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Bonfire Night at the Chalet School

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#1: Bonfire Night at the Chalet School Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 11:32 pm

This is for Alison after the QT Thread above Very Happy

Please can we forget that the war and blackout were on Wink

and thanks to the BBC news site cos I've stealthed everything from there!

“This was such a good idea of yours, my dear,” Miss Annersley said to her Co-Head, Miss Wilson, as she toasted her potato appreciatively in the flames of an enormous bonfire. Evan Evans had constructed it in the grounds of Plas Howell for the first ever School celebrations for Gunpowder Day.

“Wasn’t it?” ‘Bill’ replied, which an uncharacteristic lack of modesty. “It’s just what the girls need after the tensions of the last few weeks,” she looked around at the various girls who were all enjoying the fireworks. Karen’s special bonfire toffee prevented a lot of conversation, but it was evident that the girls were all enjoying themselves. “It’s harmless after all, and well, it’s not as if it’s an effigy of poor Guy Fawkes that we’re burning, is it?”

Miss Annersley suppressed a laugh with great difficulty, “I don’t know what I was thinking of when I agreed to this! It’s a good job the – ahem! - guy in question is nowhere in the vicinity!”

“Thanks Heavens! It’s a remarkable likeness – quite uncanny! I must say, I got a shock when Jeanne revealed it in all its glory!”

“Not half as much of a shock as Jo got when she walked into the Library and saw it,” Hilda laughed, “I swear she nearly fainted!”

They giggled like schoolgirls as they regarded the roaring bonfire and the marvellous effigy of Miss Bubb that perched upon it. Her MA gown had just started to smoulder.

Sir James Russell joined them presently, together with Jo Maynard, who, as Jo Bettany had been the first ever pupil of the Chalet School.

“Of course,” Jem pronounced, “The real story of Guy Fawkes is largely a myth, you know. The gunpowder of the times couldn’t have been strong enough to do any real damage, and even if had been, the King never enters the House of Commons! I don’t know what these history writers are thinking of sometimes! Nell, why on earth are you looking at me like that for?”

“Because you are utterly mistaken! They had enough gunpowder not only to kill the King and his ministers instantly – in the House of Lords, by the way, not the Commons – but also to devastate the whole area! The planned blast would have been powerful enough to destroy Westminster Hall and the Abbey. In fact, Guy Fawkes used 25 times the amount of gunpowder needed to kill those in the chamber above. Also, the death toll would have extended beyond the great and the good, as Westminster was a ramshackle complex of pubs, houses and brothels sitting cheek-by-jowl with the powers-that-be. Those nearby who escaped death or injury in the blast would probably have perished in the resulting inferno.”

“Oh! Well, in the case, it’s fortunate that there are no cellars under the Houses of Parliament, isn’t it?” Jo added, amused to see her brother-in-law so flushed with embarrassment.

“Actually, Jo, you are not correct either. There most certainly were cellars there. I can’t imagine why you would think there were none! I’m surprised at you, a lover of history!” Miss Annersley replied and Jo turned equally as red as Jem. Both made rather pathetic excuses and left, leaving the two friends to laugh until Matey threatened to dose them to prevent hysteria.

#2: Author: Changnoi, Location: New Mexico, USA

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 12:47 am

Hee.

Very nice.

But nothing exploded! Jem was the only doctor there. Can it really be a Chalet School event if there's only one doctor there?

Thanks!

Chang

#3: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 4:18 am

An effigy of Miss Bubb Shocked

!!
Can I have some of that toffee please? It sounds wonderful. It reminds me of that Thorntons stuff...

#4: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 12:06 pm

Oh thank you Mia! That was absolutely brilliant! I love the way they burned an effigy of Miss Bubb. & how nice to see both Jem and Joey being put right!

#5: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 12:16 pm

Thanks, Mia. That was great. A big thank you also to Alison for putting the idea in Mia's head!

#6: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 12:59 pm

Very amusing, Mia. Laughing

Thanks.

#7: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 1:01 pm

Lovely, thank you! Laughing

#8: Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 3:49 pm

Did I just see Miss Annersley and Miss Wilson cock a snoot at Dr Russell and Mrs Maynard? Surely not, they must have just been brushing ashes off their faces!

#9: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 3:56 pm

Thanks Mia - and thank you Alison for suggesting it!

#10: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 8:48 pm

Thanks, Mia, it was good to see Jo confounded.

#11: Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire

Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 8:53 pm

Thank you Mia, that was lovely! A giggle and a history lesson combined! Laughing

#12: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 1:48 am

Great fun...ooh, Thornton's toffee. We can get it here, but only at Great Expense - and that marvellous tablet stuff they used to make is completely unobtainable. Sob!

#13: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 9:06 pm

Go Nell!!

Thank you Mia, vair wonderous Very Happy

#14: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 2:57 pm

That was brilliant Mia! Thanks!

#15: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 3:48 pm

Thanks Mia

Liz

#16: Author: Elle,

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 3:52 pm

Mia, you are a star!

#17: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 8:46 pm

Recipe for tablet is found here:

www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usrecipes/scottishtablet/

#18: Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2005 1:43 pm

Thank you Mia! I was thinking about how ridiculous Jem's comments in Exploits were just the other day when listening to the prog on Radio 4. Glad to see him corrected![/i]

#19: Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW

Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 3:02 am

Vair funny Mia. Thanks!

Is tablet like fudge?

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