"They say the Thames has frozen over!" (February 1, 1814)

When I wrote to the British Met Office many years ago to inquire about the weather in early 1814, someone there photocopied several pages from Ian Currie’s Frost, Freezes and Fairs for me, along with tables of average mean temperature and precipitation. It was the information they supplied that set the stage for Claire and Justin’s first meeting in Chapter 2 and really got the story going. Thank you!

Ian Currie has kindly given permission for pages 64 and 65 from his book to be reproduced here. Readers will recognize "Frostiana", and see where the description of the Frost Fair came from...

For the meteorologically minded, Ian Currie's own website is well worth a visit.

If you're more historically inclined, you will enjoy the Regency History blog, where Rachel Knowles has devoted informative posts to the Frost Fair and the Art of Skating. Her blog is always worth a visit! Her posts are well written and handsomely illustrated, and she supplies references for further reading, bringing a scholarly approach to blogging.