Guy Fawkes, the member of a group of conspirators who planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament who was caught with 36 barrels of gunpowder underneath the House of Lords. Early days of terrorism.

He wasn’t the leader of the conspiracy, just the one that got caught. Yet to this day his name is the one everyone remembers while few people know the name Robert Catesby – the ringleader. Typical of many work situations, the troublemaker is the last to get the blame, while some poor sap gets the lot.

When it was clear that innocent people would be hurt some of the plotters started having second thoughts. How many of the 36 barrels of gunpowder were stashed before it dawned on them that people might be hurt?

One of the conspirators sent an anonymous letter to his friend Lord Monteagle, warning him to stay away from Parliament on November 5th. ‘Dear friend, be afraid, be very afraid…..’ The warning letter was leaked to the King… bummer!

The King had been saved and everybody celebrated by lighting bonfires of celebration, which over the years became a ritual that included fireworks to commemorate gunpowder. Nowadays nobody is sure whether they are celebrating Fawkes’ execution, his daring in trying to do away with the government or the beauty of fireworks .

A popular ritual was to make a stuffed effigy of Guy Fawkes, to burn on the bonfire. Nowadays the fun is deciding who the stuffed effigy will represent. Suggestions welcome.