Or we could actually know our history and be aware that the temperature has varied with or without the use of fossil fuels >

The Thames Frost Fairs

Between 1607 and 1814, there were a total of seven major frost fairs held on the frozen River Thames in the heart of London. These fairs hosted bull-baiting, pop-up pubs, and even saw a king or two taking part in the festivities!

Between 1600 and 1814, it was not uncommon for the River Thames to freeze over for up to two months at time. There were two main reasons for this; the first was that Britain (and the entire of the Northern Hemisphere) was locked in what is now known as the ‘Little Ice Age’. The other catalyst was the medieval London Bridge and its piers, and specifically how closely spaced together they were. During winter, pieces of ice would get lodged between the piers and effectively dam up the river, meaning it was easier for it to freeze.

Although these harsh winters often brought with them famine and death, it was the local Londonders – as enterprising and resilient as ever – who decided to make the most of it and set up the Thames Frost Fairs. In fact, between 1607 and 1814 there were a total of seven major fairs, as well as countless smaller ones.

These Frost Fairs would have been quite a spectacle, full of hastily constructed shops, pubs, ice skating rinks… everything that you would expect in the crowded streets of London but on ice!

Note that the cold times caused far more deaths than the warm times.