50 years ago to the day…

Remembering the Flood, 10th July 1968

"Relatives of those who lost their lives in the Great Flood of 1968 will be among the guests attending the unveiling of a permanent memorial to the events of 50 years ago in Keynsham.

The historic County Bridge stone, part of the bridge swept away as the flood waters reached Keynsham on July 10, 1968, is being re-sited in the Memorial Park, complete with a commemorative plaque. The memorial will be unveiled… in front of residents who experienced the floods, rescuers and people who have donated towards the project…

Dr Cheryl Scott, town clerk, said: “Fifty years ago, a number of people lost their lives owing to a serious flash flooding event in the Chew catchment area, including three people in Keynsham. The number of lives lost could have been more were it not for the bravery of the rescuers. Property was destroyed, lives and homes were disrupted and a huge clean-up effort ensued. This unveiling ceremony is one of a series of events being held within the catchment area to commemorate the 50th anniversary of this tragic natural disaster...” If you would like to read the rest of the article, here’s a link.


Rather than just showing you the memorial, I wanted a photo that captured the whole event: the speeches, the brass band that entertained the crowd, the onlookers enjoying a beautiful sunny afternoon (24°C, the perfect temperature for me!), and of course the memorial which you can see in the centre of the scene. The memorial stone itself has a whole story to tell, and I shall save that for another blip and another day…