Marriage of William Ellis and Miss Joan Dutton, 72 years' service between them. 1970 Mrs Sally Oppenheim's election as MP for Gloucester recorded in AGM minutes 1971 Company entered pre-mix trade - shortage of skilled labour make it attractive to bakers. Presentation to Normal Bird after 50 years' service. 1973 Britain entered Common Market; Charman records effect not greatly felt due to existing high import levies on wheat. Most of company's wheat delivered by road. 21 July: W. Ellis 50 years' service, party and presentation of Waterford glass. 1974 Mrs Macnaugten retired. New director Steward Partic Macnaughten, her husband. 14 December: A. Coates retired after 46 and a half years' service, party at Easter 1975. 1975 Last voyage of the "Nancy H" described by J. Hooper, "Cotswold Life". Seaforth Grain Terminal, Liverpool in use. Road delivery of wheat increased. 1977 J.Reynolds & Co., Gloucester closed by Allied Mills. Priday Metford only remaining flour mill at Gloucester Docks. H. Conway-Jones attributed this to the shares having remained within the original families (Gloucestershire Historical Studies, 1981) 1980 Death of C.J. Priday. New Chairman C.D. Vowles; New director Christopher Bruton Priday. Death of S.P. Macnaughten. New director appointed from outside the family to represent the Metfords, Julian Cecil Somerville Mills. High speed roller mills installed. 1983 New Chairman J.C.S. Mills; New non-family directors Shaun Coleman Dowling, Paul Clearly (General Manager). Barges sold; water tower removed. 1984 C.D. Vowles retired. New director Mrs Margaret Elizabeth Cooper. 1985 P. Cleary appointed Managing Director Other accounts of Priday Metford The flour produced by Priday Metford was renowned for its quality as the following quotation from Cotswold Life (July 1986) shows: "At my grandmother's funeral in Lancashire not long a go I met a distant cousin for the first time. Knowing where I lived he did not enthuse about the beauty of the Cotswolds but said, "Of course, we never come back from the south without calling at Gloucester to buy flour from Priday Metford...." Diana Alexander The shareholding and founding families The founding families were those of Charles Priday, Francis Killigrew Seymour Metford and Francis Tring Pearce. These three families controlled the company for over one hundred years and across many generations. The Pearce family The Pearce family were involved in milling in the Gloucester area for over a century and for six generations, that is to say right from 1860 until Priday, Metford and Company