Winter snows

Danby House, Devon Lane, 1963

First snow plough to arrive after the 1979 snows when Bottesford was cut-off for two days in the second week of February

Opening of Nottingham Road after the 2 day 1979 snow closure

Sledging in Muston in the early 1980's

Sledging in Muston in the early 1980's

Sledging in Muston in the early 1980's

He melted the next day

Just enough snow for a snowman. Muston Cross 2006

Despite ‘global warming’ the last 60 years have witnessed some of the worst winters on record – 1947; 1963 and 1979

1947 was the snowiest winter ever recorded.  Blizzard conditions cut off large parts of the country and when the thaw finally came, it brought record floods.

1963 recorded low temperatures with frozen rivers and sea.

1979, the so-called political ‘Winter of Discontent’, saw savage snows and frosts made worse by the strikes, power cuts, and fuel shortages.

The photographs show the first snow plough to arrive after heavy snowfall isolated Bottesford from the outside world two days in the second week of February 1979. One bonus was that in the pre-bypass days the village enjoyed the tranquillity of traffic free conditions.

1987 was also a severe winter with the local schools closed for four days in the first week back after Christmas. The children enjoyed an extended holiday that year.

Please do get in contact if you have other photographs of Bottesford winters.