Hi Nigel and welcome to the forum.
I suspect you already know this as it's on a public website, but if only for the benefit of other researchers this excellent website has much detail about the Epney

http://www.cotswoldcanalsheritage.org.uk/page_id__132_path__0p2p51p.aspx

"A Directory of Ships,
Connections with the Parishes around Saul Junction"
By Rachel Williams

My mother, a member of the Silvey family of Epney, was given these notes by the late Wilf Rowles in July 1979. She had been able to provide some information about various members of her family who had sailed on the ships which are listed here.

"FRIENDS
Trow. Ketch Rigged. Two Masts.
Official Number. 16341.
International Code. M. B. D. K.
Dimensions. 72.1 ft x 16.5 ft x 6.2 ft
Gross Tons. 85. Registered Tons. 70.
Port of Registry. Gloucester.
Built at Brockweir, River Wye, in 1844, by Thomas Swift.
Owner. Thomas Swift, Merchant, Monmouth. (64 shares)
Master. James Brown.

Registered anew as No 5, in 1848. Chepstow.
No. 5. 10.8.1848
Details, Owner and Master - as above.

Transactions. 1.1.1868.
Mary Sarah Hyam - Widow, James Davis - Jnr. maltster and William John Hyam - corn factor, all of Monmouth, executors of the late Benjamin Price Hyam, executor of the late Thomas Swift, sold the whole to Thomas Richard Hyam, Merchant and ship-owner, Monmouth

Trans. 17.4.1876.
The whole sold to Charles Brown, Ship-master, Brockweir.

Trans. 23.10.1878
The whole sold to Thomas Brown, Ship-master, Brockweir.

Trans. 21.1.1880
The whole sold to Charles Silvey, Ship-master, Epney, Glos.
Registered anew at Gloucester, 22.7.1882.
In 1882, the vessel was raised (ie built up) and lengthened by Benjamin Gardiner of Framilode. Her tonnage was altered thus:- Gross Tons - 110.
Reg Tons - 99.

Trans. - - 1917.
The whole sold to Lewis Bull, Ship-owner, Cardiff, who in August 1919, sold her to the Fairhaven Shipping Company Ltd. In September 1919, she was sold to Greek owners. The Gloucester Registry was then closed.

I have no evidence of her going to Greece, although this may have been so. I would rather think she was owned by the London Greeks, who operated a lot of craft up on the London River.

My Mercantile Navy List, for 1912, a publication which catered for the smaller type of vessel and similar to a Lloyds Register, gives the FRIENDS as being owned by Edwin J. T. Silvey, Epney, Nr. Stonehouse, Glos., and her R/T as 85.

These particulars do at times get crossed, due to the fact that the dear old boys did not always report a change of ownership. The schooner and ketch records have been a little more difficult to trace on account of change of name but, fortunately, the O.N. always remains the same, with the exception of one or two vessels."

The Silvey family is also shown as owners of these ketch-rigged trows;
"Effort", "Oliver" and "Gloucester"(pictured).

Also see http://www.friendsofpurton.org.uk/Docs/Saul_Ship_Archive.pdf

I wonder if the above mention of changes of name explains the census stating "Brothers", as there's no ship of that name on either account ?

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Again, probably nothing new but the aforementioned Felix Silvey is shown as a crew member of this ship during the 1881 Census, in Swansea port.

Vessel: "Hannah"
Richard HILLMAN M 44 M Framilode, Gloucester, England Master
Dennis HILLMAN M 34 M Framilode, Gloucester, England Mate
Felix SILVEY U 19 M Epney, Gloucester, England AB
Thomas SMITH U 19 M Epney, Gloucester, England OS
http://www.glamorganfamilyhistory.co.uk/maritime/Swansea81.html

This website from the far opposite coast of the UK discusses a Goole (Humberside) artist Reuben Chappell who painted the vessels using that busy port at the end of the C19th.
"a Reuben Chappell painting of the "Epney Lass" of Gloucester.... There was an Epney Lass which was a Severn barge of 64 tons net built at Saul Junction in 1860 reg no 27875 owned by Felix Silvey of Epney"
http://www.goole-on-the-web.org.uk/main.php?key=784

Be they Thames barges or Severn trows, "coasters" were so very important to Britain's everyday business even late into the C19th. This site gives some background. http://www.livinggloucester.co.uk/histories/river_severn/at_work/severn_trows/

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Altho strictly speaking not discussing trows, I feel I should share this great film I've just found, a delightful 1950s colour documentary showing the goods then being carried by barges up the Severn from Avonmouth to Worcester, including a great sequence of busy Gloucester docks with the heavy dockside crane in full steam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEfmuQRrRp8

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Thanks Nigel for your interesting query, I do hope some of this is of interest.