River Thames frost fairs
river thames frost fair held tideway river thames london england winter starting least early late th century early th century held early th early th century period known little ice age river froze often though still infrequently time british winter severe river wider slower impeded pier medieval old london bridge removed even peak midth century thames london froze less often modern legend sometimes suggests never exceeding one year ten except four winter removal medieval london bridge winter thames recorded frozen london thames freeze often upstream beyond reach tide especially weir teddington lock lowest last great freeze higher thames – frost fair rare event even coldest part little ice age recorded frost fair – – recreational cold weather winter event far common elsewhere europe example netherlands least many canal often froze event country well winter festival carnival around world present time also considered frost fair however actually used title great frost – severe freeze recorded england thames completely frozen two month ice reaching thickness inch cm london solid ice reported extending mile coast southern north sea england france low country causing severe problem shipping preventing use many harbour one earliest account thames freezing come ad frozen solid six week river open wheeled traffic trade transport good week lasted week period midth century th century europe called little ice age severity climate especially winter england ice thick enough lasted long enough londoner would take river travel trade entertainment latter eventually taking form public festival fair thames broader shallower middle age – yet embanked meaning flowed slowly moreover old london bridge carried row shop house side roadway supported many closely spaced pier protected large timber casing year extended – causing narrowing arch bridge thus concentrating water swiftflowing torrent winter large piece ice would lodge timber casing gradually blocking arch acting like dam river ebb tide first known frost fair river thames ad although known title frost fair river froze six week vendor set booth frozen river sold good first recorded frost fair term frost fair used barber pub fruitsellers shoemaker lit fire inside tent stay warm activity frost fair included football according article published saturday magazine dancing ninepin bowling unlicensed gambling celebrated frost fair occurred winter – activity included horse coach racing ice skating puppet play bullbaiting well football ninepin bowling sledding fox hunting throwing cock john evelyns account frost fair coach plied westminster temple several stair fro street sled sliding skeetes bullbaiting horse coach race puppet play interlude cook tipling lewd place seemed bacchanalian triumph carnival water sixpence printer croom sold souvenir card written customer name date fact card printed thames making five pound day ten time labourer weekly wage king charles ii bought one cold weather cause merriment evelyn explained fowl fish bird exotic plant green universally perishing many park deer destroyed sort fuel dear great contribution keep poor alivelondon reason excessive coldness air hindering ascent smoke filled fuliginous steam seacoal one could hardly breath eyewitness account – frost th december misprint violent frost began lasted th february great extremity pool frozen inch thick least thames frozen great street temple southwark built shop manner thing sold hackney coach plied street also bullbaiting great many show trick seen day frost broke morning saw coach six horse driven whitehall almost bridge london bridge yet three oclock day february th next southwark ice gone boat row fro next day frost gone candlemas day went croydon market led horse ice horseferry westminster lambeth came back led lambeth upon middle thames whitefriars stair led day ox roasted whole whitehall king charles queen ate part thames frost fair often brief scarcely commenced weather lifted people retreat melting ice rapid thaw sometimes caused loss life property january melting ice dragged ship anchored riverside public house pulling building causing five people crushed death frost fair – – frost fair began february lasted four day blackfriar bridge london bridge elephant led across river blackfriar temperature freezing every night december february numerous londoner made way onto frozen thames tradesman type set booth sell ware pedlar circulated crowd food drink sold including beef brunswick mum coffee gin gingerbread hot apple old tom gin roast mutton hot chocolate purl wormwood ale black tea activity included dancing ninepin bowling ice broke starting february several people drowned nearly dozen printing press also ice producing commemorative poem printer named george davis published page book frostiana history river thames frozen state wonderful effect frost snow ice cold england different part world interspersed various amusing anecdote entire book typeset printed davis printing stall set frozen thames book contained account frost humorous saying anecdote various weatherrelated history specific skaiting according review last frost fair climate growing milder old london bridge demolished replaced new bridge wider arch allowing tide flow freely river embanked stage th century made river less likely freeze nearly frost fair severe winter andrew saying expected many frost fair would held thames thames froze several time th century king henry viii travelled central london greenwich sleigh along river queen elizabeth took ice frequently shoot mark small boy played football ice soon beilby porteus bishop london took residence fulham palace recorded year remarkable severe frost latter end year thames completely frozen mr porteus walked fulham putney annual register recorded january river completely frozen people walk fro across fairground booth erected well puppet show roundabout pedestrian tunnel southern end southwark bridge engraving southwark sculptor richard kindersley made five slab grey slate depicting frost fair frieze contains inscription read two line per slab inscription based handbill printed thames frost fair early chapter novel orlando biography virginia woolf take place frozen river thames frost fair historical mystery true confession london spy katherine cowley key event plot occur frost fair book “one snowy night” amanda grange character go frost fair doctor episode good man go war river song encounter rory williams returning cell stormcage containment facility tell last great frost fair doctor taken iceskating river thames got stevie wonder sing london bridge say rory express surprise stevie wonder sang river caution must never tell singer doctor episode thin ice set final frost fair includes reference elephant crossing stunt arctic oscillation chipperfields circus started frost fair continues day th generation dalton minimum frost fair definition wiktionary frozen strait great frost maunder minimum spörer minimum britton john brayley edward wedlake brewer james norris et al beauty england wale delineation topographical historical descriptive county vol x thomas maiden p currie ian frost freeze fair chronicle frozen thames harsh winter britain ad coulsdon surrey frosted earth isbn davis george frostiana history river thames frozen state london printed published ice river thames mo february drower george thames froze time december evelyn john abstract letter worshipful john evelyn esq sent one secretary r society concerning dammage sic done garden preceding winter philosophical transaction – – doirstl jstor scid hudson roger london portrait city london folio society oclc humphreys helen frozen thames toronto mcclelland stewart isbn lamb hh appendix part iii table app v app v climate present past future vol london methuen pp – isbn porteus dr beilby brief description three favourite country residence cambridge privately printed limited edition reed nicholas frost fair frozen thames folkestone lilburne press isbn schneer jonathan thames england river london little brown isbn frost fair mug glass victoria albert museum archived original september retrieved august print frost fair great britain wonder historical weather event –