The Bonfire Season started a month ago with the Uckfield Bonfire Society hosting its parade and displays on 7th September. Tonight (5th October) it is the turn of the Eastbourne Bonfire Society. I have marched with the bonfire boys and belles on many occasions and wish them all luck and favourable weather!

My great-grandfather Ebenezer Roberts (1867-1947) was the head of Eastbourne’s St Mary’s Ward Bonfire Society and each year he would dress as a judge and address the crowds with his anti-Catholic diatribes. I am so lucky that I have many of his original speeches – it is amazing to think that he held these papers in his hand at the bonfire site in Green Street as the bonfire effigies burned.

The first of the Bonfire Speeches is dated 130 years ago on 5th November 1894. That year Ebenezer was on the Bonfire Committee and also read the speech as the bonfire was lit.

The evening started at 7pm at the Headquarters of the Bonfire Society, the Prince Albert Inn. The parade then set off along the Goffs, along the Avenue to the Lewes Road returning along Carew Road to Moatcroft Road and back to the pub. The Eastbourne Gazette reported that the parade was led by ‘Captain of Processions’ followed by the Pitman Institute Drum and Fife Band. Next was a banner reading PROTESTANTISM STANDS TRIUMPHANT followed by banners depicting the Lewes Protestant Martyrs. Next came the effigies of the Pope and Guy Fawkes and dressed members of the society. It is interesting to note that the paper reported that many of the spectators who lines the route were also wearing fancy dress costumes. The procession was lit by coloured fires and the discharge of fireworks.

After a brief stop at the Prince Albert (not doubt to partake of a beer or two) the procession set off again via again via Moatcroft Road, Mill Road, Willingdon Road, De Roos Road, Upperton Road, Crown Street and Motcombe Lane where they paused outside Motcombe Farmhouse, the home of Councillor George Homewood (1841-1896) a churchwarden and Protestant supporter of the Bonfire Society (he was later to be mentioned in the fireside speech). The Procession then continued to the Lamb Inn, up Borough Lane, Vicarage Road, Church Street and then to the fire site in Green Street.

Before the bonfire was lit my great-grandfather called peoples attention to the banners saying “For the cause of Protestantism our forefathers gave up their lives – Protestantism has God Truth and Justice on its side”. He then read his speech as follows, although I have added some notes.

Ladies and gentlemen and brother Bonfire Boys, it is a source of much pleasure to me and to those whom I have the honour to represent, to behold so many of you, personally interested in and appreciating our efforts in keeping  up the commemoration of the failure of the Gunpowder Plot, which, had it not  been stayed by God’s providence by causing a letter to be sent to one of the Members of Parliament, it is supposed that about 3,000 persons who would have crowded into Parliament would have lost their lives by the explosion. 

(Actually it was Lord Monteagle, not a Member of Parliament who received the letter. As a result he was rewarded with land at Seaford)

It is quite evident from history that the plot was designed by Roman Catholics to destroy our national bulwarks, namely our liberties and to remove from our midst an open bible that declares Rome to be antichrist and further shows by divine revelation, that by Christ alone can a sinner be accepted in the sight of God, whereas Rome teaches the worship of the Virgin Mary whom she declares to be ever virgin. But what sayeth the scriptures, “Behold thy mother and thy brethren are without, desiring to see thee,” and on another occasion his mother said unto Him “Son why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing” 

(Ebenezer quoting from Matthew 12:47 and Luke 2:47-49 (King James Version))

Many years have rolled away since the attempt of the Pope and those who acted as his tools, failed to carry out their infamous design on 5^th November 1605 but Rome is the same today  as then. She is looking with eager eyes in hope to once more obtain political power in England and she has her tools still at work in men who call themselves Ritualists. Ritualism has been described as the handmaid to Romanism and this appears to be perfectly correct according to the statement of Cardinal Vaughan in a lecture on the reunion of Christendom. He stated in his address that the doctrine of the Catholic church which had been rejected and condemned as blasphemous, superstitious and found unvirtuous  have been examined and taken back one by one until the 39 Articles have been banished and buried as a rule of faith. The real presence, the sacrifice of the Mass offered for the living and the dead – sometimes in Latin, not infrequent preparation of the sacrament, regular auricular confessions, extreme unctions, purgatory, prayers for the dead, devotions to our Lady, to her immaculate conception, the use of the rosary and the invocation of saints and doctrines, taught and accepted with a growing desire and relish for them in the Church of England. How came these doctrines to be tolerated and taught?  Are not the Ritualists, the wolves in sheep’s clothing?

(Cardinal Herbert Vaughan (1832-1903) had been made Archbishop of Westminster two years earlier.  He was a founder of the Catholic Truth Society and led the campaign to build Westminster Cathedral. The 39 Articles were the defining practices and doctrines of the Church of England published in 1571 following Henry VIIIs Reformation and break from the Catholic Church.)

We therefore as true Protestants of our beloved country, must of necessity cause these enemies to the chalice of truth in order show our dislike to these abominable  systems.  I command the effigy of the Pope to be committed to the flames. The next person we have before us for consideration is that of Guy Fawkes whose name has been handed down to us as being the one who was to have perpetrated this diabolical crime, but just as he was about to cause the explosion, the unseen hand of God caused him to be arrested. He was afterwards brought to justice and received the due reward which rebels against their country, and its constitutions receive, namely the penalty of death.  As Guy Fawkes was one so closely connected with the attempt to destroy our liberties, I command his effigy to be committed to the flames. 

Rome has never been at a loss to introduce instruments of torture for infliction upon those who are in opposition to her faith. 

(Rather ironic considering a confession was obtained from Guy Fawkes by the use of torture)

To give an illustration, I enumerate one of the many cruelties practiced on those she martyred. William Flower who was born at Snailwell in the county of Cambridge and educated in the Roman Catholic church, became a professed monk in the Abbey of Ely. Having studied the scriptures, he threw off his monkish habit. One day having entered into St Margaret’s Church, Westminster, he refused to kneel when the Host was lifted up at the celebration of the mass whereupon the priest reprimanded him. Incensed at the actions of the priest, Flower dealt him a blow on the head and to show their detestation of the offence he had committed, one of his Roman Catholic enemies cut off his right hand and held it on a spear in the presence of the spectators whilst the faggots were being piled around him. 

(Ebenezer gives a rather one-sided version of the event. William Flower had entered St Margarets Church next to the House of Commons on Easter Day 1555. He was armed with a meat-cleaver with the intention of cutting the off the hand of the priest who was celebrating mass. He hit the priest on the arm and head causing severe injuries. His hand was cut off as a part of his punishment due to his original intention to do the same to the priest. After a trial he was sentenced to be burnt at the stake on the green in front of St Margaret’s Church. He had an agonising death as insufficient wood-faggots were used)

Before closing my speech there is one little incident I should like to refer to namely the removal of the cross and candlesticks from the chapel of the Eastbourne Union. Evidently the majority of the guardians were in opposition to their introduction which shows they possessed a Protestant spirit and that bold gentleman Alderman Homewood deserves gratitude for causing their removal and, as he has been so kind in allowing us a piece of land in order to keep up the commemoration of November 5^th, I call upon you all to give him three hearty cheers.  

( The ‘Eastbourne Union’ was the Workhouse on East Dean Road, later St Marys Hospital. The story was reported in the Eastbourne Chronicle of 15^th September 1894. A lady had donated a number of items to the chapel of the workhouse these included two candlesticks and a crucifix. They were placed in the chapel by the newly appointed workhouse chaplain, the Reverend Pierre Syree (1829-1905).  The Master of the workhouse complained to the workhouse guardians that the items had been placed without permission. The guardians demanded that the cross and candlesticks be removed immediately being ‘heathen and Roman Catholic’.)

In conclusion, on behalf of the committee and the society in general, I wish to thank our subscribers, the magistrates, the police, the press, the fire brigade, the band and in short all who have given us any assistance. I now call upon the bonfire boys to sing the bonfire hymn, to give three hearty cheers for all and conclude by singing the National Anthem.

The press reported that my great-grandfather’s speech was interrupted by cries of “Hear hear”. The crowd also sang ‘Rule Britannia’ and when Councillor Homewood was spotted he was also given three hearty cheers. George Homewood (1841-1896) was a Justice of the Peace and lived at Motcombe farmhouse. He was a churchwarden at St Mary’s Parish Church where he  has a memorial near the south door. He is buried at Ocklynge cemetery. Ironically his grave (Plot T103) is decorated with a cross.  

Please support your local bonfire society and help to continue a centuries old Sussex tradition.

My grand-father’s religious believes certainly do not reflect my own but please let me know if you would like me to publish more of Ebenezer’s bonfire speeches.