The Bridge Across The Flood

A Commemoration of the storm and floods of July 1968 that devastated the Chew Valley

“This 50th anniversary commemoration of the 1968 floods in Keynsham takes place in the park this Saturday!! The musical will be sung by a community choir of adults and children (2 of which sang in the original production 30 years ago) with accompaniment from local musicians, and several narrators who will tell the stories of some of the people involved. To provide a visual reference of just how high the flood water became, there will be a tightrope walker crossing the park for 100mtrs.

Whilst the floods were devastating for all concerned, this musical production is a celebration of local heroism, spirit and the bringing together of the true community of Keynsham.” Keynsham Music Festival

Another scorcher of a day, 28 degrees, so after a day spent pouring over maps of France, I popped down to the park and found a shady spot to listen to The Bridge Across The Flood, and to watch the tightrope walker marking the height of the flood water.

At the time of the flood, I was only a toddler and don’t remember the event. But my mum remembers it vividly as she had to take my 2 week old brother to the clinic with me sitting on the pram, by the time we got home we were soaked to the skin. What I do remember though is that I never got to enjoy my favourite sausages again as the butchers, along with many other buildings, were destroyed by the flood. That’s nothing though compared to the three people who lost their lives when they were swept away in their car as the town’s main bridge collapsed in the flood; just one of the many bridges along the River Chew that were swept away...

At the end of the performance, the compere said that he’d see us all again in 50 years time, to commemorate the year of the biggest drought in town!!