Every year since at least the mid-19th century, the village of Chiddingfold has marked Guy Fawkes Night with its traditional bonfire - and will do so again on Saturday, November 2. 

But in 1929, this age-old celebration took a notorious turn, turning the small village into the scene of riots, vandalism, and a showdown between local youth and authority.

In this week’s Peeps into the Past, we recount one of the most infamous episodes in the Surrey village’s history.

The spark before the fire

The trouble began weeks before November 5, when a group of local youths were fined £2 each for setting off homemade fireworks on public roads. Their punishment - around £100 each in today’s money - sowed seeds of resentment, setting the stage for what was to come.

On the night of November 4, someone prematurely set the bonfire alight and by morning, only smouldering remains were left, including the trousers of the Guy — an effigy of a policeman holding a boy by his trousers.

Rumours spread that Sgt Brake, the village constable, had been seen near the bonfire that night.

A bonfire rebuilt

Villagers rallied to rebuild the bonfire in time for the evening of November 5, bringing waggon-loads of wood to the green. By midday, the pile of faggots was ready, and the excitement among the schoolchildren was palpable.

Yet the festive air masked an undercurrent of unrest. More than 2,000 people gathered for the event, including known troublemakers from neighbouring towns and villages. As the effigy of a policeman went up in flames, cheers erupted, and the night took a more dangerous turn.

Sgt Brake, overseeing the event, soon became a target. Fireworks were hurled at him and his fellow officers, leaving several with burns.

Despite the provocation, the police held their ground, but chaos continued to spread. 

A faction of the crowd moved to Brake’s house, smashing windows and setting off more fireworks as they went. The intervention of local dignitaries helped calm the situation temporarily, but further damage was done around the village, with windows smashed at homes on the green and the local streetlamp destroyed.

Disorder blazes out of control

After attacking Sgt Brake’s home, a section of the crowd turned its attention to Botley House, the residence of a local Justice of the Peace. Stones shattered the house’s windows, and a nearby greenhouse also suffered damage.

Villagers who might have previously ignored the youthful defiance were now deeply concerned. The combination of public drunkenness and a breakdown in the usual village order meant that even respected figures were no longer spared from the rebellious atmosphere. 

Pouring water on the fire

In the days following the riots, the village saw an unprecedented response. Some 250 police officers were brought in from across Surrey to maintain order, and the Riot Act was on standby, though never read.

The overwhelming police presence, along with the threat of further repercussions, prevented any further violence. The incident gradually faded from daily conversation, but the sense of order and security in the village was shaken.

A flaming injustice

As for Sgt Brake, he remained in Chiddingfold for just a few more months before moving on - his bond with the village irreconcilably broken.

And then the scale of the injustice became clear as years later, according to his son, he revealed that the culprit behind the early bonfire lighting was one of the same youths who had been fined for setting off illegal fireworks — an act of defiance that had sparked a night of chaos.

Today, the Chiddingfold Bonfire is a more peaceful affair and the Guy is a more Fawkesian effigy.

But the rebellious flames of 1929 still burn bright in the heart of the event and village — serving as a reminder that Guy Fawkes Night, rooted in the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605, has long been a symbol of defiance and lawlessness against authority.

See https://chiddingfoldbonfire.org.uk/ for details and tickets of this year's event.