Charles Priday was born in Quedgeley in Gloucester in 1839, the only son of Richard Priday & Pamela Priday (nee Heaven) . Richard Priday was the son of William & Elizabeth Priday and through one of Richard's brothers Charles the boat builder was related to Charles Priday - the Priday Metford Mill owner in Gloucester Docks.                                                                                                                                                        Charles moved to Westgate area of Gloucester as a young adult where he married Harriet Steel around 1859 and had a son Samuel Richard Priday born 1863............ 

 

Between 1860 and the early years of the present century large numbers of new vessels were built for the salt trade. They were known among the Severn trowmen as 'Wich Barges', the name being an abbreviation of Droitwich. They did .........

 

The whole navigation extended 160 miles, as far upstream as Pool Quay, Welshpool, Montgomeryshire. Severn ports could be reached by vessels of the following burdens:

The relative importance of river trade to places on Severn can be roughly gauged by the number of trading vessels which were owned at various places. A list was compiled in May 1756, and published in the Gentleman's Magazine of 1758, xxviii p.277-8

Between 1860 and the early years of the present century large numbers of new vessels were built for the salt trade. They were known among the Severn trowmen as 'Wich Barges', the name being an abbreviation of Droitwich.

The 'Spry' was built at Chepstow in 1894 by William Hurd. She was registered at Gloucester as a sloop, Official Number 99538, 36 tons net, 46 tons gross, her managing owner being Mr.Davis, Stone Merchant of Chepstow.

The Severn is subject to violent changes of level as the flood waters come down from Wales; a rise of 18 ft in 5 hours being known, and heights of 25 ft above average low level is not uncommon, rendering the river unnavigable.

The last Trow under sail was the Alma, built in 1854, which traded as a ketch under 1943, while the Palace of 1837 carried stone from Tintern until about 1939

The Navigation Improvement Bill of 1849 mentioned that Brindley had been asked to survey the Severn from Queenhill to Pendock in 1763, but his opinion was never acted upon. Also that Mr. Pickernell, the occupier of Holt Castle, had a waterwheel for supplying

The average tonnage passing Newnham (1849) was 363,000 tons, or about 1,000 tons per day. This was exclusive of 205,000 tons that go by way of the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal, part of which is locked into the river again. Ben Devey, of Stourport, a carrier,

The 'Bonavista'  was owned by Captain Hattom of the Angel, who also owned the 'Lady Steamers'. At that time of 1907, she sailed twice daily from Stourport to Holt Fleet after Whit Monday.

The 'Amo' was the largest pleasure steamer in Stourport. She was built of wood at Windsor in 1892, and rebuilt at Stourport in 1904. Registered at London 1896, No 110195. Length 68 ft 2 ins. Breadth 15 ft 2 ins. Deoth 4ft 5 ins. She was owned (1910-18)

The Severn Punt was a direct descendent of the ancient dug out canoe, They were 25 ft long and 3 ft wide. The sides were of oak, but the bottom were larch. Old Salmon fishing punts had one end taken off. Up until recent years a Punt was on show at the Pond

Built at Worcester in 1881 by Mr.Everton in a shed in Hylton Road. She always seemed to sail with a list to one side. She was named after Lady Alwyn Compton, wife of the Dean of Worcester, 1878-86. She was built of wood, Length sixty one and a quarter feet,