Guy Fawkes night during the Great War.

[high wood]

I may be over thinking this, but the post card seems to show a giant bonfire built for a fire work display somewhere in England, possibly Herefordshire. The reason that I think it might be war time is the presence of the Iron Cross mounted on a pole stuck in a barrel. The Iron Cross has the letters W. I. rather than the simple W of the Great War period. However, I doubt that the Women's Institute was ever controversial enough to warrant a ritual burning so I am leaning towards the letters W. I. being a mistake on the part of the maker. I am also unsure if there is an image on the barrel or if it is a trick of the light.

[DavidOwen]

I think it is an image of a male, possibly military / the Kaiser?

Fireworks were restricted during the war https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4752404

 

[DavidOwen]

However the restrictions only affected harbours and "proclaimed areas" initially.

By April 1915 restrictions had been relaxed somewhat https://search.findmypast.co.uk/bna/viewarticle?id=bl%2f0003187%2f19150407%2f160&stringtohighlight=fireworks restrictions

[high wood]

David,

many thanks for your informative answers and the links that you posted. I did not give much thought to my term "fire work display". I have only ever known Guy Fawkes Night as having bonfires and fire works, not having lived through either of the two great wars. But, now that I do think about it, it makes perfect sense to restrict the use of fire works in war time, especially during the 1939/45 war as it could have caused panic amongst civilians expecting air raids.

Simon.

 

[Matlock1418]

On 04/10/2022 at 17:20, high wood said:

I have only ever known Guy Fawkes Night as having bonfires

Not aiming to hijack or politicise this thread but nowadays there are plenty of bonfires in Northern Ireland, 11/12 July - Explanation seems to be to also celebrate another historic event [this time involving a William].

Were such other conflagrations possibly created/torched before Irish Republic independence i.e. before and/or during the GW?

Or perhaps even counter to the above??

M

Edited 27 November , 2022 by Matlock1418
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