A Handful of Gunpowder - a photo on Flickriver

            “Remember, remember the firth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot.”  - traditional rhyme.

Guy Fawkes Day, also called Bonfire Night, is a British observance, celebrated on November the fifth, commemorating the failure of the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.  Guy Fawkes and his group members acted in protest to the continued persecution of the English Catholics.  Today Guy Fawkes Day is celebrated in the United Kingdom, and in a number of countries that were formerly part of the British Empire, with parades, fireworks, bonfires, and food. Straw effigies of Fawkes are tossed on the bonfire, as are—in more recent years in some places—those of contemporary political figures. Traditionally, children carried these effigies, called “Guys,” through the streets in the days leading up to Guy Fawkes Day and asked passersby for “a penny for the guy,” often reciting rhymes associated with the occasion, the best known of which dates from the Eighteenth Century.

This year the Flickr Friends Melbourne Group have decided to have a monthly challenge which is submitted on the 5th of every month.  This month’s theme is “Guy Fawkes Day”, which was chosen by Di.  

I remember Guy Fawkes Day nights as a child with fondness.  My Grandmother would recite the rhyme and we would watch the beautiful fireworks display that was set off in honour of Bonfire Night.  I remember the occasional bonfire too.  Of course, today I live in a place where fireworks are illegal, and for good reason when you hear the stories of illegal firework in the hands of those who aren’t pyrotechnic experts.  Therefore, the closest I could get to real fireworks were these amazing miniatures made by artisan Ken Blythe. 

British miniature artisan Ken Blythe was famous in miniature collectors’ circles mostly for the miniature books that he made: all being authentically replicated 1:12 scale miniatures of real volumes.  I have quite a large representation of Ken Blythe’s work in my collection.  However, he did not make books exclusively.  He also made other small pieces like this box of Wessex Fireworks.  What might amaze you, looking at these fireworks in the palm of my hand to gauge their size, is that they are all miniature replicas of real fireworks manufactured by Wessex Fireworks.  Each has a correct label, and they are even correct size in comparison to one another when compared to their real life counterparts.  Examples of fireworks here are: Flower Pot, Harbour Light, Solar Storm, Air Bomb, Firestorm, Devil’s Fire and coloured Roman Candles.  To create something so authentic to the original in such detail and so clearly, really does make these miniature artisan pieces.  Ken Blythe’s work is highly sought after by miniaturists around the world today and command high prices at auction for such tiny pieces, particularly now that he is no longer alive.  I was fortunate enough to acquire pieces from Ken Blythe prior to his death about four years ago and through his estate courtesy of the generosity of his daughter and son-in-law.  His legacy will live on with me and in my photography which I hope will please his daughter.  

Wessex Fireworks was a brand of the James Pain and Sons Ltd. fireworks business which was established in Brixton in 1850.  The company was a leading manufacturer of fireworks in the United Kingdom.  After great success the business expanded to Wiltshire, thus where the name Wessex comes from.  1965, James Pain and Sons Ltd merged with the Wessex Aircraft Engineering Company Ltd (known as WAECO) to form Pains Wessex.  Pains Wessex is known to be the oldest marine distress signal brand with origins back as far as 1620.  In 1873, the company applied for the first patent of a marine distress flare.  Today, the quality, technological superiority and innovative design of the Pains Wessex range, combined with worldwide approvals and manufacturing.

Taken on: October 15, 2021

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James Pain and Sons Limited

James Pain and Sons Ltd

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Roman Candle fireworks

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Harbour Lights fireworks

Air Bomb fireworks

Roman Candle firework

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Devil’s Fire firework

Solar Storm firework

Harbour Lights firework

Air Bomb firework

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firestorm fireworks

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Camera: Canon DIGITAL IXUS 80 IS, f/2.8, 1/80 sec, 6.2mm, ISO 400 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon DIGITAL IXUS 80 IS
Aperture:	f/2.8
Exposure Time:	0.013 sec (1/80)
Focal Length:	6.2mm
ISO:	400
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Windows Photo Editor 10.0.10011.16384
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