Monocle

Wonderful! But what on earth are those fruit fireworks? Presents for unpopular hospital patients?

I just followed some sound advice and was definitely able to pull some very tightly packed newspaper from the bottom of the Southern Cross and it has no powder or powder sound. (But can I say that for safety's sake I stopped after grabbing a couple of pieces!) The Spangle Shell I cannot prise the fuse paper apart - but it has no powder sound when shaken. The Roman Candle (of which there are two) - one contains newspaper at the bottom but the other's fuse I cannot prise apart - but both sound as if they do contain powder. The rockets (there are two) appear to be empty casings. The bangers (there are 5 in total) I cannot unprise. Now does this mean that they are fakes or dummies or simply fireworks that have already been emptied?

Thanks for your message Keith. I genuinely wish I was in a strong enough financial position to do so as I am somebody who feels very strongly about preserving this country's history. That being said, I am sadly in receipt of a mortgage shortfall and I think my dear wife would kill me if I simply gave them away. God bless the mortgage endowment companies of the 1980s!

I will make sure I let the forum know when I have finished researching and are ready to sell them. I'm sure I'll soon be able to dig up some definitive dates sooner or later. I have to admit that I'd long forgotten about them printing the prices on the fireworks themselves. Part of me would love to let off just one and film it!

Well everyone has been very helpful thus far. As I have no idea what they're worth my first thought was to pop them up on Ebay once I'd found out exactly how old they were etc. I basically am keen not to mislead anyone with a false description. My notes with the photos are simply me reading the stuff off the decorative cylinders. Unless someone was to pick them up directly assume I would have to empty them of powder to enable then to be sent through the post....'er, not that I know how to do that without damaging them! Seems a shame but I suppose whoever wants them is unlikely to light them. Anyway, I am holding fire on any emptying for now. My main concern would be to avoid setting light to an unsuspecting postman...

Thanks for the link to UKFR. I'll take a peek pronto and see if any further precise info as to their age can be garnered. Am I right in thinking that the banger might be older still. They do look as if they're from an earlier era but perhaps the packaging never changed?

That 1888 report makes fascinating reading. Many thanks for putting up the link.