THE story of the rediscovery of a poem telling the saga of the loss of the sailing ship Prince Victor in the Severn 112 years ago has revealed the whereabouts of the vessel's figure-head.
It is apparently stored in Gloucester's Folk Museum, having spent around half a century standing forlornly in a Severnside orchard.
Our photograph of the figure-head was taken by Mr Michael Ayland, of Littledean Hill, Cinderford, after it had been restored by his father, the late Mr Wilfred Ayland, in the 1960s.
Mr Ayland remembers being told by his father how the figure-head came to the quiet and remote Severnside hamlet of Priding, on the opposite bank of the Severn to Westbury, having been acquired by an antiques dealer, Mr Charles Camm, in the 1920s.
Prince Victor stood in Mr Camm's orchard overlooking countless winters until the property changed hands and was purchased by a Mr Wren.
"Dad renovated it and that is when I took this photograph," said Mr Ayland. He said that after the importance of the figure-head had been pointed out, it had been taken to the Gloucester Folk Museum.