Frosts, Freezes and Fairs

On December 11, 2025, I had the distinct pleasure of listening to a talk by Ian Currie speaking to the London Westminster & Middlesex Family History Society, about Frost Fairs and Freezes.

Ian led us through an entertaining and fact-filled summary of major cold events in Britain, including some of the periods when the Thames and other major rivers froze over. The subject was particularly of interest to me in my research of weather and climate changes and how they affected families and communities.

The talk was recorded but only available to society members for a short time. What came to light for me, though, was a publication by Ian titled Frosts, Freezes and Fairs: Chronicles of the Frozen Thames and Harsh Winters in Britain from 1000AD. The book was published by Frosted Earth in 1996. It is relatively short – 89 pages – but a marvelous summary highlighting cold winters in Britain over the past millennium. It contains many high-quality reproductions of images showing frost conditions: formal artwork, newspaper clippings, drawings and photographs.

My great regret is that I did not find the reference when I was doing my own research into Mother Nature’s impact and the Little Ice Age (I blame it on a less than complete Google search.). I have written and presented talks about these subjects extensively over the past several years, including about many of the most severe frosts detailed in Ian’s book and talk.

As with many publications, many decades old, the availability of the book is somewhat limited. I purchased my copy from Thrift Books Global LLC, mainly because it offered quick delivery. It is available from Amazon and a few other notable book sellers.

If you want to know more about London’s history, especially events that occurred during the Little Ice Age, then this would be a fine addition to your library.