Nowadays we are familiar with severe weather events – climate change has altered our seasons resulting in populations across the world experiencing forest fires, floods and droughts. But back in 1940s Britain such dramatic weather was unexpected. What’s more, there was little in the way of weather forecasting available for the average family – certainly not the extensive weather maps we see on our television screens nowadays.

And so, on 23rd January 1947, when heavy snow began to fall, with massive snowdrifts blocking roads and railways and causing problems with the transportation of coal to the electric power stations, families across Britain experienced harsh changes which affected every part of their daily life. It was the start of Britain’s most severe and protracted spell of bad weather during the twentieth century.