Brockham Bonfire & Fireworks Night, 3rd Nov 2007

Posted by pop at Nov 10, 07 01:50 PM ... Comments (0)

The Brockham Bonfire is one of the largest in the country. Brockham itself is a gorgeous little village between Dorking and Reigate with the classic village green and is overlooked by the Surrey Hills. This annual event is a big deal here - they shut down the local roads and you have to walk a mile or so before you reach the village.

First-off was the parade...perhaps someone from Brockham could explain, but there was the 'Brockham Fire Engine' (a painted wooden cart) and lots of locals dressed-up in strange outfits (harlequin-like smocks) all carrying fire-sticks walking around the village. We joined the procession half-way around which was all very tribal (see pic below) though trusting teens (some intoxicated) with any sort of naked flame is risky. As the torches started to burn out and smoke profusely, we each inhaled our entire annual carbon footprint, until each torch-holder bashed their torch on the ground scattering large glowing cinders on the tarmac. These glowing embers attached themselves to shoes and trouser hems along the way. The only incidents we spotted was a yoof who somehow melted his headphones wire with is torch and got tangled up with it (but luckly for him they still worked, "even though they were melted - cool!" and a girl whose eyes were rolling around and pointing in the wrong direction as her friends helpfully propped her up and called other friends to tell them that they were waiting for an ambulance as "Vicky is totally wankered."

Then came the lighting of the bonfire. Procession goers placed their torches at the base of the biggest bonfire I have ever seen (check out Fink Angel's 'before' picture here). It must have been about 30 feet high and apparently took 6 weeks to build. A large Guy Fawkes was perched at the top full of fire crackers. It went up with a woof, and made me wish I had some moisturiser as I gently cooked in its radiant heat. Then there was a succession of announcements with a firework for each - a proposal (Wayne proposing to Jane) and endless others for lovers and the deceased. Finally the fireworks commenced with ferocity. Here's my best picture:

All in all plenty of walking involved and a very cute village atmosphere about it. I'd do it again, but not the procession - I walked with trepidious concern that my hair would catch on fire courtesy of one of the many young buffoons surrounding me.