Cold Sabbath and the Sinking of a Ship — Weather Events for February 1773
According to David Ludlum, “The memorable Cold Sabbath in New England history” took place on February 22nd, 1773. “Many persons froze extremities while going to church.”
So, did this memorable cold really take place? Well, yes! A search on Newspapers.com does indeed produce information about this bitter cold in the Boston area. However, there is more to the story than what is written above.
The severe cold weather began on Saturday, February 20th, and continued through Monday the 22nd, when the thermometer was about 11 degrees below zero. Several fires broke out due to the cold. All but one was extinguished before considerable damage was done. Water from engines instantly congealed into ice on the tops and sides of houses. While no lives were lost, several people had their hands and feet frozen.
But wait, there is more! Rowland Thacher, a minister at Wareham, Massachusetts, wrote about a “ remarkably cold Sabbath reaching as far as New York” in February 1773. “Some by their glasses found it to be many degrees colder than ever was known in New England.”
Where does 11 degrees below zero stands in a historical context? The all-time record low in Boston since records began in 1872 is 18 degrees below zero on February 9th, 1934. The minus 11, if reliable, would tie their 10th coldest reading in Boston.
The southern extent of the cold air is unknown at this time. However, there is a report of a shipwreck near St. Augustine, Florida, on February 22, 1773. While a sinking ship was not usual in 1773, the incident was said to have occurred during a snow storm.
The clipping above says, “The Sally, Mathews, from Lisbon to S. Carolina, was left the 22d of Feb. in a Snow Storm near St. Augustine and all the Crew Perished except the Mate.” The Sea Research Society talks about the vessel Sally's sinking on February 22, 1773, under their Causes of Shipwrecks section.
Weather Historian Tom Moore also wrote about this memorable Cold Sabbath on his Something Moore blog.
There you have it. Weather events from 245 years ago!
