Eric did not complete an entry in his diary over the next few days, presumably due to illness and possibly as a result of the intense cold weather which Britain experienced from 26th - 31st January 1940, which culminated in unprecedented snow and ice storms.
January 1940 had already been exceptionally cold - only the January of 1838 had recorded lower temperatures - and as Eric's previous diary entries have shown, snow fell heavily and frequently throughout the month. The collision of two weather systems from the 26th January led to the whole country experiencing severe snow storms until the end of the month whilst an area from the South Coast to North Wales endured an ice storm. Temperatures were so low that rain froze as it fell, coating everything in a thick layer of ice and bringing down telephone wires, power lines and trees as well as causing many animals and birds to perish as their fur or feathers became encased in ice.
Under these conditions, Britain's transport network, commercial operations and military preparations were paralysed for a week. The severity of the storms was not publicised in the press until six weeks later so that enemy forces would not learn that Britain had been brought to a standstill by the weather conditions.
(Notes taken from a 'Weather Eye' report: 'The Ice Storm that Britain Hid from Hitler' by meteorologist, Philip Eden, dated 31/12/98).
26th January 1940
Another tremendous snowstorm today from 4.30 to 6pm so that a further 6 inches fell. I am told that at places only a couple of miles out of the town, people have been snowbound for more than a week.
24th January 1940
Still freezing hard. I feel very ill. Chapman [Museum Attendant] went off sick today.
23rd January 1940
Freezing hard today, the roads just glistening sheets of ice. I have not yet heard that any horses have been involved in accidents through this cause. The Highways Dept: have put a minimum of sand down, even in the very worst places.
19th January 1940
Vaughan got all one side of the old house [from Culver Street] up today [in the Castle], and Sisson came in to inspect it. It looks even more impressive than I thought it would, but the interior of the Castle Main Hall is so high that the thing will not, I feel sure, look out of place. Sisson is taking a great deal of trouble over this, and we must be grateful to him.
Marshall Sisson, RA (1897-1978), was an architect who specialised in the restoration of old buildings.
For Eric's previous diary entries on rescuing part of the old 15th century timber-framed house that was demolished in Culver Street, click here.
Marshall Sisson, RA (1897-1978), was an architect who specialised in the restoration of old buildings.
For Eric's previous diary entries on rescuing part of the old 15th century timber-framed house that was demolished in Culver Street, click here.
17th January 1940
Woke this morning to find it still snowing. I decided that tonight Bob and Donkey must be shut in the Bourne Mill stable, but I must let them out during the day to drink. This morning the Donkey was rolling joyously in the snow, while Bob trotted round and kicked up his heels. The Pond has been mostly frozen over about 6 inches deep for a week or more now. The stream side never freezes, and the horses can always drink out of the stream lower down.
Bourne Mill, 1940 - Bob can be seen grazing in the paddock on the left of the photograph.
(Photograph courtesy of Essex Record Office)
Apparently the depth of snow and possibly the need to economise in war-time made the Highways Dept decide not to attempt to clear the streets, with the result that the traffic moved silently all day long, on roads impeded by vast mountains of snow shovelled off the footpaths.
In Colchester Castle Park the white carpet lay undisturbed at a depth of about 18 inches. It was almost impossible to get into the Castle. I had to wear top-boots [leather riding boots].
It is terribly dangerous to ride a cycle, at least it is to me, as the roads are now solid ice. Plenty of [horse-drawn] coal-carts going about tandem today [for greater safety], a sight I have not seen so much of for many years.
They say there will soon be a very great shortage of coal and coke in the town. Already we have great difficulty in getting enough at the Castle.
A photo of Colchester Castle in the snow in January 2010 by Chris Kerry can be seen here and presents a similar picture to the one Eric describes above.
Bourne Mill, 1940 - Bob can be seen grazing in the paddock on the left of the photograph.
(Photograph courtesy of Essex Record Office)
Apparently the depth of snow and possibly the need to economise in war-time made the Highways Dept decide not to attempt to clear the streets, with the result that the traffic moved silently all day long, on roads impeded by vast mountains of snow shovelled off the footpaths.
In Colchester Castle Park the white carpet lay undisturbed at a depth of about 18 inches. It was almost impossible to get into the Castle. I had to wear top-boots [leather riding boots].
It is terribly dangerous to ride a cycle, at least it is to me, as the roads are now solid ice. Plenty of [horse-drawn] coal-carts going about tandem today [for greater safety], a sight I have not seen so much of for many years.
They say there will soon be a very great shortage of coal and coke in the town. Already we have great difficulty in getting enough at the Castle.
A photo of Colchester Castle in the snow in January 2010 by Chris Kerry can be seen here and presents a similar picture to the one Eric describes above.
16th January 1940 - The Winter of 1940
This evening a tremendous fall of snow began. Never in my life have I seen such a fall. It started about tea time and fell in huge, soft flakes, hour after hour, with a north wind piling it up into drifts. By 10pm there was over a foot deep, and still snowing hard. I think it must be more than the great fall of 1916, which I remember so clearly. To this day I remember the roar of snow sliding off the roofs which so terrified me.
Everything that could have been said about the beauty of snow has been said, but it is a chance we may never have again of seeing heavy snow as they saw it in olden times, silent, white, still, with no street lights to give any touch of modernity [owing to the blackout]. Tonight Bourne Mill and the Pond were transformed in an hour from the 20th century to the 16th, without a single thing visible to connect the scene with the present day. If I were 20 years younger, how I would revel in all this. As it is, while I make the most of its beauty, I wonder how I am going to get hay and fodder down to Bourne Mill, as the hill is now just a sheet of ice.
Eric was the custodian for Bourne Mill, a National Trust property in Colchester and stabled his horse, Bob, and a donkey there.
A photo of Bourne Mill and Pond taken during the recent heavy snow in January 2010 can be seen here and is little changed from the scene Eric describes in 1940.
The winter of 1939-40 was to be the coldest for 45 years. Eric recorded the first snowfall on 29th December 1939 and temperatures remained very low in the intervening weeks with heavy snow beginning on 16th January 1940, adding to the difficulties of life under wartime conditions.
Everything that could have been said about the beauty of snow has been said, but it is a chance we may never have again of seeing heavy snow as they saw it in olden times, silent, white, still, with no street lights to give any touch of modernity [owing to the blackout]. Tonight Bourne Mill and the Pond were transformed in an hour from the 20th century to the 16th, without a single thing visible to connect the scene with the present day. If I were 20 years younger, how I would revel in all this. As it is, while I make the most of its beauty, I wonder how I am going to get hay and fodder down to Bourne Mill, as the hill is now just a sheet of ice.
Eric was the custodian for Bourne Mill, a National Trust property in Colchester and stabled his horse, Bob, and a donkey there.
A photo of Bourne Mill and Pond taken during the recent heavy snow in January 2010 can be seen here and is little changed from the scene Eric describes in 1940.
The winter of 1939-40 was to be the coldest for 45 years. Eric recorded the first snowfall on 29th December 1939 and temperatures remained very low in the intervening weeks with heavy snow beginning on 16th January 1940, adding to the difficulties of life under wartime conditions.
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