Severn Crafts Articles

The Priday Family of Gloucester & the Castle Line Steamers

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............

Salt Trows or Wich Barges

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 .........

Tonnage Burdens to Severn Ports

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:

Bygone Traffic on the Severn

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

Salt Trows or Wich Barges

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 Severn Trow 'Spry'

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.

Floods make Severn Unnavigable

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.

Last Trow under Sail

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

Brindley and Holt Castle Waterwheel

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

Average Tonnage on Severn, 1849

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' of Stourport

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' Steamer of Stourport

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

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

The 'Lady Alwyn'

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,

Details of Pleasure Steamers based at Worcester

Sovereign Built 1821. Built on the Catamaran principle with two hulls 5 ft apart. Engines to make 6 m.p.h against the stream. Doubtful if she ever reached Worcester as she blew up.SABRINA Paddle Steamer built at London c. 1846. 90 ft long, 14 ft beam,

Ernie North Skipper of the Severn Traveller

Ernie North, skipper of the Severn Traveller. He reckoned he carried 20,000 passengers in the Traveller in 1984, and the sister vessel, the Pride of the Midlands did the same. At the height of the season, the Traveller might clock up 3 or 4 trips in a 16

Tankers into Pleasure Craft

Steam propelled pleasure craft on the Severn were converted to diesel about 1960. In 1971 they were taken over by Mitchell & Butler's Brewery and run by their special projects departtment under the name of The Worcester Steamer Company

The 'Beatrice'

Built of iron at London in 1893 for the London Council . Registered at London No 101979. 81 ft 3 ins long. Breadth 11 ft 6 ins. Depth 6 ft 1 in. She was brought round the coast by Frank Roberts in 1922. She is here moored below the Deanery at Worcester.

The 'Fashion' Steamer

The 'Fashion' used by the Worcester City Chamberlain to inspect the Swan Upping at Worcester. Circ 1909

Steamer Accident at Diglis Locks, August 1918.

'One of the most alarming steamer accidents which has occured on the Severn in past years took place at Diglis, when a young Birmingham woman travelling in a Stourport steamer lost her life.

The 'Duchess Doreen'

The Duchess Doreen was originally named the ' Duchess of York' but her name was changed in the 1920's by her owner at that time, Mrs Bertha Huxter, and named after her daughter, Doreen. She plied the Severn at Worcester in company with the 'Belle' for many

The 'Sabrina' Paddle Steamer 1846.

The Sabrina Paddle Steamer was 90 ft long, 14 ft beam, 25 ft across the paddle boxes; draws 3 ft when loaded, and has two engines of 12 horse-power each. 'Mr. James Wall purchased a London-built steam vessel to ply between Worcester and Gloucester,

An Advert Announcing the Severn running from Worcester to Gloucester

The SEVERN Steamer will run from Ribbesford to Worcester every Saturday, Wednsday, Thursday and Friday. (Commencing on Sat. next, August 19) leaving Ribbesford every morning at half-past Eight, and Stourport at a quarter to Nine;

1854 The Severn Steamer

'The Severn Steamer which was built in London, and had been plying for some time on the River Severn, it was about 90 ft long by 11 ft beam; and was drawing about 2 ft of water; steams about 10 miles an hour; and was certified to carry 300 passengers.

The Perseverance Steamer - Tiller Steered

An interesting feature, from the shipbuilding point of view, was the fact that she was tiller streered, at least she was in her earlier days, though I think she was later on converted into

The First Steam Boats at Worcester

The appearance at Worcester in August 1814, of the first steam boat owned by the Bath & Bristol Canal Co. exited much curiosity'. R.C Gaut, A History of Worcestershire Agriculture and Rural Revolution, p.198

Steam Passengers 1912

In the summer of 1912 the passenger steamers on the Severn ran over 34,000 miles and made over 6,000 lockings with passengers on board,

Drinking Licences on Steamers

B.W.J. 20.10.1900. 'A steamer, however short its journey, the moment it leaves its moorings, whether it be Sunday or weekday, may sell intoxicating drink under an Inland Revenue licences.

Pleasure Steamers on the Severn

'Crowquill' of the Berrow's Worcester Journal of 5 September, 1931 gave the following details of early steamers on the Severn. 'Until 50 years ago there was only one steamer at Worcester plying up and down the river. Then a second arrived, and in the closing

The 'Holt' Castle

'At the hop-picking season tatterdemalion hordes of pickers came out from the city, and wagons were sent to the 'Well', in front of All Saints Church for a 6.30 am start. From the river one could hear the Severn Steamer, the 'Holt Castle', hooting a warning,

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