River Thames frost fairs had taken her there for ice-skating on the river Thames. "He got Stevie Wonder to sing for me under London bridge," she says. When Rory expresses surprise that Stevie Wonder sang in 1814, River cautions him that he must never tell the singer that he did. The "Doctor Who" episode "Thin Ice" is set during the final frost fair in 1814, and includes a reference to the elephant crossing stunt. River Thames frost fairs River Thames frost fairs were held on the tideway of the River Thames at London in some of the winters between the 17th century and early
River Thames frost fairs narrowing of the arches below the bridge, thus concentrating the water into swift-flowing torrents. In winter, large pieces of ice would lodge against these timber casings, gradually blocking the arches and acting like a dam for the river at ebb tide. The Thames had frozen over several times in the 16th century — King Henry VIII travelled from central London to Greenwich by sleigh along the river in 1536, Queen Elizabeth I took to the ice frequently during 1564, to "shoot at marks", and small boys played football on the ice. The first recorded frost fair was in 1608. The