Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot 1605 - The York Connection

On November 5 2005 we celebrated the 400th anniversary of the arrest of Guy Fawkes. With the utmost in considered wisdom, as one would expect from York Council, they decided to keep the full location of the Rocket Launch site, from where the fireworks would come a secret. The obvious aim here is to stop the mass hysteria that would otherwise erupt if everyone in town knew where to go, as had happened for hundreds of years previous. So grab a beer in a pub and stand outside in the cold and rain, you may get lucky. This is what I can only call a sad affair and a real lack of insight by the city council. There is an obvious opportunity for tourism in the city on a date of the calander that is otherwise "the down season". Non the less, Guy Fawkes death is still celebrated as bonfire night on November 5th every year in England. Even if York city council can't see this opportunity, the public do celebrate it anyway.

Guy Fawkes Life

• Born: in 1570 in York, North Yorkshire
• Baptized: 16th Apr 1570 at Saint Michael-le-Belfrey which is in York just outside the minster
• Died: 31st Jan 1606 at Old Palace Yard, Westminster
• Schooled: Saint Peter's in York England which is out of the city along Monkgate
• 14 October 1591 Fawkes leased "three and a half acres in Clifton, with one other acre there, and a barn and garth attached to Gillygate" for twenty one years. This was leased from Christopher Lomley of Yorke who was a tailor. Clifton is an area of York just a short distance away from St Peters where he went to school.
• In 1593 or there about Fawkes left England for Flanders. He enlisted in the Spanish army. His commander was the Archduke Albert of Austria. As the Spaniards took Calais in 1596, under the command of King Philip II of Spain, Mr Fawkes had risen through to hold a post of command himself.
• November 5, 1605, Guy Fawkes was arrested. He was caught in the cellars of Parliament House. He first gave a false name. He purported to be one John Johnson. It is after this, through the courts of the day, the true plot unfolded to what was one of the greatest catholic anarcho-synidicates of the last millennium.

The Fawkes Family

• Father: Mr Edward FAWKES Born: about 1533 Died:1578 or 1579 Buried: 17th Jan 1579 at York Minster, York, Yorkshire
• Mother: Mrs Edith FAWKES (maiden name BLAKE or JACKSON) Married in York in 1566 to Edward
• Sister: Anne born 3 October 1568. His sister was sadly short lived, born before Guy and only lived a mere seven weeks. She was then buried on 14 November in the year 1568
• Sister: Anne FAWKES Born: 1572 Baptized: 12th Oct 1572 at Saint Michael-le-Belfry, York, Yorkshire
• Sister: Elizabeth FAWKES Born:1575 Baptized:27th May 1575 at Saint Michael-le-Belfry, York, Yorkshire
• As you can guess by some of the above the Church of St Michael le Belfrey is an anglican church in York and still stands today.

Five core members of the gunpowder plot:

• 1) The Head Honcho was Guy Fawkes. He was born in 1570 in York and died in the year 1606.
• Guy was arrested in the Palace of Westminster on 4th November 1605.
• 2) Mr Robert Catesby: Born in 1573 Died in 8 November 1605, Holbeache House, Staffordshire. He was what we can consider to be the mover of the scheme.
• Mr Thomas Wintour who was born in 1571 and died on 31 January 1606, Old Palace Yard, Westminster
• Mr Thomas Percy: Born: 1563 Died: 8 November 1605, Holbeche House. This man was a catholic convert and with such conviction did fervently indulge in this illegal plot.
• John (Jack) Wright Born: 13 January 1568, Welwick, Yorkshire Died: 8 November 1605, Holbeche House, Staffordshire

Other conspirators in the gunpowder plot.

• Kit Wright: brother of John and schooled with Guy Fawkes, cousin of Francis Tresham.
• Francis Tresham: tried to get the other to postpone the plot.
• Robert and Thomas Wintour: brothers.
• Thomas Bates: servant of Catesby.
• Robert Keyes: Who took charge of gunpowder at Lambeth.
• Sir Everard Digby: Resided in Coughton Court; he sent the horses for the plotters.
• Hugh Owen: Introduced Fawkes to Catesby.
• Ambrose Rookwood: A late arrival. he was young and educated abroad.
• John Grant

Other York Based Trivia

• There is a hotel in York where he was said to be born.
• His school in York England was St. Peters.
• This private school that still exists today.
• St Peters School has a school policy NOT to celebrate the death of an "Old boy".