1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Missed in History Class, a production 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. Hello and welcome to the podcast. I'm Tray, 3 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: C V. Wilson and I'm Holly Frye. Ages ago, we 4 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: were looking for some ideas for winter or holiday like 5 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,479 Speaker 1: winter or winter holiday episodes. We put out a call 6 00:00:25,680 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: on Facebook and what was then called Twitter and stuff 7 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: like that. Listener Laurie asked for one about the London 8 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:39,559 Speaker 1: Frost Fairs, which were essentially festivals that were held out 9 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 1: on the ice when the River Thames froze over. So yes, 10 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 1: this is another in our recent line of episodes based 11 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: on something that somebody asked us for years ago. But 12 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: we have actually covered a lot of the other topics 13 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: that were suggested during that call for suggestions, especially the 14 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: ones that were more specifically about Christmas. So like NORAD's 15 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:04,520 Speaker 1: annual tracking of Santa Claus and the Yes, Virginia there 16 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 1: is a Santa Claus story, and Charles Dickens's a Christmas 17 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: Carol in Washington, Irving's influence on how Christmas is celebrated 18 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:15,279 Speaker 1: in the US, Like all of those were suggested during 19 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: that call for suggestions. This one, though, this is really 20 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: a winter episode, not a Christmas episode. Most of these 21 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: fairs took place in January or February, which were usually 22 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 1: a little bit colder than December, and this is also 23 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:32,039 Speaker 1: a story about climate, although the climate is not the 24 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: only reason that the last of these fairs took place 25 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 1: in eighteen fourteen. There are lots of places on Earth 26 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: where rivers and lakes and other bodies of water freeze 27 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 1: over in the winter and are made into roads or 28 00:01:44,720 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 1: are used for other purposes. And in a lot of 29 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,600 Speaker 1: those places, those frozen bodies of water aren't a novelty 30 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: like what we're talking about today. They're a critical part 31 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:56,800 Speaker 1: of the local infrastructure every winter as people turn them 32 00:01:56,800 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: into roads. That's one of the many ways that global 33 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: warming is already impacting people's lives and livelihoods. As winters 34 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: get shorter and milder, people living in these areas lose 35 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 1: a vital transportation route. That's really not the case, though, 36 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 1: with the River Thames in southern England, especially the part 37 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:18,080 Speaker 1: of the river around London. There are reports of this 38 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:20,839 Speaker 1: part of the Thames freezing over going all the way 39 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,640 Speaker 1: back to the first century, but this wasn't something that 40 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: happened often at all, and when it did happen, it 41 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 1: could be deeply destructive. For example, one account from ten 42 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: ninety two reads quote the great streams were congealed in 43 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:37,800 Speaker 1: such a manner that they could draw two hundred horsemen 44 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: and carriages over them. Whilst at there thawing, Many bridges 45 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:45,359 Speaker 1: both of wood and stone were borne down, and diverse 46 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 1: watermills were broken up and carried away. The part of 47 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 1: the Thames that runs from London to the sea also 48 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 1: experiences tides, and the rising and falling tides could shift 49 00:02:56,440 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: this layer of ice, causing it to damage things that 50 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 1: are around it, or if the ice couldn't move, then 51 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 1: the rising water could break out underneath it and then 52 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: just flood whatever was nearby. It also took a long 53 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,240 Speaker 1: period of very cold weather for this stretch of the 54 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: Thames to freeze, and that wasn't something people were used 55 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: to or prepared for. So many historical accounts of a 56 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: frozen Thames also include a lot of references to other 57 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 1: cold weather hardships, like people freezing to death or running 58 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:28,360 Speaker 1: out of food and fuel and being put out of 59 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 1: work when industries had to shut down because of the 60 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 1: weather or frozen over waterways. There are also mentions of 61 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: fundraising efforts to help the poor or the monarch earmarking 62 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:43,360 Speaker 1: money or supplies for relief. The River Thames became somewhat 63 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: more likely to freeze in London starting around the year 64 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: thirteen hundred, at the start of the period known as 65 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: the Little Ice Age. This term was coined in nineteen 66 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 1: thirty nine to describe a period of relative cooling that 67 00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:00,040 Speaker 1: stretched from about thirteen hundred to eighteen fifty or so. 68 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: Older descriptions of the Little Ice Age often make it 69 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: sound like an almost continual global period of colder than 70 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: normal temperatures, but more recent research, including studies of tree 71 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: rings and ice cores, suggest that this was a more 72 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:21,480 Speaker 1: complicated phenomenon. Globally, the average temperature was slightly colder than 73 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: the thousand year average between the years one thousand and 74 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:27,919 Speaker 1: two thousand, but this was also relative because the Little 75 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:30,840 Speaker 1: Ice Age followed a warmer stretch known as the Medieval 76 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 1: Warming Period, which spanned from about nine hundred to thirteen hundred. 77 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: Some parts of the world, including much of northern and 78 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 1: western Europe, were generally colder during the Little Ice Age. 79 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:47,560 Speaker 1: Glaciers expanded in some areas, including the European Alps, New Zealand, Alaska, 80 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: and the southern Andes, but other areas were relatively warmer. 81 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 1: Some regions also faced much wetter weather during these centuries, 82 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 1: while others experienced prolonged drought, so it wasn't just so 83 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:03,839 Speaker 1: that temperatures in some regions were getting generally colder. The 84 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:07,479 Speaker 1: overall weather tended to be more extreme, and we don't 85 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: know exactly why this happened, but possible causes include volcanic activity, 86 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:17,560 Speaker 1: changes in atmospheric circulation and ocean currents, and low solar output. 87 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 1: There are two known periods of very reduced sunspot activity 88 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,320 Speaker 1: during these centuries, which is believed to correspond to lower 89 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: output from the sun. The Little Ice Age is not 90 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: the only reason that the River Thames periodically froze over 91 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: in London during these centuries. Another is the Old London Bridge, 92 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 1: which was completed in twelve oh nine. This bridge was 93 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:45,280 Speaker 1: built with nineteen arches, and each of those was built 94 00:05:45,320 --> 00:05:47,839 Speaker 1: like the feet of them were built on piers that 95 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:51,560 Speaker 1: extended out into the water, so the space under each 96 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:54,799 Speaker 1: of these arches was narrow, and as the river started 97 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 1: to freeze, ice could collect around those piers. It basically 98 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 1: created a dam that slowed or stopped the river. The 99 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: river itself was also wider and slower moving than it 100 00:06:05,839 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 1: is today, and it's easier for that slower moving water 101 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: to freeze. The first reports of people setting up tents 102 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: or booths on the frozen Thames date back to the 103 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:19,159 Speaker 1: year six ninety five, and there are accounts of various 104 00:06:19,200 --> 00:06:22,640 Speaker 1: activities happening on the ice in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, 105 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,080 Speaker 1: but the term frost fars wasn't used until the seventeenth century. 106 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: The River Thames through London is known to have developed 107 00:06:30,520 --> 00:06:33,560 Speaker 1: ice thick enough to walk on at least twenty four 108 00:06:33,640 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 1: times between sixteen hundred and eighteen fourteen, and those of 109 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: the centuries that are associated with occasional frost fairs, at 110 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:45,440 Speaker 1: least some of these fares were spearheaded by people who 111 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: had been put out of work by the river freezing over, 112 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 1: especially watermen who moved passengers around the Thames by boat, 113 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 1: and lightermen who did the same but with cargo. Watermen 114 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,359 Speaker 1: and lightermen were often the ones to declare the surface 115 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 1: of the Thames safe to walk on based on their 116 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: own judgment, and they also did things like build little 117 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:07,560 Speaker 1: bridges to help people get from the shore out onto 118 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: the ice. Since they weren't being paid to ferry passengers 119 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 1: or cargo, they would basically make up for it by 120 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:18,360 Speaker 1: collecting tolls for using these temporary bridges. At the same time, 121 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: these fares were somewhat spontaneous, starting once people thought the 122 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:26,280 Speaker 1: ice could support a crowd, and ending as warmer weather 123 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 1: made the ice start to saw vendors set up shops 124 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: and little food stalls. There was lots and lots of 125 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: food and drink. A little bit of it is still around. 126 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:39,480 Speaker 1: There's some gingerbread from the eighteen fourteen fare in the 127 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 1: collection of the Museum of London. There were also activities 128 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: like ice skating and bowling and archery, as well as 129 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 1: blood sports like bull baiting. In eighteen fourteen, there was 130 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: even an elephant brought onto the ice. I can't imagine 131 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: that elephant was happy about that. No. There were also 132 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: lots of souvenirs, things like US spoons and other household 133 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 1: objects that were engraved with the fact that they had 134 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: been bought at the frost fair. One souvenir that showed 135 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: up at multiple fairs was printed materials, so people would 136 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: set up a printing press on the ice and then 137 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: print tickets with people's names and the date, or add 138 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: people's printed names to like a personalization area on something 139 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: like a souvenir woodcut. These would often say something like 140 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 1: quote printed by sea cream on the ice on the 141 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: River Thames. That's a real example. It came from a 142 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: ticket that was printed for King Charles the Second and 143 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:40,280 Speaker 1: members of the royal family and court in sixteen eighty four. 144 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:44,559 Speaker 1: Aside from these souvenirs, we have tons of written documentation 145 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 1: related to these fairs. People's correspondents, diaries, newspapers, histories and 146 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 1: chronicles of London written during these centuries. It just goes 147 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,760 Speaker 1: on and on. There were at least six major frost 148 00:08:57,800 --> 00:09:01,000 Speaker 1: fairs on the Thames between sixteen oh seven and eighteen fourteen, 149 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,280 Speaker 1: as well as various smaller events, and there is so 150 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: much surviving written material about them. We're going to hit 151 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: some highlights from the seventeenth century after we paused for 152 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 1: a sponsor break. As we said before the break, there 153 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 1: were times before the seventeenth century that the River Thames 154 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:28,520 Speaker 1: froze and people had some kind of event out on 155 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 1: the ice in London, but the first one to be 156 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: described as a frost fair was in sixteen oh seven. 157 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: That year, the Thames upstream of the London Bridge froze 158 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: over for six weeks. The ice was thick enough to 159 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 1: walk on by late December, but it was really in 160 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:47,959 Speaker 1: January that the fair got going on the ice. One 161 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: of the things to come out of this fair was 162 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 1: a pamphlet titled the Great Frost Cold Doings in London 163 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 1: except it to be at the Lottery with news out 164 00:09:57,160 --> 00:10:00,440 Speaker 1: of the country. A familiar talk between a countryman and 165 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:03,960 Speaker 1: a citizen, touching this terrible frost and the Great Lottery 166 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:07,199 Speaker 1: and the effects of them, the description of the Thames 167 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:11,200 Speaker 1: frozen over. So this is written as a dialogue between 168 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: a citizen, that being, a city person and a countryman, 169 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: and it kicks off with quote a table of the 170 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 1: most special matters of note contained in this short discourse. 171 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:26,440 Speaker 1: Those special matters are quote one a description of the 172 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 1: Thames being frozen over. Two the dangers that hath happened 173 00:10:30,800 --> 00:10:35,079 Speaker 1: to some persons passing upon the Thames. Three the harms 174 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: that this frost hath done to the city, for the 175 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: misery that the country people are driven into by the 176 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:45,680 Speaker 1: means of this frost. Five the frosts in other Kings 177 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:50,000 Speaker 1: times compared with this six a description of the lottery. 178 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: The citizen explains to the countryman that quote the Thames 179 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,080 Speaker 1: began to put on his frieze coat, which yet he 180 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:00,520 Speaker 1: wears about the week before Christmas. And he makes it 181 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 1: clear that this freezing weather was dangerous and difficult. He 182 00:11:04,280 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 1: describes people falling through weak patches in the ice, some 183 00:11:07,720 --> 00:11:10,439 Speaker 1: of them up to their knees or their armpits, and 184 00:11:10,640 --> 00:11:13,120 Speaker 1: all the way under, with some of those last never 185 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:15,719 Speaker 1: being seen again. And he says that a lot of 186 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:17,840 Speaker 1: people are out of work because of the ice, forced 187 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:21,520 Speaker 1: into what they called the dead vacation, the frozen vacation, 188 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:25,920 Speaker 1: the cold vacation. The citizen talks about how much the 189 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 1: poor were being charged for candles and wood, and how 190 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 1: much they were suffering because of it. The countryman says 191 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,800 Speaker 1: it is just as bad out where he lives. Quote 192 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,679 Speaker 1: the poor plowman's children sit crying and blowing their nails 193 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,080 Speaker 1: as lamentsably as the children and servants of your poor artificers. 194 00:11:43,679 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 1: Hunger pinches their cheeks as deep into the flesh as 195 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 1: it does into yours. Here you cry out, here you 196 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,480 Speaker 1: are undone for coal, and we complain we shall die 197 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 1: for want of wood. All your care is to provide 198 00:11:56,679 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 1: for your wives, children and servants, and this time of sadness, 199 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: but we go beyond you in cares. Not only our wives, 200 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: our children, and household servants are unto us a cause 201 00:12:08,360 --> 00:12:11,719 Speaker 1: of sorrow. But we grew as much to behold the 202 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:15,640 Speaker 1: misery of our poor cattle in this frozen hearted season 203 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:20,040 Speaker 1: as it doth to look upon our own affliction. At 204 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,440 Speaker 1: the same time, the citizen makes the fair on the 205 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:26,000 Speaker 1: Thames sound like a lot of fun. Quote thirst you 206 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:30,440 Speaker 1: for beer, ale usquebath, et cetera, or for victuals? There 207 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:32,640 Speaker 1: you may buy it, because you may tell another day 208 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: how you dined upon the Thames? Are you cold with 209 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: going over? You shall ere? You come to the midst 210 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 1: of the river, spy some ready with pans of coals 211 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:45,440 Speaker 1: to warm your fingers. If you want fruit after you 212 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: have dined, there stands costumongers to serve you at your call. 213 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:52,320 Speaker 1: And thus do people leave their houses and the streets, 214 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 1: turning the goodliest river in the whole kingdom into the 215 00:12:55,640 --> 00:12:59,520 Speaker 1: broadest street to walk in. If you're thinking, wasn't there 216 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 1: something about the lottery in the name of this pamphlet 217 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 1: and the table of contents. This sounds more like what 218 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:11,960 Speaker 1: we might describe as a raffle of quote, spoons, cups, bowls, basins, viewers, 219 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 1: et cetera, fairly graven and richly gilded. This was similar 220 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 1: to a lottery that had been arranged under Queen Elizabeth, 221 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:22,559 Speaker 1: the first to raise money for public projects. But this one, 222 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 1: according to this account, was set up by strangers. Also 223 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 1: ruskwa bath. This was listed in the drinks you could 224 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:35,319 Speaker 1: get that is usqueba, which is a type of whiskey 225 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:38,520 Speaker 1: which I have like an early type of whiskey, never 226 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:44,360 Speaker 1: heard of, despite my years of enjoying beverages. Edmund House 227 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:47,240 Speaker 1: has a more straightforward description of the sixteen oh seven 228 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 1: fair in his continuation of the abridgement of Stowe's English Chronicle. 229 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:55,840 Speaker 1: Quote from Sunday the tenth of January until the fifteenth 230 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: of the same the frost grew so extreme as the 231 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:02,120 Speaker 1: ice became firm and removed not and then all sorts 232 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: of men, women and children went boldly upon the ice. 233 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 1: In most parts, some shot at pricks, others bold and 234 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 1: danced with other variable pastimes, by reason of which concourse 235 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,920 Speaker 1: of people were many that set up booths and standings 236 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 1: upon the ice as fruit sellers, victuallers that sold beer 237 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 1: and wine, shoemakers, and a barber's tent, et cetera. Uh, 238 00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 1: that's just the note. I think shot at pricks means 239 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:31,480 Speaker 1: they did some archery. Another major fair was held during 240 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:34,720 Speaker 1: the Great Frost of sixteen eighty three to sixteen eighty four. 241 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 1: This one was known as the Blanket Fare, possibly because 242 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: the booths were made of blankets draped over the oars 243 00:14:41,920 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: that the watermen couldn't use because everything was frozen over. 244 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 1: There's a reference to this in a broadside ballad that 245 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:52,360 Speaker 1: was printed in sixteen eighty four, which includes the lines 246 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 1: quote in Roast Beef and Brandy, much money is spent 247 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:59,600 Speaker 1: in booths made of blankets that pay no ground rent. 248 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: This ballad, which is pretty long, makes the frozen Thames 249 00:15:04,000 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 1: sound very dangerous at night, suggesting that the people who 250 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: do not stay home safely warm in their beds might 251 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 1: wind up being pickpocketed or sexually assaulted. There are definitely 252 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 1: a lot of reports of pickpocketing in all of these fairs, 253 00:15:17,080 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 1: as is often the case with very crowded festival type places. 254 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:25,760 Speaker 1: This fair was also documented by famed diarist John Evelyn. 255 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 1: That year, the river was iced over for about two months, 256 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:33,000 Speaker 1: and Evelin noted that the river was frozen on January sixth, 257 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 1: and three days later he wrote quote, I went across 258 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 1: the Thames on the ice now become so thick as 259 00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:41,080 Speaker 1: to bear not only streets of booths in which they 260 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: roasted meat and had diverse shops of wares quite across 261 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 1: as in a town, but coaches, carts and horses passed over. 262 00:15:49,120 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: So I went from Westminster Stairs to Lambeth and dined 263 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 1: with the Archbishop, where I met my Lord Bruce, Sir 264 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 1: George Wheeler, Colonel Cook, and several divines. After dinner and 265 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: discourse with disgrace till evening prayers, Sir George Wheeler and 266 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 1: I walked over the ice from Lambeth Stairs to the 267 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 1: horse Ferry. On the sixteenth, evel And described the Thames 268 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: as filled with people in tents quote selling all sorts 269 00:16:12,360 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 1: of wares as in the city. Then on the twenty 270 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:18,360 Speaker 1: fourth he wrote, quote the frost continues more and more severe. 271 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 1: The Thames before London was still planted with booths in 272 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:26,000 Speaker 1: formal streets, all sorts of trades and shops furnished and 273 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: full of commodities, even to a printing press, where the 274 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: people and ladies took a fancy to have their names 275 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:34,400 Speaker 1: printed and the day of the year set down when 276 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: printed on the Thames. This humor took so universally that 277 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 1: it was estimated that the printer gained five pounds a 278 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 1: day for printing a line only at sixpence a name, 279 00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 1: besides what he got by ballads, et cetera. Coaches plied 280 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 1: from Westminster to the Temple and from several other stairs 281 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 1: to and fro as in the streets, sleds sliding with skates, 282 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 1: a bull baiting horse and coach races, puppet plays and interludes, 283 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:06,000 Speaker 1: cooks tippling, and other lewed places, so that it seemed 284 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:10,080 Speaker 1: to be a Bacchanalian triumph or carnival on the water. 285 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 1: His description of what was going on on land at 286 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 1: the same time isn't nearly so cheerful, though, quote the 287 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 1: trees not only splitting as if the lightning struck, but 288 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 1: men and cattle perishing in diverse places, and the very 289 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:26,720 Speaker 1: seas so locked up with ice that no vessels could 290 00:17:26,760 --> 00:17:30,440 Speaker 1: stir out or come in. The fowls, fish and birds, 291 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:35,639 Speaker 1: and all are exotic plants and greens universally perishing. Many 292 00:17:35,760 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: parks of deer were destroyed, and all sorts of fuel 293 00:17:38,760 --> 00:17:41,919 Speaker 1: so dear that there were great contributions to preserve the 294 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:45,920 Speaker 1: poor alive. Nor was this severe weather much less intense 295 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,560 Speaker 1: in most parts of Europe, even as far as Spain. 296 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:51,960 Speaker 1: In the most southern tracts London, by reason of the 297 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,919 Speaker 1: excessive coldness of the air hindering, the ascent of the 298 00:17:55,000 --> 00:17:58,280 Speaker 1: smoke was so filled with the fuliginous steam of the 299 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:01,439 Speaker 1: sea coal that hardly could the one sea across the street, 300 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 1: And this filling the lungs with its gross particles exceedingly 301 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:10,000 Speaker 1: obstructed the breast, so as one could scarcely breathe. Here 302 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 1: was no water to be had from the pipes and engines, 303 00:18:13,119 --> 00:18:16,359 Speaker 1: nor could the brewers and diverse other tradesmen work, and 304 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 1: every moment was full of disastrous accidents. Many of the 305 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:23,760 Speaker 1: frost Fairs were commemorated in art and verse, and this 306 00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:27,520 Speaker 1: was no exception. Charles the Ion ordered the creation of 307 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 1: a panoramic description of the fair, as well as a 308 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:33,840 Speaker 1: collection of funds for the poor who were struggling because 309 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:36,680 Speaker 1: of the weather that made the fair possible. And here's 310 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 1: a poem commemorating the sixteen eighty four fair Behold the 311 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:44,040 Speaker 1: wonder of this present age. A famous river now becomes 312 00:18:44,040 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: a stage question. Not what I now declare to you. 313 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:50,679 Speaker 1: The Thames is now both fair and market. I and 314 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: many thousands daily to resort there. To behold the pastime 315 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 1: and the sport early and late, used by young and old, 316 00:18:57,400 --> 00:19:01,159 Speaker 1: and valued. Not the fierceness of the cold, and just 317 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:05,360 Speaker 1: because I found it delightful. Here's the title of one 318 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 1: of the print works that came out after this fair 319 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:12,679 Speaker 1: quote and historical account of the late Great Frost, in 320 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:18,160 Speaker 1: which are discovered in several comical relations the various humors, loves, cheets, 321 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 1: and intrigues of the town, as the same were managed 322 00:19:22,040 --> 00:19:26,040 Speaker 1: upon the River Thames during that season. We'll move on 323 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:29,000 Speaker 1: to the eighteenth century and the eventual end of the 324 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 1: frost fairs after a sponsor break. There were three major 325 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,440 Speaker 1: frost fairs in the eighteenth century, and the first was 326 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: in seventeen sixteen. Here's a description from Dox's newsletter dated 327 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:53,680 Speaker 1: January fourteenth quote, The Thames seems now a solid rock 328 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: of ice and booths for the sale of brandy wine, 329 00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:00,360 Speaker 1: ale and other exhilarating liquors have been for some time 330 00:20:00,480 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 1: fixed thereon. But now it is in a manner like 331 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,479 Speaker 1: a town. Thousands of people cross it, and with wonder 332 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 1: view the mountainous heaps of water that now lie congealed 333 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 1: into ice. On Thursday, a great cook shop was erected, 334 00:20:13,880 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: and gentlemen went as frequently to dine there as at 335 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:22,199 Speaker 1: any ordinary over against Westminster, Whitehall and Whitebriar's printing presses 336 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:24,960 Speaker 1: are kept upon the ice, where many persons have their 337 00:20:25,040 --> 00:20:29,600 Speaker 1: names printed, to transmit the wonders of the season to posterity. 338 00:20:30,560 --> 00:20:33,040 Speaker 1: Here's a description of the winter that made a frost 339 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:35,879 Speaker 1: fair possible a little more than twenty years later in 340 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:39,359 Speaker 1: seventeen thirty nine, which is reprinted in the eighteen eighty 341 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:42,960 Speaker 1: seven book Famous Frosts and Frost Fairs in Great Britain, 342 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:46,720 Speaker 1: Chronicled from the earliest to the present time. It reads 343 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 1: quote the watermen and fishermen with a peter boat in mourning, 344 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: and the carpenter's bricklayers, etc. With their tools and utensils 345 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:57,919 Speaker 1: in mourning, walk through the streets in large bodies, imploring 346 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: relief for their own and families necessities to the honor 347 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:06,480 Speaker 1: of the British character. This was liberally bestowed. Subscriptions were 348 00:21:06,520 --> 00:21:10,200 Speaker 1: also made in the different parishes, and great benefactions bestowed 349 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:12,920 Speaker 1: by the opulent, through which the calamities of the season 350 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:18,199 Speaker 1: were much mitigated. The same account reports huge damage to 351 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:21,600 Speaker 1: the shipping trade on the Thames below the bridge, with 352 00:21:21,760 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 1: vessels being damaged by ice floes and breaking away from 353 00:21:25,119 --> 00:21:30,200 Speaker 1: their moorings, crashing into things, with smaller vessels being sunk entirely. 354 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:33,919 Speaker 1: But at the same time quote above the bridge, the 355 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 1: Thames was completely frozen over, and tents and numerous booths 356 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: were erected on it for selling liquors, et cetera, to 357 00:21:40,720 --> 00:21:45,040 Speaker 1: the multitudes that daily flocked thither for curiosity or diversion. 358 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: The scene here displayed was very irregular, and had more 359 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 1: the appearance of a fair on land than of a 360 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 1: frail exhibition, the only basis of which was congealed water. 361 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,720 Speaker 1: Fifty years later, in seventeen eighty nine, visitors to the 362 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:03,639 Speaker 1: Frost Fair could buy a souvenir print with this verse. 363 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:07,359 Speaker 1: The silver Thames was frozen, or no difference TwixT the 364 00:22:07,359 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 1: stream and shore, the like no man hath seen before 365 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 1: except he lived in days of yore on the ice 366 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:17,200 Speaker 1: at the Thames Printing Office opposite Saint Catherine Stairs in 367 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: the severe frost, January seventeen eighty nine. Printed by me, 368 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: William Bailey. I love the printed by me part not 369 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 1: just printed by William Bailey. Printed by me, William Bailey. 370 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:35,840 Speaker 1: I wrote this and I'm doing it. That year the 371 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:40,200 Speaker 1: London Chronicle recorded how treacherous a fair could be as 372 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:44,080 Speaker 1: the weather started to warm. On January fifteenth, that printed 373 00:22:44,119 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 1: this quote. Perhaps the breaking up of the fare upon 374 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 1: the Thames last Tuesday night below Bridge exceeded every idea 375 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:53,040 Speaker 1: that could be formed of it, as it was not 376 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:55,679 Speaker 1: until after the dusk of the evening that the busy 377 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 1: crowd was persuaded of the approach of a thaw. This, however, 378 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,720 Speaker 1: with the cracking of some ice about eight o'clock, made 379 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 1: the whole a scene of most perfect confusion, as men, beasts, booths, turnabouts, 380 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 1: puppet shows, et cetera, et cetera, were all in motion 381 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:16,359 Speaker 1: and pouring towards the shore on each side. The confluence 382 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,440 Speaker 1: here was so sudden and impetuous that the watermen who 383 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:21,840 Speaker 1: had formed the toll bars over the sides of the 384 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,560 Speaker 1: river where they had broken the ice for that purpose. 385 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: Not being able to maintain their standard from the crowd 386 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 1: et cetera, pulled up the boards, by which a number 387 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:33,480 Speaker 1: of persons who could not leap or were borne down 388 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:36,919 Speaker 1: by the press, were southd up to the middle. The 389 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:39,360 Speaker 1: breakup of the ice also led to at least one 390 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 1: tragedy that year, as described in the Gentleman's Magazine quote. 391 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:46,920 Speaker 1: The captain of a vessel lying off rotherhithe the better 392 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: to secure the ship's cables, made an agreement with a 393 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:54,240 Speaker 1: publican for fastening a cable to his premises. In consequence 394 00:23:54,280 --> 00:23:57,399 Speaker 1: of small anchor was carried on shore and deposited in 395 00:23:57,480 --> 00:24:00,720 Speaker 1: the cellar, while another cable was fastened found a beam 396 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: in another part of the house. In the night, the 397 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:07,280 Speaker 1: ship veered about, and the cables holding fast carried away 398 00:24:07,320 --> 00:24:10,040 Speaker 1: the beam and leveled the house with the ground, by 399 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: which accident five persons asleep in their beds were killed. 400 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 1: London's last frost Fair was held in eighteen fourteen, and 401 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: it was probably the largest of them, even though it 402 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:24,680 Speaker 1: only lasted a few days. The temperature was below freezing 403 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 1: overnight from late December to the early weeks of February, 404 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:30,359 Speaker 1: but it was really only at the end of January 405 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 1: and beginning of February that the ice was thick enough 406 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:37,000 Speaker 1: to really support a crowd. Like the fares that came before, 407 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 1: this one featured a whole lot of food and drink. 408 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:43,560 Speaker 1: We talked about that gingerbread at the top of the episode. 409 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 1: There particularly was an emphasis on gin. According to what 410 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:52,800 Speaker 1: I read, well, Yeah, an entire book resulted from this 411 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 1: frost Fair, which is titled Frostiana, or a History of 412 00:24:56,760 --> 00:24:59,960 Speaker 1: the River Thames in a frozen state and the wonderful effect. 413 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 1: It's of frost, snow, ice and cold in England and 414 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 1: in different parts of the world, interspersed with various amusing anecdotes, 415 00:25:07,640 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 1: to which is added the art of skating. The title 416 00:25:11,119 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 1: page of this book claims that it was quote printed 417 00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:16,399 Speaker 1: and published on the ice on the River Thames, February fifth, 418 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 1: eighteen fourteen by G. Davis. It later clarifies that what 419 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 1: was printed on the ice was the title page and 420 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:27,240 Speaker 1: not the entire book. It did not make logistical sense 421 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:31,439 Speaker 1: that it was the whole book, but because that's on 422 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:33,560 Speaker 1: the title page, some people have taken it that way. 423 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:38,880 Speaker 1: This book describes previous frost fairs, along with the freezing 424 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 1: of the Thames more generally. Plus, there are chapters on 425 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:45,639 Speaker 1: cold weather phenomena like ice and snow. There's also an 426 00:25:45,640 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: assortment of other stuff related to cold and water, sometimes 427 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 1: tenuously related, including an ice cream recipe and instructions on 428 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:59,120 Speaker 1: how to save someone from drowning. And, as that title suggests, 429 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:02,920 Speaker 1: there is information on ice skating, including rules for learners. 430 00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:05,360 Speaker 1: This sounds like a great book to me. I want it. 431 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:07,840 Speaker 1: I mean you can read it for free on the internet. Great. 432 00:26:07,920 --> 00:26:11,280 Speaker 1: I could send you a pdam if you have doubts 433 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:14,080 Speaker 1: about the feasibility of learning ice skating from a book. 434 00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:17,200 Speaker 1: Here is how that part begins. Quote. Those who wish 435 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:20,200 Speaker 1: to be proficient should begin in an early period of life, 436 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: and should first endeavor to throw off the fear which 437 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: always attends the commencement of an apparently hazardous amusement. They 438 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 1: will soon acquire a facility of moving on the inside. 439 00:26:30,920 --> 00:26:33,119 Speaker 1: When they have done this, they must endeavor to acquire 440 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:35,639 Speaker 1: the movement on the outside of the skates, which is 441 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:38,840 Speaker 1: nothing more than throwing themselves upon the outer edge of 442 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 1: the skate and making the balance of their body tend 443 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:45,440 Speaker 1: toward that side. Which will necessarily enable them to form 444 00:26:45,480 --> 00:26:49,440 Speaker 1: a semicircle. In this much assistance may be derived from 445 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:52,120 Speaker 1: placing a bag of lead shot in the pocket next 446 00:26:52,119 --> 00:26:55,120 Speaker 1: to the foot employed in making the outside stroke, which 447 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:59,080 Speaker 1: will produce an artificial poise of the body. This, afterwards 448 00:26:59,119 --> 00:27:02,680 Speaker 1: will become natural by practice. Well, of course, there you go. 449 00:27:02,800 --> 00:27:05,760 Speaker 1: Now I know how to ice skate perfectly clear. Just 450 00:27:05,840 --> 00:27:09,320 Speaker 1: stop being afraid and put some buckshot in your pocket. 451 00:27:10,800 --> 00:27:14,120 Speaker 1: Frastiana includes a day by day description of this fair, 452 00:27:14,320 --> 00:27:17,080 Speaker 1: including various things that were for sale and how much 453 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:20,000 Speaker 1: they cost, such as quote. Among the more curious of 454 00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:23,040 Speaker 1: these was the ceremony of roasting a small sheep, which 455 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 1: was toasted, or rather burnt, over a coal fire placed 456 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:30,359 Speaker 1: in a large iron pan. For a view of this 457 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:35,960 Speaker 1: extraordinary spectacle, sixpence was demanded and willingly paid. The delicate meat, 458 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,959 Speaker 1: when done, was sold at a shilling a slice and 459 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:43,200 Speaker 1: termed lapland mutton of boots. There were a great number 460 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 1: which were ornamented with streamers, flags and signs, and in 461 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 1: which there was a plentiful store of those favorite luxuries 462 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:55,639 Speaker 1: gin beer and gingerbread. By February fourth, the author sounds 463 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:58,640 Speaker 1: kind of annoyed by the whole thing. Quote. Every day 464 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,640 Speaker 1: brought a fresh accession of peddlers to sell their wares, 465 00:28:01,960 --> 00:28:04,399 Speaker 1: and the greatest rubbish of all sorts was raked up 466 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:08,119 Speaker 1: and sold at double and treble the original cost. Books 467 00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 1: and toys labeled bought on the Thames were seen in profusion. 468 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,680 Speaker 1: The watermen profited exceedingly, for each person paid a toll 469 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:19,360 Speaker 1: of twopence or threepence before he was admitted to frost Fair. 470 00:28:20,359 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 1: Some dusour also was expected on your return. These men 471 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,199 Speaker 1: are said to have taken six pounds each in the 472 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 1: course of a day. Frostiana also describes the thawing conditions 473 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:34,920 Speaker 1: at the end of this fair is kind of frightening quote. 474 00:28:35,320 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 1: Towards the evening, the concourse became thinned, rain fell in 475 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:43,720 Speaker 1: some quantity, measter ice gave some loud cracks and floated 476 00:28:43,760 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 1: with the printing presses boosts, et cetera. And to the 477 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:51,560 Speaker 1: no small dismay of publicans, typographers, et cetera, and short 478 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:54,800 Speaker 1: this icy palace of moments, This fairy frost work was 479 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: soon to be dissolved and doomed to vanish, like the 480 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:02,240 Speaker 1: baseless fabric of a vision, but leaving some wrecks behind. 481 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 1: There is also this description from February sixth, after the 482 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 1: fare had ended, and the fate of a booth that 483 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: was still lingering on the ice. Quote. The booth just 484 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 1: mentioned was hurried along with the quickness of lightning, towards 485 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:18,240 Speaker 1: Blackfriar's Bridge. There were nine men in it, and in 486 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:21,800 Speaker 1: their alarm they neglected the fire and candles, which, communicating 487 00:29:21,840 --> 00:29:24,920 Speaker 1: with the coverings, set it in a flame. The men 488 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:27,880 Speaker 1: succeeded in getting into a lighter which had broken from 489 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:30,760 Speaker 1: its moorings, but it was dashed to pieces against one 490 00:29:30,800 --> 00:29:33,960 Speaker 1: of the piers of Blackfriar's Bridge, on which seven of 491 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 1: them got and were taken off safely. The other two 492 00:29:37,320 --> 00:29:41,440 Speaker 1: got into a barge while passing puddle dock. So those 493 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 1: folks seem to have been okay. But according to famous 494 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:46,959 Speaker 1: Frosts and frost Fairs, there was also a tragedy. At 495 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,960 Speaker 1: the end of this one quote, two genteel looking young 496 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:53,120 Speaker 1: men fell victims to their temerity and venturing on the 497 00:29:53,160 --> 00:29:57,400 Speaker 1: ice above Westminster Bridge, notwithstanding the warnings of the watermen. 498 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:00,880 Speaker 1: A large mass on which they stood and which had 499 00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: been loosened by the flood tide, gave way and they 500 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:07,600 Speaker 1: floated down the stream. As they passed under Westminster Bridge, 501 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 1: they cried out most piteously for help. They had not 502 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:13,200 Speaker 1: gone far before they sat down, but going too near 503 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 1: the edge, they overbalanced the mass and were precipitated into 504 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:21,480 Speaker 1: the stream, sinking, not to appear again. A couple of 505 00:30:21,600 --> 00:30:24,760 Speaker 1: humorous bits of print material marked the end of this fair. 506 00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:30,080 Speaker 1: One was a souvenir ticket that read, notice, whereas you J. Frost, 507 00:30:30,120 --> 00:30:33,680 Speaker 1: have by force and violence taken possession of the River Thames, 508 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 1: I hereby give you warning to quit immediately A thaw 509 00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 1: printed by S. Warner on the Ice, February fifth, eighteen fourteen. 510 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:46,040 Speaker 1: Then there was also this one quote, Dear dissolving Dame, 511 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 1: father Frost and sister Snow have honeyed my borders, formed 512 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:52,960 Speaker 1: an idol of ice upon my bosom, and the lads 513 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:56,600 Speaker 1: of London come to make merry now as you love mischief, 514 00:30:56,680 --> 00:31:00,000 Speaker 1: treat the multitude with a few cracks by a side, 515 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:02,960 Speaker 1: and visit and obtain the prayers of the poor upon 516 00:31:03,080 --> 00:31:07,440 Speaker 1: both banks. Given at my own press, the fifth, February 517 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:13,560 Speaker 1: eighteen fourteen, Thomas Thames. I don't know why the phrase 518 00:31:13,640 --> 00:31:18,480 Speaker 1: honeyed by borders sounds to me, I'm like, all right, 519 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:22,560 Speaker 1: then that eighteen fourteen frost Fair was the last one. 520 00:31:22,960 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: One reason was at the Little Ice Age ended around 521 00:31:25,560 --> 00:31:29,000 Speaker 1: eighteen fifty and the planet has continued to get warmer 522 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:32,760 Speaker 1: since then. Very broadly speaking, London is an average of 523 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:36,520 Speaker 1: about two degrees celsius warmer today than it was during 524 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:39,600 Speaker 1: the age of the frost Fairs. But another factor is 525 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:42,560 Speaker 1: that the old London Bridge was demolished in eighteen thirty 526 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:46,120 Speaker 1: one and its replacement had only five arches with far 527 00:31:46,200 --> 00:31:49,160 Speaker 1: more room between them, and that made it easier for 528 00:31:49,240 --> 00:31:51,840 Speaker 1: boats to navigate under the bridge, but it also made 529 00:31:51,880 --> 00:31:54,920 Speaker 1: it much harder for ice to create a dam there. 530 00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:58,920 Speaker 1: The Thames River was also dredged in the nineteenth century 531 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:02,240 Speaker 1: and Stoneham bankments were built between eighteen sixty four and 532 00:32:02,280 --> 00:32:05,680 Speaker 1: eighteen seventy four, so it is a deeper and faster 533 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:09,840 Speaker 1: moving river than it was prior to the nineteenth century. Yeah, 534 00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:11,840 Speaker 1: I think even if it got a lot lot colder, 535 00:32:12,760 --> 00:32:15,000 Speaker 1: it would be a lot harder for the Thames to 536 00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:18,480 Speaker 1: freeze there. Yeah, that makes sense. If it did freeze there, 537 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 1: it would be a like Day after Tomorrow apocalypse horror 538 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:27,320 Speaker 1: movie situation. I mean, we're facing a different situation with 539 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 1: the warming of the planet, But like that would be 540 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:34,280 Speaker 1: just a drastic, drastic shift in climate based on the 541 00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:38,400 Speaker 1: trajectory that we're on currently. Yeah, I'm sort of waiting 542 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:41,160 Speaker 1: for someone to be like, We'll do a man made 543 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:43,400 Speaker 1: blocking of the Thames and cause it to freeze over 544 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:48,800 Speaker 1: and that leading to some sort of magical film level disaster. 545 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:53,960 Speaker 1: This does seem like something somebody would do. Yeah, do 546 00:32:54,000 --> 00:32:56,959 Speaker 1: you have listener mail for us? I do. It is 547 00:32:57,040 --> 00:33:00,080 Speaker 1: from Mara, and Mara wrote Holly and Tracy. I just 548 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:03,000 Speaker 1: finished her episode on Christine Quintasket, and I made sure 549 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 1: I sat down and listened to it during a time 550 00:33:05,200 --> 00:33:08,200 Speaker 1: when I could really pay attention. I've lived my entire 551 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:10,320 Speaker 1: life here in Washington, and I have to admit I 552 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:13,040 Speaker 1: had never heard about Christine. I was so happy to 553 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:15,280 Speaker 1: hear the story of an Indigenous woman so close to 554 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:18,240 Speaker 1: my home. I live very close to Medical Lake and 555 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:21,160 Speaker 1: often walk and drive near the hospital where she died, 556 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 1: and have hiked and backpacked the foothills and plains of 557 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:28,280 Speaker 1: the Okanagan. The eastern side of the state is wildly 558 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:32,120 Speaker 1: different from the drizzly and damp Seattle region and has 559 00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:35,120 Speaker 1: a completely different beauty to it. I'm so glad Christine 560 00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 1: fought so hard to maintain the history and beauty of 561 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 1: it and document the culture of the people who have 562 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:43,720 Speaker 1: called it home for millennia. I was particularly impressed with 563 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:46,480 Speaker 1: the attention you both paid to pronunciation of names and 564 00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:49,719 Speaker 1: regions and towns in Washington. Most people managed to butcher 565 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 1: the pronunciation of Callville, not to mention Oglala and Okanagan. 566 00:33:54,240 --> 00:33:57,080 Speaker 1: I'm also attaching a recent news article about how tribes 567 00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:59,840 Speaker 1: in Washington are working to restore the presence of the 568 00:34:00,520 --> 00:34:03,760 Speaker 1: on native lands. Attached is my pet tax. As stated 569 00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:05,840 Speaker 1: in the subject, it will be excessive. I did not 570 00:34:05,880 --> 00:34:08,200 Speaker 1: read the subject, but it does say mourning dove and 571 00:34:08,320 --> 00:34:12,000 Speaker 1: excessive pet tax. I have way too many animals, four cats, 572 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:15,320 Speaker 1: a dog, and three horses. Here are Lilith and Evy, 573 00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:19,160 Speaker 1: my spoiled orange house cats, Betty Lou and Grumps, the 574 00:34:19,239 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 1: mischievous sister farm kiddies, and my horse Mickey and her 575 00:34:22,560 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 1: adorable companion Nutella, the thirty year old wonder mini horse, Indy, 576 00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:30,759 Speaker 1: the world's most cuddly catalog and Nail, my hearthorse and 577 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:35,839 Speaker 1: adventure companion Mara. So these are great pictures. Of so 578 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:43,560 Speaker 1: many animals. Oh goodness, orange kitties in a basket. I mean, 579 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:46,280 Speaker 1: I think that seems like the right number of animals 580 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:50,120 Speaker 1: if you can take care of them. Yeah, I mean yes. 581 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:53,920 Speaker 1: If I had, you know, a farm, I would for 582 00:34:54,000 --> 00:34:57,760 Speaker 1: sure have more animals than we have currently. I wanted 583 00:34:57,800 --> 00:34:59,600 Speaker 1: to read this now for a couple reason on what 584 00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:06,239 Speaker 1: great animal pictures. Yes. Two, I will definitely admit that 585 00:35:06,360 --> 00:35:11,800 Speaker 1: I said Calville as Colville in my head before going 586 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:14,600 Speaker 1: to look it up as a just in case, because 587 00:35:14,640 --> 00:35:18,480 Speaker 1: it is spelled like you would think, just based on 588 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:22,040 Speaker 1: patterns of you know how words are often pronounced in English, 589 00:35:22,200 --> 00:35:25,720 Speaker 1: that it's Colville, but it is Calville. And I actually 590 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:28,040 Speaker 1: found as I was working on the pronunciations for that 591 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:33,520 Speaker 1: episode a couple of different contradictory pronunciations for Okanagan. There 592 00:35:33,600 --> 00:35:37,480 Speaker 1: was also okanag gain, which I think is a more 593 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:43,000 Speaker 1: like Salish language pronunciation and one that almost like didn't 594 00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:45,160 Speaker 1: really have the final syllable on it at all. So 595 00:35:46,320 --> 00:35:50,000 Speaker 1: I think there are some variations on that regionally. And 596 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:54,279 Speaker 1: I was very interested with this article about introducing some 597 00:35:54,760 --> 00:36:01,200 Speaker 1: buffalo as a food sovereignty effort. We did not talk 598 00:36:01,239 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 1: about it in this episode. These bison I think came 599 00:36:05,120 --> 00:36:11,080 Speaker 1: from Yellowstone. A lot of the efforts to reintroduce bison 600 00:36:11,280 --> 00:36:16,680 Speaker 1: in the United States, the bison have come from Canada, 601 00:36:17,160 --> 00:36:20,319 Speaker 1: which is where the bison from the US were sent 602 00:36:20,440 --> 00:36:26,799 Speaker 1: to in the episodes on Morning Doves. So thank you 603 00:36:26,840 --> 00:36:30,720 Speaker 1: so much for sending this article and these horse pictures 604 00:36:30,760 --> 00:36:33,919 Speaker 1: and cat pictures and dog pictures. Yes, I love them, 605 00:36:34,320 --> 00:36:39,960 Speaker 1: puppies and kiddies and horses. Yeah, if you'd like to 606 00:36:39,960 --> 00:36:42,440 Speaker 1: send us a note about this or any other podcast, 607 00:36:42,520 --> 00:36:47,239 Speaker 1: we're at History podcast at iHeartRadio dot com, and you 608 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:51,320 Speaker 1: can subscribe to our show on the iHeartRadio app or 609 00:36:51,320 --> 00:36:53,799 Speaker 1: wherever else you like to get your podcasts. And I 610 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:55,799 Speaker 1: also usually say you can send us a note if 611 00:36:55,800 --> 00:36:58,640 Speaker 1: you like, at History Podcasts at iHeartRadio dot com. But 612 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:00,880 Speaker 1: now I think I might have said that already I 613 00:37:01,040 --> 00:37:04,839 Speaker 1: interrupted my normal flow of this show outro, and now 614 00:37:04,880 --> 00:37:06,640 Speaker 1: I don't remember what I've said and what I haven't. 615 00:37:06,640 --> 00:37:09,880 Speaker 1: So for the three or four people still listening this 616 00:37:10,000 --> 00:37:13,719 Speaker 1: late in the episode, you know now that sometimes it 617 00:37:13,800 --> 00:37:24,160 Speaker 1: goes off the rails, So yeah, thanks for listening. Stuff 618 00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:26,960 Speaker 1: you missed in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. 619 00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:31,919 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, 620 00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:34,080 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.