AN ill-fated steamer trip up the Severn from Gloucester to Worcester was reported by Berrow's Journal this week exactly 100 years ago.
"There was a long-to-be-remembered boating excursion on the Severn last Sunday. A big party of members and sympathisers of the Gloucester branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants left Gloucester early in the morning for Worcester to take part in the church parade to the Cathedral on behalf of the railwaymen's orphans.
"They combined philanthropy with pleasure in coming by steamer. However, disaster befell at Tewkesbury when the boat became water-logged, and an emergency stop had to be made while all hands were put to the pumps.
"In time the journey was resumed, but at Upton-on-Severn there was a similar experience, and another halt had to be made for pumping. At the Ketch Inn on the outskirts of Worcester, the party all abandoned the ship and took, not to the boats, but to the banks, and finished the journey on foot.
"They arrived in Worcester in time to join the procession after it had left the Cathedral. If the excursionists lost their tempers on the way, the orphans gained some money. In their joys, the excursionists collected an extra 13s.6d for the orphans!"
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