8 replies to this topic

[phildunford]

Have been horrified recently to notice my local common strewn with conkers.

Why? Well a few years ago they would have been snapped up & threaded on a string within about a second. Now kids are not allowed/encouraged to play conkers because of the 'danger'. Silly thing is, it's been admitted that the whole stupid business was just a few 'jobs worths' gold-plating the legislation, but the damage seems to have been done.

Likewise, the dangers of fireworks have vastly reduced the numbers of back garden displays. The whole thing is self-fulfilling - no demand, no firework supply, no supply, no displays...

So, get out there with your kids & play conkers, organise a Nov 5th party in your street - & for good measure, stand on a chair to take the photos!

[Atom Fireworks]

Being probably one of the youngest members of this forum even i have seen the drastic change over this past 12/13 years. My old man used to hold a big nov 5th party and the street would come over. Now my dads is the only house on his street that has fireworks on the night, no big street party like the old days. I think this is partly due to the cost of fireworks now, limited availability and poor quality ( bear in mind he used to have all sorts of pyro from shells to jumpin jacks, dancing flowers and so on).

I will be carrying on the tradition for many years to come, when i have kids they we will be going conkor collecting and nov 5th will be a big event.

Who is actually to blame for the decrease in these English tranditions??

[phildunford]

Who is actually to blame for the decrease in these English tranditions??

Complex question... However, it has to be said 'you and me' if we don't keep them alive. Health & safety has a lot to answer for, but we don't have to listen to it when it's nonsense.

In back garden displays, the lack of variety is somewhat to blame. This is partly due to the removal of many types of fireworks, but also to the expectation that back garden displays can be like a £10,000 display in your local park - they can't, they are a different beast. However nothing beats the fun of lighting a small, quality firework in your back garden & watching it from a few feet away - long may it continue.

[pyrogeoff]

The PC brigade have a lot to answer for,also today kids spend all there time on computer games or in front of televisions. When i was a kid Bonfire night was one of the 2 main highlites of the year, together with Xmas. The infamous Man Alive Program in the 70's did a lot of damage,and things have never been quite the same again,which is such a shame. Also the high cost of fireworks today and the present financial climate means money is scarce. I hope that Bonfire night and other great traditions live for future generations to enjoy.

[pyrotechnist]

PC brigade and current and past governments plus british traditions being wiped out from external things that I wont mention. I do admit though fireworks in England seem naff when compared to some 500g cakes in America etc I just dont see any uniqueness or great effects.

[crystal palace fireworks]

Have been horrified recently to notice my local common strewn with conkers.

Why? Well a few years ago they would have been snapped up & threaded on a string within about a second. Now kids are not allowed/encouraged to play conkers because of the 'danger'. Silly thing is, it's been admitted that the whole stupid business was just a few 'jobs worths' gold-plating the legislation, but the damage seems to have been done.

Likewise, the dangers of fireworks have vastly reduced the numbers of back garden displays. The whole thing is self-fulfilling - no demand, no firework supply, no supply, no displays...

So, get out there with your kids & play conkers, organise a Nov 5th party in your street - & for good measure, stand on a chair to take the photos!

I loved playing conkers as a kid in the playground at break time, we used shoe laces as threads and often baked them in the oven to dry them out a bit to harden. Its a shame that one or two branches of the `thought police`, or should I say lack of.......seem hell bent on discretly destroying our british traditions in the name of health & safety.

Do these idiots not understand the basic concepts of play & child developement?

Pea shooters, spud guns, catapults and water pistol fights I guess are also banned pursuits where kids are involved nowadays.

November 5th street/neighbourhood back garden firework parties = excellent idea Phil, this could be a good recruitment campaign idea for next year? (depending on UKPS funding), we could print-off some A5 black & white leaflets on firing/using fireworks safely, and to include traditional bonfire food recipes, ideas on creating lighting in your garden using wax torches, candles etc etc.

I would still like to see if we can get some legislation altered to allow public firing of cat 2 & 3 in open park or common land on special dates, we had bonfires on public land during the 60`s.

[phildunford]

We have circulated leaflets to the fireworks shops this year, but it had occurred to make a downloadable leaflet that individuals could print out at home & put though their local letterboxes.

One for next year, as I don't want to muddy the waters of this years leaflet project...

[darkfang77]

I would like to simply add that conkers are not allowed in schools because we were told that they are now classed as "weapons".
Who knows? Maybe the government are covering every base there is. Knives, guns and finally... the formidable conker.

[NickC]

but also to the expectation that back garden displays can be like a £10,000 display in your local park - they can't, they are a different beast.

I have to say tha the £10,000 is a bit of a myth - well I think it is here in London SE. All the "big" displays are much smaller than they used to be. This is down to reduce budgets from organisers and firework companies wanting more profit - and I know they make very little. I went to one last year and whilst I met with the display team - I am not going to state who they were, compared with 10 or even 20 years ago the display was mediocre to say the least. They used big cake, multibore, multi type cakes, but one at a time with the odd shell over the top.

So my point - we should be trying to bring back the garden displays. The big "Safe" displays are just now another part of rip off Britain where we are suckered in at great expense for very little! Remember the council displays are your money but you pay again to watch!