For many years Mr Willcox and Mr Jones used to organise a small fireworks party for the senior boys. Seeing as that had fallen into abeyance the SJA committee thought a big party for everyone would be a nice idea.
Here are the two men who will run the display setting it up in the afternoon on the far side of the 1st XI square, well away from the house and the terraces and banks where the spectators will be.
These turnip shaped (and sized) packages are technically known as bombs and are the actual fireworks. The label on that one in the front describes it as a Varigated color to Crackling Flower and as a size 3. Fireworks this size can only be let off by trained operators.
Here is one of the trained operators loading the bombs. They are lowered into the tubes leaving only the fuse hanging out. When lit, that fuse will set off a charge that will blast the bomb out of the tube and high into the air where a second, timed charge will go off to produce the aforementioned varigated color to crackling flower effect.
If you're going to have fireworks at this time of the year you've got to have a bonfire and a guy as well. Mr. Doughty and the grounds staff kindly provided us with a bonfire down in the woods and this is the guy, made by Alex Keegan, that sat on top of it.
As people arrived they were served hotdogs, jacket potatoes, mulled wine and the like in the dining room. From there it was down to see the bonfire and then up to the terrace to reserve a space for the big show.
And what a show it was, too! That vertical line of fire in the centre is one of the bombs heading on up; the horizontal line of lights is Northwood Hills in the background and you can just see the two operators in red overalls running around setting the fireworks off.
The display must have gone on for a good twenty minutes and was extremely impressive, and loud, and spectacular. Well done St. John's Association and thanks very much.
© St. John's - DTP, 1999 & 2005 - N. Pauli