A brass gong located at the Guildhall in Bath has been ceremoniously struck for the first time, marking the beginning of a new tradition for the city.
The Alkmaar gong at the Guildhall in Bath
The brass instrument, which measures 30 inches in diameter, was commissioned by the city of Alkmaar in the Netherlands in 1946.
It was presented to the city of Bath in 1947 and marked the formalising of friendship between the two cities at the end of the Second World War, after Bath residents raised funds and hosted 50 children from Alkmaar in 1945.
Former Mayor Hon. Alderman Will Sandry was given the honour of striking the gong, in recognition of the key role he played in reviving interest in the history of the link between the two cities.
Since 1945, thousands of people from both cities have visited each other, either on school trips, or through musical, sporting and other community club exchanges.
The ceremony was held on 31st August, the same date Alkmaar City Council announced the gift in 1946. The aim is to repeat the ceremony annually on or around the same date, as a way of keeping alive the memory of the link made between the two cities, forged during a challenging time for both countries and the whole of Europe.
The gong was struck before an audience of visitors from Alkmaar, together with the Mayor of Bath, Cllr Rob Appleyard, and members of the Bath-Alkmaar Twinning Association.
Mr Sandry quoted words from the Mayor of Alkmaar, when first announcing the gift 76 years ago. He said: “May the sounds of this gong remind you, again and again, of a harmony grown in these times – thanks to the noble sentiments of the citizens of Bath – between our cities.”
The gong can be found near the entrance to the Council Chamber, on the second floor of the Guildhall.
