Guy Fawkes: 400th Anniversary.

international | history and heritage | opinion/analysis

Tuesday November 01, 2005 20:07

by pat c

The 400th anniversary of the Guy Fawkes is fast approaching. Contrary to popular belief Guy Fawkes wasnt the only person to enter Westminster with honest intentions. I set out a list of others below. Undoubtedly I've left out some events. Please add to the list.

1. On January 1885 the “Fenians”bombed Westminister Palace. Two policemen were hurt. On the same day a second device went off this time in the Chamber of the House of Commons. It had been left on the seats known as ‘Under the Gallery’ which were in those days where the Broadcasting box is now. All those who had been in the Chamber had left before the device went off to investigate the earlier incident. However considerable dam age was caused with the Peers Gallery being totally flattened and the Government front benches and the Speakers Chair badly affected. Some idea can be had of the scale of this second device by the fact that the effects extended to the Members Lobby and the Post Office.

2. On the 23rd of July, 1970, Frank “Butch” Roche (RIP) threw a cannister of CSgas into the chamber of the House of Commons to give MP’s first hand experience of what life in Belfast was like at that time. Two MP’s were take to hospital of which one required a chest X-ray before being released. The Sergeant-at-Arms complained that, “My face was smarting, my eyes running and I was retching”.

3. In 1972, during the construction of the Underground Carpark beneath New Palace Yard, The IRA placed abomb in a room adjacent to Westminster Hall.This went off at 8am one morning igniting a gas main and causing considerabledamage.

4. In 1975 Irish Republican sympathisers were able to smuggle two CSgas cannisters into the Public Gallery of the House Of Commons. These they threw onto the Floor of the House causing confusion and distress to those present.

5. In 1978 members of the SWP got in to the public galleries of the house of commons and threw parcels of horsedung down on the mps. This was a protest against British actions in Ireland.

6.Shortly before the 1979 General Election. A device was attached to the car of Airey Neave. The device was activated via a timer and subsequently set off by a mercury-tilt-switch when the car was driven up the exit ramp from the car park of Westminister Palace. Hisinjuries were serious and hedied shortly afterwards. Airey Neave was a close personal friend of Margaret Thatcher and had played a large part in her election as Conservative Party Leader. He was widely expected to be appointed Secretary of State for Northern Ireland should the election go the way of the conservatives. (As it did)

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Comments (14 of 14)

You forgot

by Ali H.

Wed Nov 02, 2005 12:02

about the mortar attack which came within yards of killing the whole cabinet:

"Just after 10 am on Thursday, 7 February 1991, as the most senior figures in the Tory War Cabinet discussed their strategy in the Gulf War, then raging, one of three IRA mortars, launched from a firing position on the corner of Horseguards Avenue and Whitehall, landed in the British Prime Minister's residence.

Blast windows and their frames protecting the cabinet room shattered as ministers dived for cover under tables. The IRA mortar heading straight for the cabinet room had hit a tree and exploded 15 yards short of its target. This, coupled with special defences in the cabinet room, ensured that injuries were restricted to two civil servants and two policemen attached to the Diplomatic Protection Squad. What was not lost on those inside Number 10 was that had the device not struck the tree it would have ploughed straight into the cabinet room, almost certainly killing the British Prime Minister and most senior members of the British government. "

http://irelandsown.net/10downing.html

Ali

Wed Nov 02, 2005 12:05

yeah, but i meant Westminster itself where Guys original plot took place.

If you are having a bonfire on the 5 November, then burn an effigy of the Queen of England or of Tony Blair.

good idea about bonfire

by rob

Wed Nov 02, 2005 13:51

good idea about choosing our own effigy...quick question - how tall are you?

rob

Wed Nov 02, 2005 13:56

i'm 6' 1". i would be honoured to be burned in effigy by west brits.

thanks for that

Wed Nov 02, 2005 14:05

technically being a dub I would be a south brit.

But thanks for the info, will try get the expression of prissy indignation just right

effigies.

by longfordian

Wed Nov 02, 2005 14:10

burning people in effigy really is an interesting one on the voodoo scales. we do a lot of it in county longford.

ready since april 6th 2004

Wed Nov 02, 2005 14:13

"will try get the expression of prissy indignation just right"

no, no! its one of rightous anger!

King Billy

Fri Nov 04, 2005 13:49

A bit off-topic but you might all enjoy this:

"4 November. William of Orange, later king of Great Britain and Ireland, was born in 1650. An equestrian statue of him, blown up in 1929 by Republicans, remained on a scrapheap until World War II, by which time the Dublin waterpipes were in such a state that more water was escaping than getting through to people's taps. It was noticed that the genitalia of King William's horse were solid lead and weighed a stone and a half. The horse's member proved perfect for sealing pipes. "

your wrong!

by rooster

Fri Nov 04, 2005 16:36

""It was noticed that the genitalia of King William's horse were solid lead and weighed a stone and a half""

Ha Ha, I'm pretty sure that it would have been King Billys genitalia, he showed some balls at the Boyne!

by pat

Fri Nov 04, 2005 18:26

Well he was tough enough to fight on despite being injured. Read the OO version at the link.

It was a fight between 2 foreign monarchs. The lesser of 2 evils won: William was a King whose power was going to be subject to Parliament. James felt he had the divine right to rule. It should be noted that King Billy wasnt in favour of the Penal Laws (which hit Presbyterians and Quakers as well). These came from the Established Church of England and their supporters in Parliament.

Pink William

by Wee jeffrey

Fri Nov 04, 2005 18:34

Hopefully his cock wasn't too big, Billy was rather fond of boys, or so many historians would have us believe. Whatever he saved Ulster from, it certainly wasn't sodomy.

wee jeff

Fri Nov 04, 2005 18:37

Indeed it was certainly a case of Bi Billy. Dont tell Paisley he'd have a stroke.

aaaahhh

by Barry

Fri Nov 04, 2005 21:45

""You forgot
by Ali H. Wednesday, Nov 2 2005, 11:02am

about the mortar attack which came within yards of killing the whole cabinet:

"Just after 10 am on Thursday, 7 February 1991, as the most senior figures in the Tory War Cabinet discussed their strategy in the Gulf War, then raging, one of three IRA mortars, launched from a firing position on the corner of Horseguards Avenue and Whitehall, landed in the British Prime Minister's residence.

Blast windows and their frames protecting the cabinet room shattered as ministers dived for cover under tables. The IRA mortar heading straight for the cabinet room had hit a tree and exploded 15 yards short of its target. This, coupled with special defences in the cabinet room, ensured that injuries were restricted to two civil servants and two policemen attached to the Diplomatic Protection Squad. What was not lost on those inside Number 10 was that had the device not struck the tree it would have ploughed straight into the cabinet room, almost certainly killing the British Prime Minister and most senior members of the British government. "

http://irelandsown.net/10downing.html""

excellent post . Was a student in Blighty at the time . When the news came through that cold wintry day , Irish , muslim and even a serb student glanced at each other in the tutorial barely able to conceal their grins . One guy even did a little dance on the way to the pub . All mirth and celebration was understandably hushed and subdued but a pleasnt day ill long remember

Another One

Mon Nov 07, 2005 15:59

"Spencer Perceval's most lasting claim to fame is that he is the only British PM, so far, to have been assassinated.

On 11 May 1812, while on his way to take part in a debate on the Orders in Council passed by Portland's ministry, Perceval was shot in the lobby of the House of Commons by John Bellingham.

Bellingham, who had been trying unsuccessfully to obtain government compensation for debts incurred while he was in Russia, gave himself up immediately. He was tried at the Old Bailey and condemned to death: he was executed on 18 May 1812. Perceval was buried in the family vault in St. Luke's, Charlton, on 16 May 1812."

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Guy Fawkes: 400th Anniversary.

Comments (14 of 14)