COMMEMORATIVE heritage plaques are to be officially unveiled 100 years to the day since global home shopping pioneer, and son of Newtown, Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones died.

The unveiling will be carried out by Montgomeryshire Assembly Member Russell George, and the Mayor of Newtown, Cllr David Selby.

Pryce Jones started as a humble drapers' apprentice at 12 years old to become the pioneer of modern mail order and employed thousands of Montgomeryshire people. He was born in Llanllwchaiarn on October 16, 1834 and died on January 11, 1920.

He opened his own drapers shop at 50 Broad Street, where the Sandwich Shop is now, and began his inception of ideas for a penny post system to post Newtown flannel fabric swatches to the homes of potential affluent customers from October 3, 1859.

His pioneering mail order business had expanded very quickly and bought his old boss's shop where he started to advertise his establishment as the Royal Warehouse after receiving orders from Queen Victoria.

His customers covered the British Empire and Royal Households. To announce royal orders he sent a message to the community by the bells ringing out loud from St David’s Church.

The Newtown online Heritage Trail and the Plaque with a QR Code will link the History of Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones and his Royal Welsh Warehouse, which towers the landscape of Newtown.

Named in his honour, the Pryce Jones building in the centre of town, where the plaques will be based, is now home to the Focus Enterprise Hub.

The unveiling at the Pryce Jones building takes place this Saturday, January 11 at 10.30am.