The River Roach - The Big Freeze 1947, the
snowiest since 1814. From 22 January to 17 March in 1947, snow fell every day
somewhere in the UK, with the weather so cold that the snow
accumulated.
This year will long be remembered for the exceptionally cold
winter. Ice floes formed on the river which were broken and piled up by the
tides. Seven motorboats vanished from the river when the thaw and a falling tide
also swept the floes out.
The cold water killed many eels and the seagulls could be seen feasting on them,
while the oysters too suffered another setback as the temperature seldom rose
more than a degree or two above freezing, unless the ice could be kept off the
Oyster beds, the Oysters would die. It happened again in 1963 finishing
off most of the Oyster Fishing in the area. The last of the fishermen captured
in this article.
See http://www.winter1947.co.uk/ for some
amazing weather maps and more photos; or the Met's Office weather
report. For 1962/63 Winter summary see Mike Tullets
website.
