The Snowfall of 1962

🎙️ Collective documentation

The participants in the collective documentation comment that they were barely babies when the snowfall occurred. They express that what they know is from the anecdotes of their relatives. Only one participant has her own memories of the snowfall.

They locate the photographs in the neighborhood of the Congress. The snow caught all the neighbors off guard; on Sant Esteve day of 1962, the city woke up covered by a blanket of snow. People didn't have suitable clothes for the snow, like the woman in the photo, who wears a skirt, stockings, and shoes. They also mention that the city collapsed and that the mayor at that time bought some snow removal machines that were never used again.

The cold weather reminds the participants of how they used to warm up their beds in winter, highlighting the different methods used according to social classes. The humble people used hot water bottles, bricks heated with the fire of the houses to warm the bed, and many heavy blankets. The richer people used the "escalfallit," a brazier that was passed over the bed before going to sleep to warm it up. The photograph also makes them think of buying ice in bulk in summer: "Do you remember when we used to buy ice in bulk?; Oh, yes! With the square bucket." Some purchasing points were located in Fabra i Puig or in a wine cellar owned by Mr. Blas.

One participant remembers how firefighters once evacuated a person from the top floor of the Congress buildings. This event brings to memory the advancement represented by the first elevators of the Congress, which became increasingly necessary as the neighborhood's population aged.

👥Authors of the documentation

Carmen, Mercè and Neus.

⚙️ Methodology

Photograph documented collectively by participating neighbors in the group Fem Memòries del Canòdrom

📸 Assignor

Jaume Anglada (author) / Josep Anglada (assignor)