[Misc] BBC programme about the 1963 freeze

[Super Steve Earle]

My god, there's some reeeaaally old people on here
I was two/three, by the way and have no recollection of those events!

Aye. It were coldest winter since the Thames froze over and I went to the Frost Fair. Good times as a kid.

 

[Gwylan]

I remember building a massive snowman in the garden - it was the first time I'd seen snow. It snowed so rarely in Brighton but that winter seemed to last for ever.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

It was my first winter, having been born the previous June. No surprise that I don’t remember it, but it seems that more winters were snowy back in my youth (or I just had more time to play in it).

The programme was really interesting. Great to see trains running with loads of snow everywhere. Puts Southern to shame!

Winters were far more snowy, Icy and colder in our youth.
The snow used to hang around for ages due to the cold weather.
You could expect at least one dumping of snow in the south east almost every winter.
Bluebell Hill near Maidstone was often closed due to snow.
At 11pm tonight the outside temperature reading in my van was 12 degrees.

 

[sams dad]

The Albion hired a tar melter to thaw out the pitch, so that they could play a match against Halifax . It backfired, because they lost the match, and also destroyed the grass.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I was 14, and remembered having to wear wellies every day, my feet were freezing. When they thawed out, I had painful, very itchy chilblains.
The snow was shovelled into mounds to clear the pavements, and these grey frozen mounds were still there in March.

 

[Biscuit Barrel]

What was the name of the program, as I would like to watch it on catch up?

 

[W3 BHA]

What was the name of the program, as I would like to watch it on catch up?

Winterwatch 1963

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

I remember it well, I was 16, living in Hassocks and in my first year at Westminster Hotel College travelling up and back by train to London.

It first started snowing on Boxing Day and it stayed freezing for ages, so much so there was still patches of snow in sheltered corners on Good Friday!

 

[Weststander]

BBC4 its on again at 1.30am if you want to stay up or record

Thanks.

Missed that too, went to bed early, knackered with Covid.

I’ll check iplayer later.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I was just 7 and don't really remember it, my parents told me though that the Thames froze over where l lived in Staines, and people were ice skating on the river.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

Thanks.

Missed that too, went to bed early, knackered with Covid.

I’ll check iplayer later.

Get well soon, we need you at the Amex on Sunday night!

No? . . . oh ok then, l'll let you off this time.

 

[Fat Boy Fat]

I blame global warming....

Seriously though, I was 3, I don’t actually remember, but have been told so many times that it has become an enforced memory - apparent I stepped out of our back door and disappeared into the drift that had formed in our driveway, oh how my family laughed - apparently!

 

[Garage_Doors]

Trying to find this online to watch, is it a Chris Packam wildlife documentary?

 

[PeterOut]

Trying to find this online to watch, is it a Chris Packam wildlife documentary?

It's part of the winterwatch series (yes, I think Packham is the presenter).
I found it this morning using the Sky search function, looked on the BBC4 section, if that helps?

 

[Is it PotG?]

Trying to find this online to watch, is it a Chris Packam wildlife documentary?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01q9d86/winterwatch-1963-the-big-freeze

Strachan looks good.

 

[GM98]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01q9d86/winterwatch-1963-the-big-freeze

 

[Javeaseagull]

I was 15 and left school that December. Got a job at Jakens in Seaford as a TV aerial riggers assistant. What a mug! The building sites were all laid off for six to eight weeks. Never seen anything like it since thank goodness.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01q9d86/winterwatch-1963-the-big-freeze

Strachan looks good.

View attachment 143035

Gordon never used to dress like that.

 

[Official Old Man]

I was 9 and recall nothing ever stopped my Dad if a job needed doing. He had to get somewhere, may have been Eastbourne, and still remember my Mum telling us not to go but my Dad, being my Dad, could see no reason why we couldn't get through. Think we had a Ford Cortina (sporting red). We left Keymer and got to Westmeston, that zig zag curve by the church. Didn't get round it. Still cant believe my Dad actually gave up and returned home.

 

[Jack Straw]

It was 12 Feet in places so you must have been tall.

The depth of snow we were walking on was 4 feet!