Exhibition celebrates legacy of Welsh mail order pioneer

Nation.Cymru staff

An exhibition celebrating the life of a pioneering Welsh entrepreneur has opened in mid Wales.

The display, running throughout May at Newtown Library, explores the legacy of Pryce Pryce-Jones, widely regarded as a trailblazer of the mail order industry.

The Pryce-Jones Legacy Exhibition has been researched and curated by Ann Evans, founder of Heritage Hub 4 Mid Wales and chair of Newtown Local History Group, with support from volunteers and library staff.

It also features work by students from NPTC Newtown College’s Fashion and Textile Academy, who have drawn inspiration from Pryce-Jones’ world-renowned textile designs to create their own pieces.

The exhibition was officially opened by William Watkin, who said the display highlighted the lasting impact of Pryce-Jones’ work.

“I am delighted to open this fascinating and important exhibition, which celebrates the legacy and life of one of Mid Wales’s entrepreneurial masters,” he said.

“Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones not only made a huge difference to the people of Newtown and beyond, but also to communities across the UK. This exhibition helps to bring his story to new generations.”

Pryce-Jones rose to prominence in the 19th century, building a business that became synonymous with Newtown and provided livelihoods for thousands of people locally. At its peak, the Royal Welsh Warehouse attracted customers from across Britain, helping to establish the town as a major commercial centre.

His work developed during the height of the Welsh flannel industry, when Newtown was a hub of textile production. By the mid-19th century, thousands of people in the area were employed in wool-related trades, earning the town the nickname “the Leeds of Wales”.

Ann Evans said the exhibition was the culmination of months of research into Pryce-Jones’ life and achievements.

“Over the last six months I have researched and written the story of Pryce Jones and his business, sourced photographs and curated this exhibition,” she said.

Alongside the exhibition, school visits and workshops are being organised to engage younger audiences with the town’s industrial heritage.

Material from the project, including a short history film, will later be made available online through the People’s Collection Wales digital archive.

Organisers say the exhibition aims to highlight how Pryce-Jones’ innovations in mail order retail helped shape modern shopping practices, influencing major companies that followed.

The exhibition is open throughout May, with details available via the Newtown Library website.