INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT

Between the 13th and the 19th centuries, the northern hemisphere was in the grip of a ‘Little Ice Age’. Temperatures dropped worldwide as summers became cold and wet while winters became colder, long and harsh.

In the Swiss Alps, encroaching glaciers destroyed farmlands and villages. Canals and rivers in Great Britain and the Netherlands froze up frequently hampering navigation. Greenland was largely cut off by sea ice for 300 years. With failing crops, many Norse colonies in Greenland starved to death and disappeared.

While famine and death became common across Europe, people also started taking advantage of the cold weather. Frozen ponds and rivers became impromptu ice skating rinks, and outdoor winter sports became popular pastime activities.

In London, even the mighty River Thames froze. According to historical data, between the 17th and the early 19th centuries, the River Thames froze for nearly two dozen times. During Britain’s worst recorded frost, in the winter of 1683–84, the Thames was completely frozen for two months, with ice up to a foot thick.

For Londoners, the freezing of the river was an event to be celebrated. As soon as the ice was thick enough to bear weight, peddlers would hastily construct tents out of sail cloth and oars to sell everything from souvenirs, to food and drinks, to haircuts. One person even setup a printing press on the ice and published a 124-page book. Activities and entertainment at frost fairs ranged from bull-baiting, horse and coach races, puppet plays, sledging, nine-pin bowling and more.

An eyewitness for the 1683– 84 frost fair reported revelers roasting a whole ox on top of a roaring fire. Even the Royal family took part in the fairs. The same eyewitness reported King Charles and the Queen partaking the aforementioned roasted ox.

The frost fair that occurred in the winter of 1683–84 was the most celebrated. The frost fairs on River Thames were often brief, lasting not more than a couple of days. For some reason, the fairs were usually held during the last leg of winter before the ice began to thaw.

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