ANY ONE FOR SNOWBALLS?

[happy daze john in oz]

I think the issue of politicians being out of touch is a world wide issue, not just UK. We have a Feral election this year and already the Labor party are pork barreling. In Queensland and parts of NSW where they are most likely to loose seats they are handing out cash to families with school kids.

[leratty]

Glen post 2, are you for real how do you come by this statement? because they are voted in by a Minority how can this be I muse, could it be due to so many being lethargic & just not bothered about voting..? If so you get what you get, if however it is a traditional vote then the majority get in except of course when it is a coalition....?

Christ Capt. Kong that is an out of Russia story, shocking! I was in UK in 63 after 1st trip (oh went to school there too & recall all dormitory windows were left open winter summer + get this, had to have a 3 min cold shower every morning. Because of this I did not reach puberty until 21) must say do not recall much about the weather other than it was bloody for me freezing & when the wind blew it would go right through to your bones, never forgot it. Oh it is cold here too -8-6c over weekend & 0c today. Richard

[Captain Kong]

Ah Richard, 1947 was a lot colder than 1963, especially when you have very little gear on and bare legs in a mile long qeue in the snow with old men dying of cold next to you. And the boil on your bum has just burst. Life was a misery then.
Happy Days.
Brian.

[j.sabourn]

The cold weather 1963.??? I was away end of December and if remember correctly was in Narvick, cant remember any cold weather in UK so maybe missed. However 1947 was a real bad one, as the few geordies on here may remember the Zephros (Greek Freighter) going aground north of the piers, until a few years ago was only the keel plates left. However cannot remember all the hue and cry there would be nowadays with pollution. Dont think ever heard the word mentioned. Cheers John Sabourn

[Calvin Kent]

From the met office site.

The winter of 1963 - the coldest for more than 200 years
With temperatures so cold the sea froze in places, 1963 is one of the coldest winters on record. Bringing blizzards, snow drifts, blocks of ice, and temperatures lower than -20 °C, it was colder than the winter of 1947, and the coldest since 1740.

I seem to remember a couple of council blokes shovelling sand off the back of a lorry kept the nations roads open. Schools didn't close as we walked and didn't rely on mummy to drive us. The coalyards ran out and we burnt old furniture and twisted newspaper "logs". Can't remember it being cold enough to have a fire in the bedroom though even had there been any fuel to spare. I got a tanner off my brother for walking across the Thames at Kingston and a tanning off my father when he found out.

Regards
Calvin

[Tony Morcom]

As the comparative baby on the site I too remember the 1963 winter. I was just 7 but remember going to school in the morning and there was no snow. By 2pm I was trudging home through 2 feet of snow and still falling heavily. It was 4 miles to get home and my feet had soon turned to blocks of ice. I have some photos somewhere. It was the only time in 20 years that we ever had snow in Ferring which is right on the south coast next to Worthing. My brother still lives there and he says that in his 62 years this year is only the 4th time he remembers significant snow in the village. Being somewhat protected by the southdowns the only significant weather usually experienced there is fog and high winds, the most memorable being the "hurricane" in 86? which made landfall just 2 miles down the road there. Although a quarter of a mile from the actual sea they woke up to find 2 boats in the garden!!

[Jim Brady]

BBC iplayer 20th Jan 2013 Winterwatch. The Big Freeze. Well worth a look one hour show.Someone can put up the link.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Tony Morcom]

No sooner said than done Jim: BBC iPlayer - Winterwatch: 1963 - The Big Freeze

[Captain Kong]

From the met office site.

The winter of 1963 - the coldest for more than 200 years
With temperatures so cold the sea froze in places, 1963 is one of the coldest winters on record. Bringing blizzards, snow drifts, blocks of ice, and temperatures lower than -20 °C, it was colder than the winter of 1947, and the coldest since 1740.
.
The men from the nice warm confines of the Met Office, never stood in a mile long qeue in Gas Street, Bolton in their short pants and a jersey full of holes, a bursted boil on their bums for five hours qeuing up for a bag of coke and old men dying of cold.
We were tough in those days, we had to Survive, No NHS , No Benefits, Nothing off the State.
But we didnt complain, we just soldiered on, If things were easy we would have no memories.
Happy Days.
Brian.

[cappy]

Sandancer, saudi Shields

Ray

hi ray but weve got all the bonny lasses