Winter 1868-69 

CETs
December 1868: 7.2
January 1869: 5.6 
February 1869: 7.5 
December 2nd-21st: 8.2
January: The first half: 6.5
February: The first half: 8.8

CET trackometer for winter 1868-69 December: first value; January: second value; February third value
1. 6.3 4.3 8.2
2. 7.2 6.2 7.2
3. 7.8 6.3 8.2
4. 8.6 6.6 8.8
5. 9.0 6.7 9.0
6. 9.3 6.6 9.1
7. 9.3 6.8 9.3
8. 9.0 7.2 9.4
9. 8.8 7.2 9.2
10. 8.8 7.1 9.4
11. 8.6 6.9 9.3
12. 8.2 6.7 8.9
13. 8.2 6.6 8.8
14. 8.3 6.5 8.8
15. 8.3 6.5 8.7
16. 8.2 6.6 8.8
17. 8.2 6.5 8.7
18. 8.2 6.4 8.6
19. 8.0 6.2 8.4
20. 8.0 6.1 8.2
21. 8.1 5.9 8.2
22. 8.0 5.7 7.9
23. 7.9 5.5 7.7
24. 7.8 5.2 7.6
25. 7.7 5.1 7.6
26. 7.7 5.1 7.7
27. 7.7 5.2 7.6
28. 7.6 5.3 7.5
29. 7.5 5.4
30. 7.4 5.5
31. 7.2 5.6

Some reports from stations
Selborne
December: The mildest December I have ever recorded and the most tempestuous with prevailing SW winds
Highest max: 64.5F
3 air frosts
January: On the whole a tempestuous month and unprecendently mild, the wind though high, being SW to SE
9 air frosts
February: Vegetation about 6 weeks earlier than average; yew and box in flower early in month.
Highest max: 51.0F
8 air frosts

Banbury
December: Very wet month; draba verna in blossom on last day
Highest max: 56.0F
5 air frosts
January: High winds on 4th and 28th to end of month
Highest max: 54.0F
6 air frosts
February: Snow on 12th and 22nd; violets in bloom on 20th
Highest max: 56.0F
5 air frosts

Culford
December: A mild month of mild weather for the season
January: The weather throughout has been remarkably mild, no snow. Gooseberry bushes almost in leaf and apricot blooms nearly open.
Bridport
December: Very mild and stormy month. Crocuses in flower in the garden
2 air frosts
January: Very mild month
4 air frosts
February: A mild month and vegetation very forward
4 air frosts

Shifnal
December: snowdrops up and whiten 19th
January: crocus in flower on 31st
February: Nettles several inches high on 5th; willow blossoming; apricots in flower and hawthorn budding on the 16th. Wild daffodil in flower on 20th. Pastures as green as in May.

Boston
December: Roses and pinks were in flower in the open air on the 15th and strawberries were gathered in a garden at Louth.
January: Remarkably mild weather
February: Limes, elms and other forest trees in being in full bud
Derby
January: The fields and gardens having the more appearance of April than January. The proximate cause of the warmth of the season arises, no doubt, by the prevalence of southerly winds.

Aberdeen
December: Mild but wet tempestuous month
January: A remarkably mild month, no snow except a few flakes on 25th, no severe frosts. Grass growing as if in March or April, scarcely two hours' sunshine a day on average.. Whin in bloom all month.
February: A month of fine, mild dry weather except last 4 days were stormy.
Lochbroom
February: Trees and bushes never seemed so green.

Ballater
February: Up to last week, vegetation was making alarming progress for season.

Some station figures

Camden Town
December
Rain: 5.12"
Highest max: 58.2F
1 air frost

January
Rain: 2.76"
Highest max: 56.3F
6 air frosts
February
Rain: 2.48"
Highest max: 60.8F
4 air frosts

Manchester
December
Rain: 8.12"
Highest max: 55.3F
2 air frosts

January
Rain: 2.69"
Highest max: 54.0F
1 air frost

February
Rain: 4.44"
Highest max: 61.8F
1 air frost
Barnstaple
December
Rain: 6.78"
Highest max: 59.5F
0 air frosts

January
Rain: 4.69"
Highest max: 56.0F
2 air frosts

February
Rain: 4.35"
Highest max: 62.0F
0 air frosts

Waterford
December
Rain: 9.81"
Highest max: 58.0F
0 air frosts
January
Rain: 2.69"
Highest max: 54.0F
7 air frosts

February
Rain: 2.34"
Highest max: 54.0F
1 air frost

Llandudno

December
Rain: 8.22"
Highest max: 62.6F
0 air frosts

January
Rain: 4.12"
Highest max: 54.6F
0 air frosts

February
Rain: 3.43"
Highest max: 58.0F
0 air frosts

Camden Square mean

3rd- 11th February 1869 : 10.1C

That is impressive that last figure, an equivalent would be something like February 1998.

Maxima at Camden Square 1st-17th February 1869

1st. 12.8C
2nd. 9.6C
3rd. 12.8C
4th. 14.0C
5th. 16.0C
6th. 14.3C
7th. 12.1C
8th. 12.2C
9th. 10.4C
10th. 13.2C
11th. 13.6C
12th. 10.4C
13th. 9.3C
14th. 10.3C
15th. 9.6C
16th. 11.3C
17th. 12.0C

LOL! Not your usual 'historic winter' post. Kev!

(wonder if some people were referring to it being a 'modern winter' back then?)

Blimey and we think this Winter is crxp lol

Just goes to show that out climate hasn't changed all that much IMO.

Times Editorial from 1891

Note the opening lines from Times editorial from January 1937

Yes, interesting; when you read historical reflections, like Richard Mabey's Cold Comforts, or even contemporary records like Gilbert White's extensive weather records in his Natural History of Selborne from the latter 1700s, you realise that here, just about every extreme has been seen before, and sometimes with relatively high frequency.