25 October (Part 2) - Gunpowder, treason and plot
I come from an era when a penny banger was exactly that, you could get
240 of them for a pound, the only problem was that no one I knew had a pound.
Some of my friends used to nick them from the local bike shop which is where you
would buy them in my neck of the woods but I would never engage in that sort of behaviour, never did.
Took an apple from an old lady’s tree once but that was as bad as it got. Never
even ran through Theresa May’s wheat field.
Being of a more inquisitive disposition than some of my compatriots I would cycle to the chemist shop in
Lynchford Road, North Camp (on the edge of Aldershot) and buy paper bags full of
sulphur, charcoal and potassium nitrate. I never blew any fingers off but I did
once singe my hair. Kept the stuff on my bedroom windowledge and got a good ticking off when my Dad found out.
Nowadays I doubt you can buy any sort of firework for a quid, you have to pay to
go to an extravagant display. Being a fairly regular commuter to Newham I cannot
help but notice the Council’s adverts for its fireworks show. Entirely free. A
gift from the fifth lowest taxing borough in London to its long suffering residents.
What has the 25th lowest taxing borough done? Presumably the square root of
nothing much. For fireworks in Bexley you must rely on the goodwill of The Round
Table who hope to raise money for other charities. Support them if you can, I
wouldn’t go to Newham to save a few quid. Better not say why in these
politically correct times and the rail fare would set you back a bit.
Probably Bexley Council will offer their support to The Round Table by sending out traffic
enforcement officers looking for inconsiderately parked cars, There is bound to be plenty.
Bexley Council; always on the make.
Newham Council’s free fireworks display. Click above image for details.
