Guy Fawkes Night
Then there was November 5th of course. Guy Fawkes night - that was a real highlight that was. We'd save our ha'pennies up for months or even weeks, buy a few fireworks and bangers and that. Dad would usually have a fire in the back yard and us kiddies would get round there, and all the gang of us, they did come round.
Anyhow, I remember one particular - I don't know how old I was, I wasn't very old, we'd let off all our fireworks, our bonfire was going out, so somebody said -
"Well, where to now then chaps?"
"Let's go round Old Webby's. Old Webby always has a lot of fireworks."
Well, Webby lived just round the front street, just round the corner. Oxford buildings it was then. We all goes round there and gets in Webby's garden. He had any amount of fireworks, I don't know how he got hold of them. Weren't quite so poor as us perhaps. Anyhow, we all gets in Webby's garden. By the time we'd finished, what with his gang and our gang there must have been about 15 of us there.
I remember one lad there, Ray Carr. He had a big banger - it was a biggun. He had his banger in his hand you know - lit him, held him for three or four minutes. Held him, mind you, in his hand. Did it go off? No, I reckon he's gone out, Ray says. I see, let me have a blow. Course Ray was holding him. I didn't get as far as blowing it, I don't remember. I don't think I got as far as blowing. Pandemonium - the thing went off. Everybody scattered in every direction
"Ooh, me arm! Me arm! Me arm!"
This was Ray of course. Course, everyone was "Ooh, Ray" - rushed him into the house, treating his arm, a few scratched or whatever it was. Little bits of burns or one thing or the other. Making a fuss of him. Somebody said
"Well, where's young Ern?"
Well, young Ern was out in the garden falling over the cabbage plants and one thing or t'other - I was in a state. I didn't know where I was. Didn't know what to do. They took me indoors - I couldn't see owt! Blind as a bat. Course, fetched Mum and Dad round, worried to death - of course they was. More worried than what I was cos I wasn't more than a four year old, I didn't understand.
Anyhow, up the hospital I goes. I was in bandages, I suppose I had me eyes bandaged up for over a week. Couldn't see a thing for over a week. I remember Dad saying to me one night, he said
"Ern - we've got some new floor cloth down. I'll give you a penny if you can tell me what colour it is"
I had me penny, and wasn't they pleased - oh dear dear dear. I think the bandages came off next day.
And that taught me a lesson. I don't play about with fireworks any more. Don't go near them if I can help it.