A year ago, July 2023, The Gazette's mystery photos showed what looked like scenes of devastation after the July 1968 local flooding.

1968 flood, Bishop Sutton
Queen's Arms skittle alley, Chew Magna, following the 1968 flood. (Photo: Harptrees History Society) ( )

For years, these photos had been in the archive of the Harptrees History Society labelled ‘Bishop Sutton’. Enquiries among villagers revealed that no one could remember Bishop Sutton suffering any such flooding and, crucially, no one could recognise the places pictured either.

Publication in The Gazette produced no identifications and it was locals at the Chew Valley Library cafe who first pointed the finger towards Chew Magna.

Then, Sam Oliphant put the group of Chew Chatters, who meet every Tuesday and Friday in Chew Magna to socialise, on the case.

Back came the answer straight away - they were all taken in the area around what was then called the Queens Arms, now The Queens. There we have it - mystery solved.