The winter of 1946/47 was dreary, with shortages of everything including coal as the miners were on strike. When the snows melted, the River Trent broke its banks and flooded the town of Gainsborough. I was home on leave helping with the rescues from a DUKW, having been spared some of the harsh weather. The winter of 1940/41 must have been very cold. I can remember sliding across a frozen River Trent, something that has never happened since. Growing up in the thirties helped to give us a different perspective on life. Paddy Buckley ----- Original Message ----- From: "Janet Cuff" <bgmjcuff@yahoo.co.uk> To: <bristol_and_somerset@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 9:48 AM Subject: Re: [B&S] Memories of 1947 - A Winters Hell (was Snowy weather,early 1980s, 1962-3 and 1947) You and I have similar memories Patricia though being a little older than you I can recall 1947 well. I was at school at Cheddar Grove on Bedminster Down and we made news in the Bristol Evening Post that winter. Our teacher, a Mrs Richards who was close on retiring age, was the only member of staff who turned up on one particularly bad morning having walked from the far flung reaches of Knowle to make sure there was someone in the school to receive any children who turned up - devotion to duty! For me the winter of 1962/63 was quite a nightmare experience as I, like you, was a new Mum, just moved to Gloucester so I had no network of family or friends but was on my own with this tiny baby, husband working away and unable to get home, pipes frozen and no such luxury as central heating, a telephone or TV. My lifeline was a little battery powered transistor radio which I used to listen to each evening just to keep up to date with the countrywide situation. I can remember hearing reports of food being dropped by helicopter to remote communities, especially powdered baby milk supplies. I suppose that particularly sticks in my mind because running out of milk for my baby was my biggest worry. It seemed that winter would never end and the joy of spring was really special that year. With those memories still very vivid I count my blessings and find the present conditions easily bearable with all the modern conveniences to cushion us againgst the worst weather though of course I feel sorry for the very old and vulnerable who are suffering and the homeless who have only a doorway for shelter at night. Happy Christmas to all listers, I may be a lurker but I am grateful to you all for the help and information I pick up from your postings. Janet