Childhood Memories of Our First Home made Firecrackers

[CINDERS]

Just down from our house there was a very small park it had 1 small tree like no more than 50sq meters in area where our street met another one so this was the area designated for catherine wheels and rockets.
As usual we had a cardboard box full of the rockets and catherine wheels but I always kept a string of tomthumbs in my pocket which you could hold one on the very tip of you fingers and let it off with no injury showing how brave you were.

Anyway we were having a fat time tuppeny rockets going off catherine wheels spinning and the good old roman candle hissing and fizzing away with my occasional scaring of my sister with a tomthumb going off beside her.
Well we got rid of all our ground stuff including a few chases from my sister, the big moment had arrived the launching of the 2 shilling rocket as I brought it from pocket money I had the honour of lighting the touch paper.

Well my sister stuck her nose into the mix saying I was not pushing it into the ground enough and it would fall over I snapped back it was in deep enough.
So she went to mum and got her onside so I had no option but to push the stick it in very deeply, so I lit the touch paper and retired.
B*gger me the moment the touch paper got to the motor section a great gout of smoke and flames shot out with a very staunch hissing sound.
Now I for one just stood transfixed that it was alight and going well only problem was it was not moving anywhere into the sky but firmly planted on terra firma.
We all came to the same conclusion I think Mum, Dad, sis & me new once the motor had stopped it was only a fraction of time before the starburst head went off.
As fast as we could ran to a safe distance poor dad his legs were never the same after WWII could only hobble like a crab on tequila.

Well it was an impressive explosion a most satisfactory star burst at ground level only thing is there was a car yard on that corner as well.
All evidence was removed and nothing ever mentioned about the event especially when the car yard owner came into dads shop (On the same street 100 meters away) complaining about irresponsible kids & fire works.........