Firework Art. Walking to church this morning at 8.30am I couldn't help taking note of the previous night's firework detritus in the streets. Not only were the used label designs disappointingly perfunctory, unimaginative and basic but most people seemed to have celebrated Bonfire Night two nights early!
When I was in short trousers I used to look forward to the morning after Bonfire Night so I could gather up the burnt-out rockets and roman candles which were scattered in the streets. The label designs then were perhaps more exciting than anyone's actual firework displays. Here is a small sampling of beautiful Firework Art from the 50s and 60s. Even the names of these old firework companies conjure up a million associations of Old England: Brocks, Wessex and Pain's. The first Brock's Fireworks poster alone is an anonymous masterpiece in my eyes.
6 comments:
'Plot' night was a very big deal in our corner of West Yorkshire. Parkin Pigs in bakers' windows and the terrifying Standard Fireworks poster of Guy Fawkes (the one where his body is made up of firework tubes and he looks like he's about to trample on a firework tube city) appearing in the local paper shop window was a matter for almost uncontrollable excitement. "prog" could now be gathered in earnest, and stacked up on any handy bit of waste ground. Traditionally, November 4th in Yorkshire is mischief night - a good excuse to set fire to rival neighbourhoods' bonfires. We never really saw ourselves as arsonists.
Ironically, the best bonfire was always at the Catholic school at the bottom of the road. They also had the best pie and peas. We'd watch St Joseph's burning their rebellious Popist Yorkshireman against a backdrop of dozens of other fires along the valley side, Our snorkel parka pockets full of dense lumps of my mum's 'plot toffee'.
Oops - I meant to say - I think decent firework artwork vanished with the arrival of the desk top publishing.
Thanks for both Guy Fawkes Night comments!
A great series of childhood recollections, BB, some of which chime with my own memories. One thing though...what's a Parkin Pig?
Now excuse me while I step into the yard, put on my woollen glove and light the blue-touch paper.
John, It's a gingerbread pig - but flat, like a gingerbread man. Parkin also comes in cake form, though this type might be a recent invention. I'm not sure of the origin of the pigs, but I suspect it may be very old - possibly pre-Christian. I dimly recall that bonfires around November the fifth were much older than the gunpowder plot (a Celtic fire/sun festival was it?) and the pig was the celtic symbol of the sun. It gave a ready-made pyre for burning Guy, though. Incidentally, Fawkes' old school in York don't have a bonfire - they don't like to burn alumni. Mind you - it could be a mis-identified boar, which is the symbol of Bradford. These pigs seem peculiar to that area. I bet you wish you'd never asked!
Ta for the comprehensive answer. Thinking about it now I am familiar with ginger parkin biscuits, but those are just round, not animal shaped. And, yes, I'm sure winter bonfires were implanted in the British psyche long before the Gunpowder Plot.
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