By Lyn Funnell
The Sussex Bonfire season has started. It will go on in different towns and villages until the end of November.
We went to the Crowborough Bonfire and Carnival on Saturday night. The atmosphere builds up through the day. There is a Funfair and stalls on the Green, and Fancy Dress competitions.
Then the Bonfire Procession begins.
At 7pm there is a Wreath Laying at the War Memorial. Then the Grand Torchlight Procession gradually forms and moves off from Chapel Green, with bands playing, followed by the floats, all blaring out music.
As darkness falls the torches are lit. As we saw the procession walking up the Whitehill Road, I was struck by how pagan it was with the drum beats and the blazing torches.
Also I was amazed by the stamina of all the Bonfire Members, both young and old. The atmosphere kept them all going up and down hills and dodging potholes, without them feeling tired.
33 Bonfire Societies from all over Sussex made the effort to travel to Crowborough for the evening and three bands kept everyone walking with their music.
It costs over £10,000 to run the whole event, and money is raised throughout the year through their Summer Fair, holding stalls at various fetes and markets, advertisers and sales of their programmes, and ticket sales for their raffle.
Over £4,000 was raised by the street collectors on the night and this money will go to various charities.
We’ll definitely go to some more Bonfire Events. They’re great fun, and unique to our County!
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!
And here’s the other Sussex Prayer;
SOME FOLKS AS COMES TO SUSSEX,
THEY RECKONS AS THEY KNOWS
A DARN SIGHT BETTER WHAT TO DO
THEN SILLY FOLKS LIKE ME AND YOU
COULD POSSIBLY SUPPOSE.
BUT THEM AS COMES TO SUSSEX,
THEY MUSTN`T PUSH AND SHOVE,
FOR SUSSEX WILL BE SUSSEX,
AND SUSSEX WON`T BE DRUV.
ALL FOLKS AS COMES TO SUSSEX
MUST FOLLOW SUSSEX WAYS,
AND WHEN THEY`VE LARNED TO KNOW US WELL
THERE`S NO PLACE ELSE THEY`D WISH TO DWELL
IN ALL THEIR BLESSED DAYS.
THERE ANT NO PLACE LIKE SUSSEX
UNTIL YOU GOOS ABOVE,
BUT SUSSEX WILL BE SUSSEX,
AND SUSSEX WON`T BE DRUV!
