. Old and new London : a narrative of its history, its people, and its places. NnoN SCHOOL HOARD OFFICES. (See/>ag-e 2^6.) between the two bridges had become a completefair. Thousands of persons were seen movingin all directions; about thirty booths were erectedfor the .sale of porter, spirits, &c., as well as forskittles, dancing, and other diversions. Severalprinters had i^resses on the ice, and pulled offvarious impressions, for which they found a veryrapid sale. So long a continuance of cold weatherhas seldom been experienced in pur Redding vcronls in his Iifty Years with
. Old and new London : a narrative of its history, its people, and its places. NnoN SCHOOL HOARD OFFICES. (See/>ag-e 2^6.) between the two bridges had become a completefair. Thousands of persons were seen movingin all directions; about thirty booths were erectedfor the .sale of porter, spirits, &c., as well as forskittles, dancing, and other diversions. Severalprinters had i^resses on the ice, and pulled offvarious impressions, for which they found a veryrapid sale. So long a continuance of cold weatherhas seldom been experienced in pur Redding vcronls in his Iifty Years with snow and ice, and the well and ill-clad spec-tators, as they were then combined, were amusingnovelties. A cotemporary account states, with minute pre-cision, that on the morning of Sunday, the 30th ofJanuary, 1814, huge masses of ice quite blockedup the Thames between London and BlackfriarsBridges, and that no less than seventy ])crsonswalked across from Queenhithe to the oppositesliore. On the same niuhi the frost so welded ihti The Thames.] THE RIVER FROZEN AGAIN. 319. 320 OLD AND NEW LONDON. [The Thames. vast mass together into one compact field as torender it almost immovable by the tide. OnTuesday the river presented a solid surface fromBlackfriars Bridge to some distance below ThreeCrane Stairs, and thousands perambulated thenigged plain, whereon a variety of amusementswas provided. Among the more curious of these,continues the account, was the ceremony ofroasting a small sheep : for a view of this extra-ordinary spectacle sixpence was demanded andwillingly paid. The delicate meat, when done,was sold at a shilling a slice, and termed Laplandmutton. There were set up a great number ofbooths, ornamented with streamers, flags, and signs,and within them was a plentiful supply of favouriteluxuries. Near Blackfriars Bridge, however, theice was not equally secure; for a plumber, namedDavies, having imprudently ventured to cross withsome lead in his hands, sank between two masses
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookpublisherlondoncassellpette
