AUTUMNAL ANARCHY .sx Simon Evans .sx Remember , Remember the fifth of November , .sx Gunpowder , Treason and Plot ; .sx I see no reason why Gunpowder treason , .sx Should ever be forgot .sx This simple rhyme sums up for many of us what Bonfire Night celebrations are all about , the commemoration of the failure of an illegal plot to destroy our parliament in 1605 .sx There is no doubt that the thwarting of this deed was a momentous triumph but there is also little doubt that the custom of bonfire is itself much older .sx We only have to witness the spectacular celebrations of the Sussex Bonfire Societies to realise that embodied in this practice are remnants of something much older , a seasonal festival stretching back into ancient times .sx These modern societies maintain the custom of burning effigies of those who they wish to denigrate , be they politicians or other public figures .sx It seems that the Gunpowder plot was such a significant event that for most of us that we have continued to express our disapproval by retaining Guy Fawkes as the perennial baddie , even at the Sussex celebrations the anti Papist sentiments survive .sx To this day the bonfire celebrations in Sussex towns are such that many pubs and shops board up their fronts and those pubs that do remain open remove all the furniture from the bars and spread plastic sheets across the floors to protect the carpets from beer and fireworks .sx There is no doubt that festivities such as these were once enacted across the country and our own county of Kent was no exception , in fact the Edenbridge Bonfire Society is now the only one in the country with a license to manufacture their own fireworks .sx Ever since pre Christian times the turning of the seasons has been punctuated by a major festival , the mid winter Yuletide was complemented by mid summer celebrations .sx The springtime change from winter to summer was celebrated by Beltane and survives in a number of guises , from the Christian Easter festival which still uses the egg as a symbol of fertility to the May morning dances performed by morris men .sx The Autumnal change is marked by what has become a confusion of celebrations , but Halloween , Bonfire and All Souls are probably all variants or remnants of the old Celtic New Year which fell on November the 1st .sx It was a riotous affair and the anarchic celebrations that are still strong in Sussex are probably only a shadow of how things were years ago .sx A measure of its importance to people is demonstrated by incidents that occurred in Dartford during the last century .sx It was felt that the festivities were getting out of hand , the anarchic celebrations that are still strong in Sussex being probably only a shadow of how the festival was once celebrated .sx In a Dartford newspaper in November 1839 a report was published of which this is an extract :sx " About 10 O'clock , amounting in the whole to about 150 , many with their faces blacked , and others wearing masks and crepe , marched into the town from Crayford , calling at many houses , and demanding fuel or money ; which , if they failed to obtain , the most gross outrages were committed .sx This party of ruffians then proceeded to The Bull , marched up the yard with torches , fireworks , etc. , and demanded to be supplied with straw .sx Mr Potter , however , resolutely refused to acceed sic !sx to their requests and consequently the most violent threats were used against him - a friend , unknown to Mr Potter , at length gave them money to depart .sx They then proceeded to the bonfire , and commenced scattering it around the house ; and the greatest possible fears were entertained for the safety of Mr Edwards , whose cellars were filled with pitch , resin and other combustible articles .sx Some of the fire was thrown against the premises of Mr John Wilding ; which induced that gentleman to make an attempt to put out the fire .sx He was known , and most violently assaulted by the ruffians ; and the town was kept in a state of alarm during the great part of the night .sx " .sx This state of affairs obviously continued for many years because a local solicitor who played a part in attempting to have the festivities stopped came in for attention on November the 6th 1848 .sx " There was a mob of 400 or 500 persons around my house , they came several times during the night masked and in disguise , they began throwing stones and breaking my windows .sx I went to my door to remonstrate with them and was met by a shower of fireworks that I was glad to beat a retreat .sx They continued to shout 'burn him out' and 'pull it down' , and such threats accompanied with oaths at the same time throwing fireworks and lighted wood in my house burning the sill of one of the windows and a carpet .sx There were seventeen panes of glass broken , a chest of drawers injured by the stones , a wire blind , a quilt and a carpet by fire and other injuries sustained .sx A lighted tar barrel was rolled against my door which was only prevented being burnt by the policeman rolling the tar barrel into the water .sx " .sx This anarchy continued every year with lighted tar barrels being rolled through the streets with any attempt to prevent the celebrations being vigorously opposed .sx Opposing factions would enter the town , rolling lighted barrels down East Hill and West Hill , meeting in the centre of town opposite the Bull Hotel where the fire would be lit amidst much rioting .sx One year the pub was burnt down and the law continued to attempt to stop the festivities , creating such tension between the Bonfire Boys and the police that in 1863 the following words appeared on a poster around the town :sx " Whereas , certain ill-disposed Persons have attempted to prevent the lawful Festivities of the public on the fifth of November - the anniversary of the infamous Gunpowder plot !sx This is to give notice that a reward of ten shillings will be given for the head of every Policeman and one pound for the head of every inspector which shall be delivered at the Parish Pound to a gentleman who will be there authorized to receive it , from 6 to 12 pm .sx God Save the Queen !sx " .sx Although many of the Sussex bonfire celebrations are still rowdy affairs , they are largely good natured and it is good to see the increase in communal bonfire celebrations .sx Many towns and village now stage public bonfire and firework displays which bring people together to celebrate the onset of the cold season .sx Edenbridge is particularly worthwhile , with its massive bonfire and superb firework display , locally made and always with a topical theme .sx If you go , do get there early , the town is closed to traffic from early evening with a procession of floats through the town , accompanied by flaming torches and fireworks , but nowadays it is a well marshalled and safe affair for all the family .sx Playford Dancing at Broome Park .sx by David Stephens .sx Broome Park at Barham , near Canterbury , once the home of Lord Kitchener , has seen , over the last decade , the establishment of an event known as the East Kent 'Playford Evening' .sx Playford is a name synonymous with a form of country dancing from the 17th and 18th centuries but which now includes dances of a similar style from the 19th and 20th centuries .sx Playford was not a dancing master but a publisher whose house printed eighteen editions and many revisions between 1650 and 1728 .sx The evenings , usually three a year , were initiated by Ernest Eley of Ewell Minnis in about 1980 as an excuse to invite his back two or three hundred years where they could enjoy eachother's company and dancing .sx Ernest's personality was perfectly suited to that era .sx When age and health finally forced him to give it up in the mid 80s the role of Master of Ceremonies was taken up by Michael Spenceley of Canterbury until he moved to Shropshire at the end of 1986 .sx For a while Patricia Skelton of Dover , a close friend and protege of Ernest Eley , ran the evenings until in 1987 she handed over the reins to David Stephens of St. Lawrence-in-Thanet , the current M.C. Since the evenings began dancers have been encouraged to wear costume from the Playford era :sx and many do , therebyenhancing both the visual aspect and everyone's enjoyment .sx The tunes of the dances published by Playford are a joy to listen to :sx but no dancer could do just that and in recent years the music has been lead mostly by Tina Young of The Rigadoons band .sx Let us hope that Playford dancing will be a feature at Broome Park for many years to come - and of course the more people that come from far and near wearing their finery and contributing to the convivial atmosphere the more we can be sure that the event will as much a part of our future as it has been our past .sx DANCE IN YUGOSLAVIA .sx In the picture the dancers can be seen linking hands and moving slowly in a circle .sx This dance is called the Kolo , almost the national dance of Yugoslavia .sx There are many variations of this dance , which can also be danced in a line .sx Sometimes the Kolo was danced to ward off evil spirits , or to bring fertility to a newly married couple .sx It could also be used to bless the sowing or gathering of crops in Spring or Autumn .sx Yugoslavia was overrun by Turks for five centuries , so the Turkish influence is seen in the music used to accompany the dance .sx At first the Turks forbade music altogether , so often the peasants danced without it , just stamping their feet and clapping their hands to the rhythm of the dance .sx The Turks were so hated that the leader of the dance often clenches his right hand behind his back as a secret symbol of defiance .sx Today every Sunday during the tourist season , dancers and musicians dressed in their national costume meet and perform in the village of Cilipi near Dubrovnik .sx contributed by Joan G Brown Maidstone FDC .sx Annual Trawler Race in Folkestone .sx Although competition and gain are played down as primary elements in our fields of interest , this annual event has , predominately , an element of fun .sx It has been held regularly for eleven years on a Saturday in August , ( 24th .sx August this year .sx ) depending on the tide .sx It is a pursuit race in which some thirty registered fishing trawlers , drifters , liners or motor boats start from outside Folkestone harbour at times dependent on individual handicaps allotted .sx These aim to bring them all back to Folkestone harbour at about the same time from the course round a yellow buoy laid half way to Dover .sx From early morning on the day - the tide right and the weather practical - the vessels competing , are being decorated overall .sx They will assemble for judging in the harbour .sx Then , during the morning , amid much bantering and teasing , flower bag slinging and water squirting , each sets off eastward at its appointed time according to handicap .sx The children , the rest of the families and onlookers stay around the quay entertained by the old Dutch organ and various other attractions .sx The whole course can be seen from Copt Point and the high ground between the first Martello Towers or , of course from the high cliff top above the Warren .sx Around midday the boats begin to congregate again off the East Cliff on the final stretch and excitement increases as the winners come in .sx Later at a lively party in the East Cliff Pavilion , the prizes are awarded an another Trawler Race Day ends .sx ( With thanks and appreciation for help to Mr. Paul James , Umpire and Chairman of Folkestone Fishermen's Association and Mr. Reg Briggs , an old friend of Folkestone Yacht Club days .sx ) .sx " THE END OF THE ROAD " .sx Simon Evans must be congratulated on his excellent documentary on the life , culture and music of the Travelling people in Kent as featured in BBC Radio 4's 'Kaleidoscope' programme broadcast on Friday 7th September last .sx