How Warwickshire helped give Britain the fireworks bug

Great to be interviewed by Richard Williams of BBC CWR about my new book 'A History of Fireworks from their Origins to the Present Day' (Reaktion Books). We talked about Elizabeth I's love of fireworks, about two major displays she went to at Warwick (pictured) and Kenilworth Castles, how the Warwick one got out of hand and killed a couple of people in the town, about Britain's first firework display, about when fireworks first started to be used to celebrate 5 November and much more. The interview is in two parts. Part 1 is about 1 hr 18 mins in, and Part 2 about 2 hrs 19 mins in

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0jy2h4v

Somerset's role in the explosive history of fireworks

 Great to be interviewed by Simon Parkin of BBC Radio Somerset about my new book 'A History of Fireworks from their Origins to the Present Day' (Reaktion Books). We talked about fireworks' mysterious beginnings, their first appearance in England, how a court case about a firework thrown in Milborne Port market made legal history, why Bridgwater (pictured) became a hotbed of Bonfire Night celebrations, the Bath firework maker who kept losing wives in accidents and much more. You can catch the interview via this link at about 2 hr 19 mins in

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0jwm7gc