An introduction
The earliest recorded skating in Wisbech was on the river in the town in the 1760s.
Today, skating is still a popular pastime. Every year when the temperatures drop enough and the weather conditions are just so to create thick ice across meadows and waterways, there are dedicated groups of people across the region connected by social media keeping an eye on the weather, testing the ice and brining skates together.
Villages and towns across Fenland held skating matches for prizes throughout the 18th and 19th Century. Many were well documented in the local newspapers and in personal diaries.
Wisbech & Fenland Museum holds a significant record of Fen Skating, from photographs and newspaper articles to a selection of skates as well as diaries and personal recollections.
In this exhibition, we will be exploring some of the champion skaters and their stories in this exhibition as well as documenting collections and writing from local people and also items shared with us following interest in this exhibition on social media in November 2020.
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