The real big freeze

OK we've had about six inches of snow but I am sick of hearing the radio listing schools closed. In 1962, the real "Big Freeze", we had three feet and I never had a day off school. The only concession was that we could wear long trousers for the cold. We took sledges, with only bread and dripping for our dinner and were allowed to skate down the playground hill without hordes of Health and Safety twits descending on us.
If you went to the outside toilets you came back with icicles down your trousers which the teacher would gently bathe with a Brillo pad.