Firle Bonfire Society
History
A History of Firle Bonfire Society
Unfortunately very little is known about the full history of the Firle Bonfire Society although records of bonfire activities in Firle date back to the 1870s, below is a rough timeline based upon all the records that we have been able to gather over the years:
The following quotations have been taken from the diary of Reverend Crawley, Vicar of Firle from 1878 - 1899
1879 - Wednesday, Nov 5th "Bonfire and fireworks in front of the Ram were very well done"
1881 - "Grand Bonfire doings on a greater scale than usual, very orderly"
1882 - "Bonfire night. Good display, creditable to the village"
1887 - "Blunt dined with us - and we all went to his room at The Ram for the bonfire. Very wet night"
1888 - "I was to have begun night school but found it was the Bonfire Boys Supper Night! So I put it off till tomorrow"
1894 - "I went out for a short time and found Lord Gage and Sir W. Vincent"
1896 - "I took Constance (his daughter aged 7) out for a few minutes to look at the bonfire."
There had obviously been some opposition to Firle's bonfire in 1905. It was answered by the Lord Chancellor, Mr. A Warnett, in an address reported in full by the East Sussex News. The following is an extract:
"Why should we stop?" he asked. "People who utter these cries say we endeavour to incite malice and hatred against the party who were the cause of the most diabolical plot, but this is not so. We simply celebrate the fifth in thankful providential frustration of a plot which, if it had succeeded, would have completely swept away our county, King and Parliament. does not our celebration show our enemies that they have to deal with people who are, and ever intend to remain, loyal to their King, their country, and their church?"
At this time, Firle was one of the few villages to carry on organised celebrations.
The Society has in its possession three medals dated 1906, 1907, and 1912. These medals are made of lead, bear the letters F.B.S. and the year, and were worn on bonfire night to show you were a fully paid-up member. After bonfire night, these medals would be collected and melted down ready to be struck again the following year.
Most of the fireworks at this time were homemade. One I have heard mention of was the "Firle Rouser" which went off with a shower of sparks and a very loud bang. Even in those days, they must have believed a little in health and safety for I am told that wire mesh goggles were worn when making the fireworks. Jim Piper got his name of "Wire" at this time, he being the bouy to hand out the torch wir when needed.
It is interesting to see that from our 1938 records the total expenses of a bonfire night were £17 19s 7d, the Fireworks costing £9 13s 5d. Tow, Oil, Battens, and Wire amounted to £1 16s 1d and the band charged £5 10s 0d. How times have Changed!
But it is not always bonfire night when Firle celebrates with fireworks. In 1931 the present Lord Gage's parents were married. the following is an extract from a local newspaper:
"During the evening there was a torchlit procession to Firle Beacon where a huge bonfire was lit. The procession was led by the Lewes Town Band. The bonfire was composed of small trees. 500 bundles of faggots and many other combustible materials and was 50 feet in height. A heavy and continuous bank of clouds partially obscured the fire but its glow could be seen for a considerable distance. Several fireworks were discharged in the vicinity of the fire. Lord and Lady Gage watched the procession and fire from the windows of Firle Place where they held a private dinner party. The whole of arrangements were most admirably carried out by a committee consisting of MR H Stacey, Mr. W H Gribble, Mr. R G Hecks, Mr. W Owen, Mr. H Unsted, Mr. F Benbow, and MR G Booker, with Captain Hall-Hall as Hon. Secretary and Mr. A Brown as Assistant Hon. Secretary"
There was a break from celebrations during the Second World War.
For some years after Firle joined with the Lewes-based Southover Bonfire Society attending each other's festivities.
In 1950 Southover's set piece was "The Skylon" (The Festival of Britain emblem). It was a very wet night and consequently, the fireworks would not go off. So it was decided that "The Skylon" should be brought to Firle and used on our bonfire night. But of course, it had to be dried out first.
It was put in the stables at The Ram Inn, where electric fires were used to keep it dry. One night, Bunny Unsted (one of Firle's excellent pyrotechnicians) was on duty keeping watch with buckets of water at the read. He fell asleep but woke with a start to see the red glow of the electric fire on the set piece. thinking it was alight, he drenched it with water! Eventually, it dried out and went off very well.
Due to a lack of support and funds the Society folded in the early 1970s.
In 1980 a few families got together to build a bonfire in the park and let off their own fireworks. I bought some fireworks and made a small set-piece of Guy Fawkes on my kitchen table.
1981 - a meeting was called to resurrect the Bonfire Society. About 50 members processed that year, most in their Valencian costumes, this being the Pioneer dress of many years ago. A lone member of the Eastbourne Scottish Pipe Band (Aubrey Taylor) led the procession to the War Memorial. Lord Gage lit a fire in the park and Guy Fawkes and a large windmill were ignited.
1995 - Bonfire and fireworks on Firle Beacon to celebrate 50 years since Victory over Europe.
1996 - Bonfire and fireworks in front of Firle Place to celebrate 500 years of the Gage family living at Firle.
1997 - Firle Bonfire Society became a Limited Company.
1998 - Firle Festival Week. A week where all Firle Societies organised an event. The bonfire society played a role in most events but mainly the anniversary of the defeat of the Spanish Armada. a tableaux of a Spanish Galleon was towed onto the beacon along with many floats from the Village and it was ignited alongside a huge bonfire.
1999 - The Society signed the lease for Petland Barn.
2000 - Millennium. Bonfire lit on the Beacon. The village enjoyed a dinner in the Riding School at Firle Place. in the summer a firework display at Firle Place and a picnic in the Park.
2001 - Firle Bonfire Society Celebrated 20 years of reformed
2002 - The Queen's Golden Jubilee. The village enjoyed tea on the Ram Beach. A tableaux of the Royal Crown was ignited on the Beacon as well as a bonfire.
2003 - Twelve members of Firle Bonfire Society were arrested and accused of inciting racial hatred for their tableaux "Strawberry Fields Forever". After eight months of waiting it was announced that there would be no further action.
2005 - Fire Over England. we were part of a chain of Beacons lit all over England to celebrate the Battle of Trafalgar.
2006 - Firle Bonfire Society Celebrated 25 years of reformed
2009 - A banner was found in the loft at The Ram Inn. it was restored and then carried in the procession that year, its age is unknown.
2010 - Torchlit procession to Firle Place, followed by a bonfire and fireworks display to celebrate Deborah Gage's 60th Birthday.
2011 - Firle Bonfire Society Celebrated 30 years of reformed
2012 - The Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The Society built a commemorative bandstand and hosted a tea party and entertainment at The Ram Beach. This was followed by a bonfire and fireworks display at The Beacon.
2016 - Firle Bonfire Society Celebrated 35 years of reformed
Credit: Ray Gravett
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