Sheffield retro: 29 retro photos of people enjoying Bonfire Night from the 1960s to the present

Why do we gather every November 5 to watch spectacular, colorful firework displays fill the night sky with noise and light?

Across the UK, these annual celebrations commemorate the collapse of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, when Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators were thwarted in their attempt to destroy the Houses of Parliament.

To mark the occasion, families and local communities build massive bonfires in open fields, parks, and back gardens. It is a tradition for children to build a "guy", a life-sized effigy made from old clothes, newspapers, and tights – which is set atop the fire and burned.

Much has changed, it’s much better (and far safer) to attend properly organised Bonfire events nowadays.

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These nostalgic pictures capture everything from classic Guy Fawkes contests and neighbourhood bonfires in community parks to sweet treats like toffee apples and the popular modern ‘After Dark’ spectacles.

Spanning six decades, the collection highlights celebrations from the 1960s right up to recent years.

Can you see anyone you recognise?

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