Born 1834 in Newtown, Pryce Jones took over the drapery business where he was apprenticed in 1856. The business, renamed the Royal Welsh Warehouse, prospered on the trade generated by sending out price lists to prospective customers. In 1890 an illustrated catalogue replaced the price lists, and this was the beginning of catalogue shopping. The firm was taken over by department store firm Lewis's of Liverpool in 1938, but the warehouse he built in Newtown is still home to several retail businesses.