Speaker: Nigel Metcalfe
Nigel is a retired librarian and records manager who lives in the West Midlands. and has a life-long interest in social and industrial history. In August 2023, Nigel gave us ‘A Nostalgic Trip down the High Street’. He returned to talk about ‘Frost Fairs’.
"Flushed-faced revellers drinking, dancing, flirting, and gorging around glowing braziers on a frozen River Thames. We can almost smell the ox being roasted, and the apples being toasted in this merry vision of Olde London Towne; and perhaps incredibly for such a romantic notion, it is largely true. Between 1309 and 1814, the Thames froze on 23 occasions, five of which saw ice thick enough to bear a full-on, traditional frost fair."
This talk used contemporary paintings and prints to explore the fairs. The Little Ice Age was considered, as were the reasons why there have been no more frost fairs since 1814. The talk was fully illustrated.