18/10/2010: Cardiff flagship branch celebrates with decendent of Principality founder

Local residents of Cardiff are invited to share in a slice of Principality’s 150th birthday cake at an exclusive party hosted at their local Principality branch on Wednesday October 20.

The Society’s flagship branch on Queen Street will open its doors to unveil a modern, new-look following refurbishment over the past few weeks.

And to mark the occasion, Dr Robert Treharne Jones, a descendant of Alderman William Sanders – one of the founders of Principality Building Society - will attend the celebration.”

William Sanders was appointed Managing Secretary of Principality Building Society in 1862, having founded the Society two years previously, at a time when the population of Cardiff was just 33,000. In 1895, two of William’s sons, Charles F. Sanders and George M. Sanders, were appointed Joint Managing Secretaries.

Continuing the Sanders long tradition, in 1914, to coincide with the opening of Principality’s new head quarters at Principality Buildings on the Friary, William’s grandson (Robert’s grandfather) Alex Sanders, was appointed Managing Secretary and later became General Manager in 1950”.

Dr Robert Treharne Jones, who now lives in Oxfordshire, said: “I last visited Principality Buildings as a boy in 1958 and I am delighted to be invited back to help celebrate the Society’s 150 year history. My family shared a long history with Principality - I have many historic photographs of the Board room and Clock Tower at Principality Buildings and I am looking forward to seeing how life at Principality has progressed since then.”

Robert, together with his sister, Carolyn Kirby, and his cousin, Charles Sanders, will join branch manager, Stacey Giles to cut the Principality birthday cake at 11.00am on Wednesday 20 October.

Also joining the celebration will be Britain’s favourite choir, Only Men Aloud, who will give a special performance during the morning.

Children who visit the branch on the day will be able to get their hands on a limited edition, Dylan the Dragon money box, designed to commemorate the anniversary and help them to save, while adults who visit the branch on the day, will be entered into the birthday prize draw to win £150 in a Principality savings account.

Stacey Giles branch manager said: “We are proud to be at the heart of the city centre and to extend a warm welcome to savers, borrowers and even former members of staff and their families who have all helped to write our history so far. With pride in our past and confidence in our future, we look forward to writing the next chapter of the Principality story.”

Between 18th and 30th October visitors to Queen Street branch will be offered Principality’s special Birthday Regular Saver Bond, offering a market-leading interest rate of 5.00% AER. The Birthday Regular Saver Bond will be sweeping across Wales, stopping at each of the Society’s 51 branches for a two week period only.