Guildford pub bombings facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Guildford pub bombings |
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|---|---|
| Part of The Troubles | |
| Location | Horse & Groom pub; Seven Stars pub, Guildford, England |
| Coordinates | 51°14′13″N 0°34′18″W / 51.237054°N 0.571753°W |
| Date | 5 October 1974 20:30 – 21:00 (BST) |
| Target | British Army soldiers |
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Attack type
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Time bombs |
| Deaths | 5 (4 off-duty British soldiers and 1 civilian) |
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Non-fatal injuries
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65+ (30 seriously) |
| Perpetrator | Provisional IRA Provisional IRA's Balcombe Street Gang |
The Guildford pub bombings happened on 5 October 1974. A group called the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) set off two powerful bombs in two pubs in Guildford, Surrey, England. These pubs were chosen because they were popular with British Army soldiers. Four soldiers and one civilian died in the attacks. More than 65 people were hurt.
Contents
The Bombings: What Happened?
The first bomb exploded at 8:30 pm in the Horse and Groom pub. This blast killed a civilian and four soldiers.
After the first explosion, the Seven Stars pub was emptied. A second bomb went off there at 9:00 pm. The pub owner and his wife were searching the building at the time. They were badly hurt, along with several staff members and a customer.
These attacks were part of a year-long series of bombings. They were carried out by a group known as the Provisional IRA's Balcombe Street Gang. Police later arrested this group in December 1975.
The bombings happened just before a big election in the United Kingdom. Because of these events, new laws were quickly passed. These laws were called the Prevention of Terrorism Acts. They aimed to help stop future terrorist attacks.
The Guildford Four: A Story of Injustice
The Guildford bombings happened during a difficult time called the Troubles. This was a period of conflict in Northern Ireland. Police were under a lot of pressure to find those responsible for the bombings in England.
In December 1974, police arrested three men and one woman. They became known as the Guildford Four. One of them, Gerry Conlon, had been visiting his aunt in London. A few days later, his aunt's family, including his father, were also arrested. They were called the "Maguire Seven."
In October 1975, the Guildford Four were found guilty of the bombings. They were sent to prison for life. The Maguire Seven were found guilty of helping to make bombs. They also received long prison sentences.
The Guildford Four spent 15 years in prison. Gerry Conlon's father died in prison after three years. Years later, all these convictions were overturned. This means the courts decided they were innocent. It was proven that the confessions used against the Guildford Four were not true and were forced. Also, important evidence that could have cleared them was not shared by the police.
In 1977, the real Balcombe Street Gang members said that innocent people were in prison for the Guildford bombings. The 1993 movie In the Name of the Father tells the story of these events.
What Happened Next?
The same IRA group carried out another attack soon after. On 7 November 1974, they bombed the Kings Arms pub in Woolwich. Two people died in that attack: a soldier and a civilian. Over 30 people were injured. Two of the Guildford Four had also been wrongly found guilty of this attack.
See also
- Chronology of Provisional IRA actions
- List of public house topics
Sources
- BBC report on the attacks, bbc.co.uk, 5 October 1974; accessed 23 October 2015.
- The Road to Balcombe Street: The IRA Reign of Terror in London – Second Edition by Steven P. Moysey – Author
