Charles arrived in NZ on the ship 'Doric'. He married Edith Garlick in January 1904 and came to Cambridge in 1907 where he ran a saddlery and sports goods shop. He built the Priestley Buildings in Victoria Street in 1913.
In 1912 he bought the first Warren motorcar in Cambridge - a Model K, 5 seater with 30 horse power.

Charles became a councillor in 1909-1912 and 1915-1919. He retired from business in 1922 and became Mayor in 1923 to 1925 and 1929 to 1938. In 1935 he received the Kings' Jubilee Medal for community services.

He married a second time in 1943 to Ethel Wilding and died in Cambridge, 17 June 1959.

The first official function of the Borough's 50th Jubilee in August 1936 was a special meeting of the Borough Council held on the stage of the Town Hall when the minutes of the first Council meeting held on 7 September 1886 were read and confirmed.
The Mayor Mr C H Preistley who presided, was presented by Mr A Bach with a gold Mayoral Chain of office bearing the names of the fifteen previous Mayors. Mr Bach was the eldest surviving Mayor of Cambridge and in placing the gold chain on the shoulders of Mr Priestley he said he felt sure the town would continue to progress with its present sound administrators.
Having accepted the chain Mr Preistley said it would be his earnest endeavour to carry on the good work in the interests of Cambridge on standards set by such former Mayors as the late Thomas Wells and W F Buckland.

 

Researched and written by Eris Parker
Ref: Cambridge Museum Archives

 

 

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