BBC – the Great Smog of 1952 recalled. “Fifty years ago, a choking cloud enveloped much of London and the Home Counties – a toxic fog which killed at least 4,000 people. Here, Barbara Fewster, 74, recalls the Great Smog of 1952.” A very Ballardian tale of this environmental disaster:
After a long time we arrived at Kew Bridge – that’s at least 10 miles from Hampstead – when my fiancé called out to me, ‘I’ve lost you, where have you got to?’ I must have veered off out of range of the sidelights.
At that point, a milk float passed by and my fiancé told me to get in so we could follow its taillights. He put his foot down. Well, then the milkman disappeared and we could hear the float bouncing over the grass on Kew Green. All I could do was get out of the car and continue walking. We later came across a car that had overtaken us earlier on in the journey – it was up a tree, crashed, and no sign of the occupant.