Guy Fawkes was one of the English Catholics who was responsible for the Gunpowder Plot in London, 1605. Every year, the people of Britain remember Guy Fawkes and his failed attempts to blow up the Houses of Parliament on ‘Bonfire Night’, which is celebrated on November 5th. See the fact file below for more information on Guy Fawkes:
• Guy Fawkes was born on 13 April 1570 in York, Northern England. His family was Catholic and many of them held positions in the church.
• After finishing school in York, Fawkes joined the military, although he often fought battles on behalf of Spain rather than England. He adopted the name ‘Guido Fawkes’ during this time.
• In 1604, Fawkes joined a group of other English Catholics and together they planned to assassinate King James, who was Protestant.
• The Catholics had their first meeting about the assassination plan at the Duck and Drake Inn in London.
• The group of English Catholics decided that the best way to kill the King was to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London with gunpowder. This was named the ‘Gunpowder Plot’.
• There is rumor to suggest that the group dug an underground tunnel from their rented house and into the Parliament House. However, no evidence of this tunnel has ever been found.
• In December 1604, the Catholics managed to lease a room directly beneath the House of Lords that they planned to use as a store. Guy Fawkes said that 36 barrels of gunpowder were stored there.
• In October 1605, some of the conspirators grew concerned that they were about to blow up some of their fellow Catholics who would be in the Houses of Parliament at the time, so they sent them an anonymous letter warning them to stay away.
• During this time, Fawkes had taken up his position, ready to set light to the gunpowder.
• However, the warning letter was passed on to King James who ordered a search of the rooms beneath the Houses of Parliament on November 5th.
• Guy Fawkes was arrested in the cellar below the Houses of Parliament on the night of November 5th 1605. He was carrying a slow match and the barrels of gunpowder were uncovered.
• After his arrest, Fawkes gave interrogators the false name of ‘John Johnson’ but admitted that he was planning to blow up the House of Lords.
• On November 6th, King James ordered Fawkes to be tortured in hope that he would reveal the name of the other Catholics who were part of the plan.
• Guy Fawkes was taken to the Tower of London to be questioned. The room where the questioning happened is now called the Guy Fawkes Room.
• By November 9th, Fawkes had confessed his real name and had given the names of the others who were involved.
• All of the Catholics involved were found to be guilty at a trial in January 1606, and were sentenced to death.
• Fawkes was hanged and quartered in Westminster, London, on January 31st, 1606. He was guilty of treason.
• On November 5th, 1605, the people of London were encouraged to celebrate the failed assassination of King James.
• In Britain, November 5th is now known as ‘Guy Fawkes Night’ or ‘Bonfire Night’. On this night, bonfires are lit around the country and people come together to watch fireworks displays.
• It is custom for an effigy of Guy Fawkes to be made, which is placed on top of the bonfire before it is lit.
• There is a short nursery rhyme that all British children know about Guy Fawkes: Remember, remember the fifth of November, Gunpowder treason and plot. We see no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot!
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