New book is more than just

IF you live in, or once lived in, Keynsham and/or Saltford, we have some splendid news. There’s a new book about the story of the area over the past 75 years, packed with information and photos.

It’ll make a perfect Christmas gift or stocking filler for anyone from K and S, whether they’re looking for a bit of nostalgia or some serious and meticulously researched social history by folks who really know their subject.

Don’t let our picture caption spread fool you. We’ve nabbed some of our favourite photos from the book for this article, but the book itself is no mere compendium of old photos, but a proper-job history of the life and times of the communities from VE Day celebrations to Covid lockdown.

Keynsham & Saltford 1945 – 2020 has been researched and written by members of the Keynsham & Saltford Local History Society.

The 176-page book includes more than 200 photographs and is split into two parts. The first, Through the Years, is a chronological account looking at the significant events since the war – everything from archaeological discoveries and floods to the openings and closures of buildings and businesses.

The second part, Lives and Times, features mini-biographies of some of the people who have made their mark on Keynsham and Saltford through the decades. And yes, there’s much more to it than Horace “K-E-Y-N-S-HA-M” Batchelor and Bill Bailey.

There are sections on the changing face of shops and shopping, an account of schools and health provision, local sports clubs and more.

Keynsham & Saltford Local History Society Chairman Richard Dyson edited the book, the idea for which began when the society’s committee discussed how best to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2015.

He said: “When we started, our idea was to compile a chronological account of the period. It soon became clear that this snapshot approach could not cover everything, so we extended our reach to include people of interest who have a local connection, sports clubs and aspects of life that affect us all, such as shops, schools and transport.”

Keynsham & Saltford 1945 – 2020 (ISBN: 978-1-909446-25-0) is published by Bristol Books, price £15. Copies will be in some local shops, but can also be purchased online from www.bristolbooks.org or direct from the Local History Society at books@ keysalthist.org.uk or by phone on 0117 986 4453.

Among the characters featured in the book is Bob Trott, Keynsham’s last working blacksmith. He could shoe horses or fit steel rims to cartwheels though one imagines that by the time he retired in 1966 much of his income came from his wrought-iron work for gates and fences

The Keynsham livestock & cattle market closed in 1975, though this picture probably comes from a few years before that. We don’t know the year, but given the combination of turkeys and snow it must have been a December

George Ollis (third from left) at a Town Criers’ contest in Dorset in 1931. A well-known figure, he was Keynsham’s Town Crier for 31 years

The Co-op grocery store at 25/27 Keynsham High Street, 1954

Much of the site of Keynsham’s historic Abbey disappeared beneath the Keynsham By-Pass in the 1960s, but local residents and the Bristol Folk House Archaeological Society joined forces to carry out as much exploration as they could while the earth-movers were doing their work and remains were being exposed. This picture showing an exciting find is from a later dig in a corner of the Memorial Park untouched by the road

The Keynsham Dance Centre was a longstanding local institution, winning huge numbers of awards, including 80 gold cups. It usually also entered the Keynsham Carnival. Here’s a float from the 1970s. The girls are not planning to dance in their wellies (which would have been interesting); they’re to protect their dancing shoes

Mural from the main hall at Saltford Hall, completed in 1961. Artist Alan Durman painted the mural, which featured local landmarks, his wife and his dog as well as a number of local villagers, including footballer Gordon Mitchell.

The new Civic Centre/Town Hall pictured in late 1965 around the time of its official opening

The notorious 1968 floods hit the area hard. This is the aftermath in Avon Mill Lane

On the production line; Fry’s Crème Tablet being wrapped, 1951

Keynsham Grammar School formal opening, October 1957