Priceholme was founded by Sir Henry Price, the “fifty shilling tailor”.  He was a self-made man who revolutionised the clothing industry by introducing mass-production.  For the first time the ordinary man in the street could afford to buy a new suit.

 

In 1936 Sir Henry bought Wakehust Place, restoring the house and continuing the development of the beautiful gardens.  When he died in late 1963 he gave Wakehurst to the National Trust.  For many years now it has been one of their most visited properties in the country.  Part of Kew Gardens, today it is home to the Millennium Seed Bank, with over 500 acres of diverse landscapes and plants from across the globe.

 

Sir Henry set up the Priceholme Trust in 1959 and the building of Priceholme was completed in 1963.  It was established to house his retired gardeners and farm workers, as well as others from a horticultural and agricultural background.  Today we aim to provide independent living for elderly people of limited means and who usually have a connection to Sussex.