February 3 1940

IT was possible in the first Journal of February 75 years ago to publish photographs and figures from the great freeze in the early part of January, which extended through the whole month, and was the coldest January since pre-1881.

In every part of the Four Shires District the icy hand of frost locked rivers and streams, ice-bound roads made transport almost impossible, and work on the land was brought to a stand-still.

Lack of space made it impossible to recount details of the numerous incidents that came to the notice of the Journal during the period under review.
But a contribution by Mr NA Field, of Evesham, summarised the conditions in terms of figures.

Mr Field wrote: "The abnormally severe cold of the month just concluded has certainly been unique to the present generation.

"In analysing my father;s and my own weather records of Evesham (his date from 1881), it is immediately evident that to January 25th (censorship forbids beyond that date) this has been the coldest January since before 1881 and with the one exception of February 1895, the coldest month of any name.

"February, 1895, had a mean temperature for the whole month of 26.5F, compared with the reading of 27.7F for January 1st to 25th of the present year.

"The cold spell actually began on December 12th, 1939, and there was a good deal of frost during the last two weeks of that month.

"January entered with east winds firmly established.

"There was a temporary break on the 7th which was the only day that temperature rose above normal during the period, but frost set in again on the 10th and continued almost unbroken until the 24th.

"Night readings were often below 20F with an exceptionally sever frost on the morning of January 21st."