The Thames During the Great Frost of 1739-40 by Jan Griffier the younger.

The Thames During the Great Frost of 1739-40 by Jan Griffier the younger.

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From The Thames and its Tributaries by Charles Mackay, 1840.

The frost of 1739-40 commenced on Christmas- day, and lasted till the 17th of the following February, when it began to break up ; but the river was not clear of ice till the end of the month. The usual sports of a fair were made upon the ice ; booths and drinking-tents erected ; and also printing-presses, which in all these fairs upon the Thames seem to have been considered the greatest wonder of all. The verses beginning " Amid the arts which on the Thames appear," and " You that walk here, and do design to tell," were revived, and indeed appear to have been popular, till 1814, when we meet with them again.

The author of a little work, called "Frostiana," printed in 1814, and which gives a slight account of all the great frosts, with the exception of that of 1683-4, which is not even alluded to, thus describes, from some contemporary account, to which he has forgotten to give the reference, the severity of the season.

The watermen and fishermen, with a peterboat in mourning, and the carpenters, bricklayers, &c., with their tools and utensils, in mourning, walked through the streets in large bodies, imploring relief for the necessity of their families. A few days after the frost had set in, great damage was done among the shipping by a high wind, which broke many vessels from their moorings, and drove them foul of each other, while the large flakes of ice there floated on the stream, overwhelmed various boats and lighters, and sunk several coal and corn vessels.

By these accidents many lives were lost, and many others were also destroyed by the intensity of the cold, both on land and water. Above bridge the Thames was completely frozen over, and tents, and numerous booths were erected on it for selling liquors, &c. to the multitudes that daily flocked thither for curiosity or diversion. The scene here displayed was very irregular, and had more the appearance of a fair on land than a frail exhibition, the only basis of which was water. Various shops were opened for the sale of toys, cutlery, and other light articles.

A printing-press was established, and all the common sports of the populace in a wintry season were carried on with augmented spirit, in spite or forgetfulness of the distress that reigned on shore. Many of the houses on the bridge, as well as the bridge itself, received considerable damage when the thaw commenced, by the driving of the ice.