Provincial Welsh Insurance Company Offices, 29, High Street, Wrexham

TO BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS. PERSONS desirous of Contracting for the Erection of New Offices, at Wrexham, for the Provincial (Welsh) Insurance Company, may see the Plans, Specifications, and Conditions, on application to the Secretary any day after Friday, the 26th instant. Sealed Tenders addressed to 'Thomas Barnes, Esq, Chairman of the Board of Directors,' must be delivered at the Offices of the Company, High-street, Wrexham, on or before the 8th of September next. The Directors do not bind themselves to accept the lowest or any other tender. Any further information may be obtained, and a copy of the plans seen, at the offices of Mr R. Kyrke Penson, in Swansea. By order of the Board, Anthony Dillon, Secretary, Wrexham 15 August 1859. [Pembrokeshire Herald 26 August 1859 page 1]

PROVINCIAL WELSH INSURANCE COMPANY’S OFFICE, WREXHAM - The contract for the new offices for this Company has been by taken by Mr. Bunn, of Wrexham. The following tenders were sent in: - Yates, Liverpool,  £3,350; Hughes, Aldford, £3,303; Williams, Wrexham, £3,034; Hughes, Liverpool, £2,795; Roberts, Chester, £2,652; Lockwood and Farrimond, Chester, £2,563; Bunn (not to include concrete for foundations, and iron shutters), £2,320. The design is by Mr. R. Kerr Penson, architect. [Builder 17 September 1859 page 625]

PROVINCIAL INSURANCE COMPANY'S NEW OFFICES.  —The following are the tenders received for the erection of the above offices as published in tho Builder of Saurday last: Yeates, Liverpool, £3,350; Hughes, Aldford, £ 3,303; Williams, Wrexham, £3,031; Hughes, Liverpool, £ 2,705; Roberts, Chester, £2,652; Lockwood, Chester, £2,563, Bunn, Wrexham, £ 2,330. Architect- R. K. Penson. [Wrexham and District Advertiser 24 September 1859 page 4]

THE PROVINCIAL WELSH INSURANCE COMPANY - This company is one of the most prosperous in the United Kingdom, and its business has become so extensive that the present offices are found not sufficiently commodious and spacious to afford proper accommodation. In consequence of this the Directors determined to erect new offices in High Street, and for this purpose they have purchased the property of the late Mr. Joseph Price. The new erection will be one of the finest buildings in Wrexham or neighbourhood and will constitute a splendid architectural ornament in the centre thoroughfare of the town. The architect is Richard Kyrke Penson, Esq. and the builders are the well-known firm of Lockwood and Farrimond, of Chester, who have erected many other noble buildings. The ceremony of laying the Foundation Stone, is appointed to take place on Tuesday, the 3rd-of January next, and we are informed that Lady Williams Wynn has kindly intimated her intention to perform the ceremony -a circumstance which will greatly add to the éclat of the day's proceedings. The following little pamphlet, giving a history of the Company, has just been published, and as it will be interesting to many of our readers we append it to this notice. The Provincial Welsh Insurance Company was established in Wrexham in April 1852, for the insurance of property against fire, and is the only institution of the kind in the Principality. Its formation was readily promoted by S, Watkin Williams Wynn, Bart., the late General Sir Robert Cunliffe, Bart., and other landowners in Wales who became the first trustees of this institution. [North Wales Chronicle 24 December 1859 page 5]

CEREMONY OF LAYING THE CHIEF STONE OF THE NEW OFFICES OF THE PROVINCIAL WELSH INSURANCE Co., WREXHAM. Tuesday last was a kind of gala day in Wrexham, on I the occasion of the laying of the chief stone of the new offices of the Provincial Insurance Company, by Lady Williams Wynn. The day was ushered in by a merry peal on the celebrated Wrexham bells, and many of the leading tradesmen had decorated their houses and shops in honour of the event. The Wynnstay Aams Hotel, tte Coach and Horses Inn, and the shops of Mr. Potter, bookseller; Mr. Joseph Jones, grocer; Mr. Overton, ironmonger Mr. Beale, chemist; Mr. Roberts, con- fectioner; Mr. J. Clark, tailor, were decorated, and several others had flags and banners streaming from their premises. The trowel bore the following inscription. Presented to Lady Williams Wynn, on the occasion of her laying the chief stone of the new offices of the Provincial Welsh Insurance Company in Wrexham, January 3, 1860.The site of the new offices is on the south side of High-street, nearly opposite to the office at present occupied by the company, where a block of unsightly dilapidated old buildings has been removed to make room for the new offices, designed by R. Kyrke Penson, Esq., and now in course of erection by Messrs. Lockwood and Farrimond, of Chester. [Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser 7 January 1860 page 3]

BUILDING FOR THE PROVINCIAL WELSH INSURANCE COMPANY. WREXHAM - There is but one Welsh Insurance Company, and for this the first stone of a new building in Wrexham was laid on the 3rd instant by Lady Williams Wynn, with some ceremony and great rejoicing. The Welsh Insurance Company was established in April 1852, for the insurance of property against fire. The first 10,000 shares of the company were taken up immediately, and the issue of an additional 10,000 shares became necessary to meet the demands of the public. The whole 20,000 were taken up by about 800 persons. A large staff of agents was soon appointed in the United Kingdom and Ireland. A large proportion of the agents from the commencement have been shareholders, so that a vitality was given to the company, at first, which has steadily increased in strength, until up to the present time nearly 20,000 policies have been issued, insuring property to the amount of £7,317,605. The life assurance business was commenced in 1854. The site of the new offices is on the south side of High-street, nearly opposite to the office at present occupied by the company, where a block of unsightly dilapidated old buildings has been removed to make room for the new offices, designed by Mr. R. Kyrke Penson, and now in course of erection by Messrs. Lockwood & Farrimond, of Chester. At the entertainment which followed the event reference was made to the energy and ability with which Mr. Dillon, the manager of the company, had conducted its affairs. [Builder 21 January 1860 page 45]

 NEW OFFICES OF THE PROVINCIAL INSURANCE COMPANY - The handsome and commodious new offices of the Provincial Insurance Company are now completed, and the numerous staff of clerks employed by this prosperous company have migrated across the street and are now comfortably settled in their new quarters. We have several times, during the progress of the building, dilated upon the beauties and the conveniences of these new offices, but if our readers wish to see them under the most favourable circumstances, they should turn in when the clerks are all at their desks. The large office in which the whole of the" ready writers" are at work, is the finest room in Wrexham, and for a long distance beyond. It is large, beautifully fitted up, warm, light, and well ventilated - the health and comfort of those employed, (matters too often neglected in large establishments) have evidently been kept in view in carrying out the internal arrangements, as well as the business facilities of the premises. The desks are arranged in parallel lines across the room, all the clerks are under the eye of the principal, while a screen separates them from that portion of the room which is devoted to the transaction of business with the customers. A strong fire-proof room opening into the large room keeps in the utmost safety all the valuable books, papers, and deeds belonging to the establishment, the close proximity of which to the general clerk's office greatly facilitates the progress of the general business. The board room, the committee room, and the private room of the secretary are in front of the building - double windows obviate any nuisance that might arise from the noise of the traffic in the street - and double doors preserve the privacy and ensure the quietude of these rooms on the other side. The same completeness prevails throughout the entire building. There is hot water and cold water everywhere at command, a large hoist to lift up heavy materials from the cellar to the summit of the building - and a smaller one to lift up lighter articles. A telegraph to call the clerks- to point out which clerk is wanted - and to indicate where he is wanted. There is” a place for everything and everything in its place." They are in every respect model offices, and if any of our readers feel disposed to turn in and look at them, they will meet with the greatest courtesy, and we have no doubt when they have completed their tour of the rooms, lobbies, passages, and different flights of stairs, that they will consider it half-an-hour well spent, and feel highly gratified with the result of their visit. [Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser 23 November 1861 page 8]

Reference    Pembrokeshire Herald 26 August 1859 page 1 – contracts
Reference    Builder 17 September 1859 page 625 - tenders
Reference    Wrexham and District Advertiser 24 September 1859 page 4 - tenders
Reference    North Wales Chronicle 24 December 1859 page 5
Reference    North Wales Chronicle 7 January 1860 page 3 – foundation stone
Reference    Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser 7 January 1860 page 3 – foundation stone
Reference    Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser 7 January 1860 page 5 Supplement with illustration
Reference    Builder 21 January 1860 page 45
Reference    Wrexham and Denbighshire Advertiser 23 November 1861 page 8 - completion