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The old London Frost Fairs blog

Frost Fair from 1814

Since 2002 he has returned to London in early December to celebrate the traditional Frost Fair, Bankside between Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre in Paseo de la Reina Isabel II on the banks of the River Thames today is a Christmas fair with various recreational activities, flea market, concerts, skating rink and other training, but this show reminds us there was a time when the Thames froze so they could develop in its course the main activities of the ancient city of London Frost Fairs, when weather conditions permitted.

Indeed, in the book "The Thames and its tributaries" by Charles Mackay in 1840, are collected annually and duration of freezing of the Thames from the year 250.

Although the book includes many of the freezing of the Thames, some of them undocumented, are not all, were many more, but the first that mentions the book is the year 250, which lasted nine weeks and the last of the year 1814 duration was six days.

695 In speaking of the first market of ice on the Thames, where he established several positions where different goods were exchanged and documented the first Frost Fair is the year 1684. On December 16 1684 froze the difficult weather conditions beyond the River Thames from London Bridge, the boats were trapped began to sell beer and spirits, getting many people becoming the main playground for Londoners, at the same time stalls built by traders who frequented fairs and markets generally moved to the river selling brass, copper, tin, iron, toys as well as the typical fruit vendors and other food stands, mingling with other entertainment for the crowd as could be made for drinking and eating. Londoners will soon call the Frost Fair.

The last Frost Fair was held in 1814, on Tuesday 1 February, the river froze and the next day the whole bed became a show, they lined up about thirty stalls on both sides of the makeshift street Home, decorated for the occasion with streamers on them could be drinking, bowling, dancing and other amusements as skating.

Over the days the fair was growing both in number visitors and entertainment, new positions were established carousels, mobile barges, put books and toys.

On Saturday, the fifth day of the fair, the rain began to fall, threatening to crack the ice all the posts installed in the fair, thaw quickly, and on Sunday morning began to break the ice with him which ultimately would be the last Frost Fair.

The Old Bridge in London in 1616

Since 1814, the Thames has not frozen again, mainly because that the old London Bridge built in 1209 acted as a barrier for the Thames water passing through its 20 arches, the bridge was a symbol and pride of the city. It was one of the great wonders of the world in his day for being the first stone bridge in the world. To be replaced by a new one in 1831 and demolished the old, the river gained speed. Of dikes and dredging the river also favored at higher speed the same, preventing the Thames to freeze again and with it the possibility of holding back the popular Frost Fairs.

Fuentes and photographs:
Thames.me.uk/s00051.htm
http://www.barbsweb.co.uk/history/frostfair.htm
http://forums.canadiancontent.net / history/65837-old-london-bridge-1209-1831-a.html

the year 1684 Frost Fair