scenes’ difficulties. Premises to use for fundraising activities and preparing for the ‘Fifth’ became more difficult to find and the long-time firesite on Malling Hill ceased to meet increasingly stringent firework safety regulations. More recently new firework legislation and concern for crowd safety has prompted Cliffe to form its own firework company, increase co-operation with the police and emergency services and seek a permanent safe firesite.

Since the 1970’s successive committees have worked strenuously, not only to raise the necessary funds to put on the best celebrations in the town, but also to accumulate sufficient funds to secure the long term future of the Society. In 1980 land and buildings were acquired to provide permanent premises, in 1983 the Society became legally constituted, becoming Cliffe Bonfire Society Limited and in 2003 Cliffe’s celebrations have been made secure by the purchase of its own firesite.

Cliffe has relished the notoriety surrounding its controversial activities. It has drawn strength from this and as the 20th century came to a close Cliffe was growing ever stronger, with a membership heading towards a thousand. With its future now secure, Cliffe will continue to mount ever more spectacular celebrations that are the envy of the rest of Lewes.

© 2003 Jim Etherington

For further reading about the history of the Lewes Guy Fawkes Night celebration see 'Lewes Bonfire Night' by Jim Etherington, published by SB Publications available at local bookshops, priced £5.99, or direct from the author, 56 South Way, Lewes, Sussex, BN7 1LY, priced £6.75 including p&p.

back to top

Bonfire Prayers

Remember, remember the Fifth of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot
I see no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes 'twas his intent
To blow up the King and the Parliament
Three score barrels of powder below
Poor old England to overthrow

By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match
Holler boys, holler boys, ring bells ring
Holler boys, holler boys, God Save the King!

A penny loaf to feed the Pope
A farthing o'cheese to choke him
A pint of beer to rinse it down
A faggot of sticks to burn him

Burn him in a tub of tar
Burn him like a blazing star
Burn his body from his head
Then we'll say old Pope is dead

Hip Hip Hoorah!
Hip Hip Hoorah!
Hip Hip Hoorah!

Traditional

back to top

Bonfire of the Past

back to top

Life Members

The Cliffe Bonfire Society awards Life Membership to members whom it considers have offered an outstanding contribution and continued support to the Society throughout their membership. Below is a list of those members. (*) indicates the person is deceased.

back to top