Shropshire Star

Tribute to founder of mail order shopping

He was the pioneer of mail order and now online home shopping.

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Pryce Pryce Jones, who had a draper’s shop in Newtown, hit upon the idea of dispatching goods to his customers by post and on the train and turned his business global.

Queen Victoria and Florence Nightingale were among his patrons and his Welsh flannel was sold to customers across the world.

A special event will be held next week to mark the 160th anniversary of Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones’ business and the 140th anniversary of the opening of his impressive, Royal Welsh Warehouse in the mid Wales town.

The Royal Welsh Warehouse

The event on October 3, 6-8.30pm, has been organised by The Heritage Hub 4 Mid Wales, a community heritage project which aims to recognise the pioneers of mid Wales and develop the heritage led regeneration of the region.

They say the area has pioneers such as Pryce-Jones, social reformer, Robert Owen, philanthropist David Davies and business woman Laura Ashley.

It will be held on the third floor of the grade 2 listed, Royal Welsh Warehouse from and will see a plaque unveiled by the entrepreneur’s great great grandson, David Pryce-Jones as well the High Sheriff of Powys and other dignatories.

Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones revolutionised how products were sold.

The Royal Welsh Warehouse

His drapery business was so popular he dreamt up the mail order catalogue as a way that those who couldn’t travel to the Newtown shop could buy his goods.

Customers ordered by post, and the goods were delivered by railway.

He then expanded the business overseas via ships selling Welsh flannel to the rest of Europe, the United States followed by Australia.

The Royal Households of Europe bought from the draper. During the 1870s he took part in exhibitions all over the world, winning several awards, and he was knighted by The Queen 1887.

The Royal Welsh Warehouse, Newtown

He is also credited with the invention of the sleeping bag, patented in 1876 under the name of the Euklisia Rug.

He was the MP for Montgomeryshire on two occasions.

The businessman died in 1920 aged 85 and sadly his company was hit by the depression of the 20s and 30s.

It was taken over and remained a mail order business operating from the Royal Welsh Warehouse until 2011.