On this day, 5 November 1605, Guy Fawkes was arrested whilst guarding explosives that were hidden under the House of Lords. This was part of the Gunpowder Plot, which was a failed attempt at regicide against King James I.
In London people lit bonfires celebrating the survival of King James I. In the following months the Observance of 5 November Act introduced an annual public day of thanksgiving for the plots failure, Gunpowder Treason Day.
Happy Bonfire Night from British Online Archives!