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From the ???? 1952.
Husband and Wife drowned when their barge sinks in river.
Only son is rescued.
A former well known and popular Gravesend licensee, who later turns
newsagents, farmer, and agricultural contractor and barge owner, and his
wife, were drowned in the River Thames off Belvedere early yesterday
(Thursday) morning. They were 55 year old Mr. Daniel Pryor, and his
wife, Louise, known popularly as "Lulu." She was 50 years of age.
His son, Mr. Dan Pryor, junior, age 27, who acted as mate on the 50
years old Faversham barge, "James and Ann," was rescued.
The barge, Laden with cement, had been in collision with a 464 ton Dutch
tanker "Matthew," of Rotterdam, off Mulberry Wharf, Belvedere, and sank
immediately. A boat from the tanker, which picked up Mr. Pryor, junior,
continued its search for Mr. and Mrs. Pryor without getting a trace.
The barge was bound for King George V dock to discharge the cargo she
had brought from Halling.
Former local licensee.
Mr. Pryor will be best remembered by his many friends in Gravesend as
licensee first of the "Pelham Arms," and then the first landlord of
Gravesend's new pre-war hotels, Central Avenue, and the "White Hart," at
Chalk.
At the "White Hart" he made the place famous with "Daniel's Den," a
cellar converted into a bar that was used by hundreds of fighter pilots
based at Gravesend during the war.
At 10 every evening he made the customers drink a toast to "absent
friends" and the song "There'll always be an England," was rendered with
Gusto. Fighter pilots claiming a raider were presented with a silver
cup, full of beer.
After leaving the licensed trade, Mr. Pryor, for a time a newsagents at
Chalk. Later, with his son, he set up in business as an agricultural
contractor and specialised in night ploughing with the aid of powerful
lamps fixed to his tractor.
After a spell in the Canterbury district he gave up working on the land
for working on the water.
Then he became the owner of the red sailed Thames barge which he
refitted at Northfleet with an auxiliary engine.
Well-known on two rivers.
He transported freight on the Thames and the Medway.
He was a son of a licensee, taking over the "Pelham Arms" from his
father in 1921.
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