WEB PAGE NO 2772 3RD APRIL 2021 THE WINTER OF 1962-63

1ST PICTURE: SNOW IN LANCASHIRE, JANUARY 1963

2ND PICTURE: THE WEIGHT OF SNOW AND ICE STRETCHED THE COPPER TELEPHONE WIRES UNTIL THEY REACHED THE GROUND. EAST DUNDRY LANE, SOMERSET, JANUARY 1963

3RD PICTURE: SNOWED IN PUB IN PORTSMOUTH

4TH PICTURE: THE SNOW HAS TO GO SOMEWHERE!

DO YOU REMEMBER THE WINTER OF 1962–63 WHICH EVENTUALLY BECAME KNOWN AS THE BIG FREEZE OF 1963? IT WAS ONE OF THE COLDEST WINTERS ON RECORD IN THE UK. TEMPERATURES PLUMMETED AND LAKES AND RIVERS BEGAN TO FREEZE OVER. IN THE CENTRAL ENGLAND TEMPERATURE RECORDS EXTENDING BACK TO 1659, ONLY THE WINTERS OF 1683–84 AND 1739–40 WERE COLDER THAN 1962–63. THE WINTER OF 1962–63 REMAINS THE COLDEST SINCE AT LEAST 1895 IN ALL METEOROLOGICAL DISTRICTS OF THE UK EXCEPT SCOTLAND NORTH, WHERE THE TWO WINTERS OF 1978–79 AND 2009–10 WERE COLDER. IT ALL BEGAN IN DECEMBER. THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTH WAS FOGGY AND LONDON SUFFERED ITS LAST GREAT SMOG BEFORE CLEAN AIR ACT AND THE REDUCTION IN THE USE OF COAL FIRES HAD THEIR FULL EFFECT. A WINTRY OUTBREAK BROUGHT SNOW TO THE COUNTRY ON 12–13 DECEMBER. A COLD EASTERLY SET IN ON 22ND DECEMBER FROM SCANDINAVIA, DRAWING COLD CONTINENTAL WINDS FROM RUSSIA. THROUGHOUT THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD A NEW HIGH PRESSURE FORMED NEAR ICELAND, BRINGING NORTHERLY WINDS. SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL OCCURRED AS THE AIR MASS MOVED SOUTH, AND PARTS OF SOUTHERN ENGLAND HAD HEAVY SNOW LATE ON 26–27 DECEMBER. THE COLD AIR BECAME FIRMLY ESTABLISHED. ON 29TH AND 30TH DECEMBER 1962 A BLIZZARD SWEPT ACROSS SOUTH WEST ENGLAND AND WALES. SNOW DRIFTED TO MORE THAN 20 FEET DEEP IN PLACES, DRIVEN BY GALE FORCE EASTERLY WINDS, BLOCKING ROADS AND RAILWAYS. THE SNOW STRANDED VILLAGERS AND BROUGHT DOWN POWER LINES. THE NEAR-FREEZING TEMPERATURES MEANT THAT THE SNOW COVER LASTED FOR MORE THAN TWO MONTHS IN SOME AREAS. SNOW WAS 6 INCHES DEEP IN MANCHESTER CITY CENTRE, 9 INCHES IN WYTHENSHAWE, AND ABOUT 18 INCHES AT KEELE UNIVERSITY . BY THE END OF THE MONTH, THERE WERE SNOW DRIFTS 8 FEET DEEP IN KENT AND 15 FEET DEEP IN THE WEST. JANUARY 1963[EDIT] WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 28.2 °F JANUARY 1963 REMAINS THE COLDEST MONTH SINCE JANUARY 1814 IN CENTRAL ENGLAND. MUCH OF ENGLAND AND WALES WAS COVERED IN SNOW THROUGHOUT THE MONTH. IN JANUARY 1963, THE SEA FROZE FOR ONE MILE FROM SHORE AT HERNE BAY. THE SEA FROZE INSHORE IN MANY PLACES, REMOVING MANY BRITISH INLAND WATERBIRDS' USUAL LAST RESORT OF FINDING FOOD IN ESTUARIES AND SHALLOW SEA. THE SEA FROZE 4 MILES OUT TO SEA FROM DUNKIRK. THE UPPER REACHES OF THE RIVER THAMES FROZE OVER, ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT FREEZE IN CENTRAL LONDON, PARTLY DUE TO THE HOT EFFLUENT FROM TWO POWER STATIONS, BATTERSEA AND BANKSIDE. ON 20TH JANUARY 283 WORKERS HAD TO BE RESCUED BY RAF HELICOPTERS FROM FYLINGDALES, WHERE THEY HAD BEEN SNOWBOUND FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THE ICE WAS THICK ENOUGH IN SOME PLACES THAT PEOPLE WERE SKATING ON IT, AND ON 22ND JANUARY A CAR WAS DRIVEN ACROSS THE FROZEN THAMES AT OXFORD. ICICLES HUNG FROM MANY ROOF GUTTERINGS, SOME AS LONG AS 3 FEET. ON 25 JANUARY THERE WAS A BRIEF THAW THAT LASTED THREE DAYS. SNOW CONTINUED TO FALL IN FEBRUARY 1963, WHICH WAS STORMY WITH WINDS REACHING FORCE 8. A 36-HOUR BLIZZARD CAUSED HEAVY DRIFTING SNOW IN MOST PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. DRIFTS REACHED 20 FEET IN SOME AREAS AND GALE-FORCE WINDS REACHED UP TO 81 MILES PER HOUR. ON THE ISLE OF MAN, WIND SPEEDS WERE RECORDED AT 119 MILES PER HOUR . THE 6TH OF MARCH WAS THE FIRST MORNING OF THE YEAR WITHOUT FROST IN BRITAIN. TEMPERATURES ROSE TO 17 °C (62.6 °F) AND THE REMAINING SNOW DISAPPEARED. SPORTS WERE DISRUPTED IN THE WINTER OF 1962–63 IN THE UK. FOOTBALL MATCHES IN THE ENGLISH AND SCOTTISH LEAGUES SUFFERED BECAUSE OF THE SEVERE EFFECTS OF THE WINTER WEATHER. SOME MATCHES IN THE 1962–63 FA CUP WITH TIE SCORES WERE RESCHEDULED 10 OR MORE TIMES. MATCHES IN THE 5TH AND 6TH ROUNDS SCHEDULED FOR 16 FEBRUARY AND 9 MARCH WERE PLAYED ON 16 AND 30 MARCH. FROM 8 DECEMBER TO 16 FEBRUARY, BOLTON WANDERERS PLAYED NO COMPETITIVE MATCHES. WHEN THE THAW ARRIVED, A BACKLOG OF FIXTURES HAD TO BE HASTILY DETERMINED. THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE SEASON WAS EXTENDED BY FOUR WEEKS. THE FINAL LEAGUE FIXTURES TOOK PLACE ONE DAY BEFORE THE RESCHEDULED FA CUP FINAL. NATIONAL HUNT HORSE RACING WAS ALSO AFFECTED BY THE WEATHER. NINETY-FOUR MEETINGS WERE CANCELLED. THERE WAS NO RACING IN ENGLAND BETWEEN 23 DECEMBER AND 7 MARCH, ALTHOUGH A MEETING AT AYR IN SCOTLAND OCCURRED ON 5 JANUARY. SEVERAL EPISODES OF THE TELEVISION DRAMA SERIES THE EDGAR WALLACE MYSTERIES WERE FILMED DURING THE 1962–63 WINTER, AND THE EFFECTS OF THE BIG FREEZE ON BOTH URBAN AND RURAL LOCATIONS WERE CAPTURED ON FILM. THIS PERIOD BECAME KNOWN AS THE PARAFFIN WINTER. MOST HOUSES ONLY HAD OPEN COAL FIRES FOR HEATING WHICH MEANT THAT THE ONLY ROOM IN THE HOUSE WAS THE ONE WITH THE FIRE IN IT. TO TAKE THE CHILL OF THE HOUSE MANY OF OUR PARENTS, MINE INCLUDED BOUGHT PARAFFIN STOVES AND PLACED THE AROUND THE HOUSE AT STRATEGIC POINTS. BY THE FRONT DOOR AND IN THE BATHROOM AND IT WAS A COMMON SIGHT TO SEE ONE OF OUR PARENTS MARCHING OFF WITH A CAN IN THEIR HANDS TO BUY EITHER THE PINK PARAFFIN OR ESSO BLUE. BUT FOR US IT WAS ALL FUN. SNOWBALL FIGHTS, SLEDGING ON HOMEMADE SLEDGES AND BEST OF ALL NO SCHOOL BECAUSE THE TOILETS FROZE AND THE BOILER WOULD NOT WORK. BUT IT REALLY WAS COLD AS WE FOUND OUT WHEN WE TRIED TO SNUGGLE DOWN UNDER THE SHEETS AND SEARCHED FOR THE HOT WATER BOTTLE.

ON THIS DAY 3RD APRIL 1960 – 1965 ON 03/03/1960 THE NUMBER ONE SINGLE WAS MY OLD MAN'S A DUSTMAN - LONNIE DONEGAN AND THE NUMBER ONE ALBUM WAS SOUTH PACIFIC SOUNDTRACK. THE TOP RATED TV SHOW WAS THE BUDGET (ALL CHANNELS) AND THE BOX OFFICE SMASH WAS PSYCHO. A POUND OF TODAY'S MONEY WAS WORTH £13.68 AND BURNLEY WERE ON THE WAY TO BECOMING THE SEASON'S DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS. THE BIG NEWS STORY OF THE DAY WAS BUDGET INCREASES PRICE OF CIGARETTES BY 2D A PACK. YOU WRITE: NEWS AND VIEWS: ON THIS DAY 3RD APRIL 1960 – 1965 ON 03/03/1960 THE NUMBER ONE SINGLE WAS MY OLD MAN'S A DUSTMAN - LONNIE DONEGAN AND THE NUMBER ONE ALBUM WAS SOUTH PACIFIC SOUNDTRACK. THE TOP RATED TV SHOW WAS THE BUDGET (ALL CHANNELS) AND THE BOX OFFICE SMASH WAS PSYCHO. A POUND OF TODAY'S MONEY WAS WORTH £13.68 AND BURNLEY WERE ON THE WAY TO BECOMING THE SEASON'S DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS. THE BIG NEWS STORY OF THE DAY WAS BUDGET INCREASES PRICE OF CIGARETTES BY 2D A PACK.

ON 03/03/1961 THE NUMBER ONE SINGLE WAS WOODEN HEART - ELVIS PRESLEY AND THE NUMBER ONE ALBUM WAS SOUTH PACIFIC SOUNDTRACK. THE TOP RATED TV SHOW WAS NO HIDING PLACE (AR) AND THE BOX OFFICE SMASH WAS ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIONS. A POUND OF TODAY'S MONEY WAS WORTH £13.25 AND TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR WERE ON THE WAY TO BECOMING THE SEASON'S DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS.

ON 03/03/1962 THE NUMBER ONE SINGLE WAS WONDERFUL LAND - THE SHADOWS AND THE NUMBER ONE ALBUM WAS BLUE HAWAII - ELVIS PRESLEY. THE TOP RATED TV SHOW WAS CORONATION STREET (GRANADA) AND THE BOX OFFICE SMASH WAS LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. A POUND OF TODAY'S MONEY WAS WORTH £12.89 AND IPSWICH TOWN WERE ON THE WAY TO BECOMING THE SEASON'S DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS. THE BIG NEWS STORY OF THE DAY WAS JAMES HANRATTY HANGED FOR A6 MURDER.

ON 03/03/1963 THE NUMBER ONE SINGLE WAS SUMMER HOLIDAY - CLIFF RICHARD & THE SHADOWS AND THE NUMBER ONE ALBUM WAS SUMMER HOLIDAY - CLIFF RICHARD & THE SHADOWS. THE TOP RATED TV SHOW WAS THE BUDGET (ALL CHANNELS) AND THE BOX OFFICE SMASH WAS THE GREAT ESCAPE. A POUND OF TODAY'S MONEY WAS WORTH £12.64 AND EVERTON WERE ON THE WAY TO BECOMING THE SEASON'S DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS.

ON 03/03/1964 THE NUMBER ONE SINGLE WAS CAN'T BUY ME LOVE - THE BEATLES AND THE NUMBER ONE ALBUM WAS WITH THE BEATLES - THE BEATLES. THE TOP RATED TV SHOW WAS CORONATION STREET (GRANADA) AND THE BOX OFFICE SMASH WAS DR STRANGELOVE. A POUND OF TODAY'S MONEY WAS WORTH £12.24 AND LIVERPOOL WERE ON THE WAY TO BECOMING THE SEASON'S DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS. THE BIG NEWS STORY OF THE DAY WAS VIDEO RECORDER FIRST DEMONSTRATED.

ON 03/03/1965 THE NUMBER ONE SINGLE WAS THE LAST TIME - ROLLING STONES AND THE NUMBER ONE ALBUM WAS ROLLING STONES NUMBER 2 - THE ROLLING STONES. THE TOP RATED TV SHOW WAS CORONATION STREET (GRANADA) AND THE BOX OFFICE SMASH WAS THE SOUND OF MUSIC. A POUND OF TODAY'S MONEY WAS WORTH £11.69 AND MANCHESTER UNITED WERE ON THE WAY TO BECOMING THE SEASON'S DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS.