About Who The Devil Are We Society
Who The Devil Are We Society is a travelling Sussex Bonfire society with a distinctive name and an independent identity.
Rather than representing a particular town or village, the society is known for joining celebrations hosted by other Bonfire societies. Its members carry their own banner, costumes and traditions from one procession to the next, making the society a familiar presence across the autumn Bonfire season.
Who The Devil Are We Society is currently active and continues to attend major celebrations, including Hastings Bonfire.
A Travelling Bonfire Society
Most Sussex Bonfire societies take their names from the communities they represent.
Who The Devil Are We Society is different.
Its name does not identify a town, village or parish. Instead, it reflects the character of a group formed around its members and their shared enthusiasm for Bonfire.
The society’s home is wherever its members gather.
At each outmeeting, Who The Devil Are We Society brings its own identity to the procession, joining local societies and visiting groups in the traditional exchange of support that connects the Bonfire calendar.
A Familiar Presence at Outmeetings
Who The Devil Are We Society regularly appears at celebrations hosted by other societies.
Members travel throughout the season, taking part in torchlit processions and supporting the societies that organise them. In return, host societies benefit from the colour, variety and atmosphere created by visiting groups.
The Society’s Identity
The absence of a town name gives Who The Devil Are We Society a particularly independent character.
Its identity is not tied to a village green, town centre or local firesite. Instead, it is carried by the members themselves and represented wherever the society appears.
The banner is an important part of that presence.
When it enters a procession, it identifies a group whose traditions belong to the society rather than to one particular place.
That makes Who The Devil Are We Society an example of how Bonfire organisations can be built around friendship, shared interests and participation as well as geography.
Supporting Other Societies
Outmeetings are at the heart of Who The Devil Are We Society.
The society joins host celebrations throughout Sussex, helping to create the large and varied processions for which the Bonfire season is known.
Its members are not simply spectators. They take part as an organised society, processing under their own name and contributing to the atmosphere of each event.
The relationship is reciprocal.
A society such as Hastings welcomes visiting groups, while Who The Devil Are We Society and other travelling societies support the host by bringing additional members, costumes and banners to the procession.
Part of Hastings Bonfire
Hastings Bonfire has become one of the clearest examples of Who The Devil Are We Society’s continuing activity.
The society has appeared in the Hastings Grand Procession alongside organisations including Littlehampton, Burgess Hill, Isfield & Little Horsted, Firle and Newick.
For Who The Devil Are We Society, these appearances provide an opportunity to process alongside some of the best-known societies in Sussex while maintaining its own separate identity.
The group’s repeated inclusion also shows that it is an established participant rather than an occasional collection of individuals.
A Memorable Name
The name Who The Devil Are We Society is one of the most memorable on the Bonfire circuit.
It has a playful, questioning quality that suits a society not defined by a particular place.
At the same time, the name gives members an immediate identity when they appear at outmeetings. It is easily recognised on procession lists, banners and announcements, helping the society stand out among organisations named after towns, villages and historic communities.
Membership and Participation
The society’s activities depend upon members who are willing to travel, process and support celebrations throughout the season.
Members represent Who The Devil Are We Society at different events, bringing continuity from one outmeeting to the next.
For a travelling society, participation is especially important. There is no single home event around which the organisation’s public identity is built, so every appearance contributes to the society’s presence and reputation.
The result is a society defined by the people who take part and the relationships they maintain with host societies across Sussex.
Who The Devil Are We Society Today
Its members continue to attend major processions, including Hastings Bonfire, and to support the wider network of societies that makes the Bonfire season possible.
The society’s unusual name, independent character and travelling role give it a distinctive place on the circuit.
Who The Devil Are We Society may not represent a single town or village, but wherever its members carry their banner, they bring their own Bonfire identity with them.