Snow-filled Fun in England: Britons Embrace Winter in the 1960s

England during the 1960s was a time of change and social upheaval. The country was undergoing a period of economic growth and modernization, and the population was becoming increasingly mobile and cosmopolitan. Despite this, the winter months could still be harsh and inhospitable, particularly in rural areas where many people still lived and worked.

During the winter months, temperatures in England could drop below freezing, and snow and ice were not uncommon, especially in the northern and central regions of the country. However, this did not stop people from enjoying the winter season. In cities and towns, there were a variety of indoor activities to enjoy, such as cinemas, theaters, and dance halls. In contrast, outdoor activities, such as ice skating, sledding, and skiing, were popular in more rural areas. People typically dressed in warm coats, hats, scarves, and gloves to protect themselves from the cold weather. Women often wore A-line dresses paired with tights or leggings, and men wore heavy woolen suits or jackets.

Here are some fascinating vintage photos of Britons enjoying winter, playing in the snow, building snowmen, participating in winter sports such as ice skating and skiing, and warmly bundled up in coats, scarves, and hats. These photos provide a glimpse into a time when people made the most of the colder months, despite the challenges and difficulties posed by the weather. Whether they were spending time with friends and family, participating in organized winter sports events, or simply enjoying the natural beauty of snow-covered landscapes, these photos capture a spirit of joy and resilience that still resonates today.

#1 Winter 1965 Men Fashion in London

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#2 Skating in Richmond Park, London, 1962. A man and woman on skates helping two small children to walk on the ice on a pond or lake in Richmond Park in winter.

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#3 Filming of Oliver in London

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#4 Filming of Oliver! at Shepperton studios: the scene which should have been shot in mid winter was being shot in August with a ton of featherlight polystyrene strewn

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#5 Filming of Oliver!

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#6 Three flights of steps in the snow, part of the narrow passage running between Heath Street and Hampstead Grove.

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#7 Pigeons on a snowy path, Regent’s Park, London, 1960

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#8 Two-year-old Mary Olskey carries an umbrella as she takes tentative steps on the snow in the Astoria neighbourhood of the Queens borough of New York City, New York, 11th February 1964

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#9 Severe winter weather has caused the sea to freeze at Herne Bay in Kent, 1963.

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#10 Men at work on the railway line near Kingsthorpe Mill, clearing snow from the lines

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#11 Model Sandra Paul wearing a white coarse veil hat at the Winter model hat collection of Simone Mirman.

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#12 Miss United Kingdom, 23 year old Hilda Fairclough, who is spending the winter selling sheepskins for her father in Morecambe Market.

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#13 A row of three milk bottles standing outside a window with frozen milk pushing the caps off, 1960s

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#14 Deer in Golders Hill Park, Hendon, London, 1960s

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#15 England. A wintry scene at Welford with snow and icicles hanging from a thatched roof cottage.

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#16 Filipino dancers having fun during a snowball fight, London, 1960.

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#17 Christmas lights and decorations in Regent Street, London, 1961.

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#18 A boy about to throw his snowball, 1961.

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#19 Highgate Swimming Club, 1962.

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#20 A camel walking through the snow in the village of Winkfield Row, Berks, 1962.

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#21 A woman, holding a mistletoe, got pulled through a porthole by her sailor husband for a homecoming kiss as the crew of HMS Bulworth returned for Christmas holidays, 1962. (Reg Lewis)

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#22 Whitestone Pond in Hampstead during the winter of 1962. (Arthur Sidey)

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#23 Children on holiday from school throwing snowballs on Tooting Bec Common, 1962.

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#24 Children on holiday from school throwing snowballs on Tooting Bec Common, 1962.

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#25 The statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus, London on New Year’s day, surrounded by policemen as midnight strikes, 1962. (Arthur Sidey)

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#26 Children wave to the Mirror photographer before descending Hampstead Heath on New Year’s Day, 1962.

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#27 Children build a snowman with the help of their boxer dog in Hadley Wood, Hertfordshire, 1962. (George Greenwell)

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#28 Little boy playing in the snow on Hampstead Heath, 1962.

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#29 People ice skating on a frozen lake during the winter in 1963.

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#30 Children sledging at The Grove, Kenilworth Road, Coventry, 1963.

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#31 A man and his dog ice skating on a frozen lake near London, 1963.

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#32 Little boy feeding pigeons in Trafalgar Square during winter, London, 1960s.

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#33 Children skating on the ice at Welch’s Meadow, Leamington, 1969.

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#34 Children skating on the ice at Welch’s Meadow, Leamington, 1969.

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#35 Swansea shoppers pick their way through the snow in High Street, 1969.

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#36 Three boys built their igloo at Roath Park, Cardiff, 1966.

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#37 Rugby in the snow, 1969.

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#38 A couple building their snow-woman, 1969.

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#39 A man rides on a horse drawn cart along the coast road between Seaton Carew beach and Hartlepool in County Durham, northeast England during winter 1962.

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#40 View of dancers and audience members on the dancefloor being entertained by a jazz band on stage at the Winter Gardens venue in Blackpool, Lancashire during the Melody Maker Festival in June 1961.

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#41 Dance teacher Sidney Winter instructing a line of young formation dancers at the Holmshill Secondary School in Boreham Wood, Hertfordshire.

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