A bitter winter chill gripped London on the day Victorian skaters flocked to the ice. The lake sat in the heart of Regent’s Park, a fashionable destination where the gentry gathered for an afternoon of exercise. However, disaster struck on 15th January 1867. The ice suddenly gave way, plunging hundreds of people into twelve feet of lethal, icy water.
Heavy traditional dress and a lack of immediate rescue equipment hindered the victims, turning the incident into one of the most haunting weather-related tragedies in London’s history. Remarkably, this was not the first warning sign. Just the day before, twenty-one people had fallen through the ice similarly. Despite the narrow escape of the previous day, the frozen surface remained crowded.
