A copy of the first ever Brecon & Radnor Express Newspaper was recently found in a Builth Wells attic.

David Groves of Builth Wells found the paper in late August when looking through boxes in an old neighbour’s attic.

The paper was dated Friday, 4 October 1889 and in the top left corner reads Volume one, number one. The date matches the British Newspaper Archive’s first issue date for the paper.

After finding the paper, David passed it over to his friend Guy Walker to donate the first edition to Builth Wells Heritage Society, who are now in possession of it.

Speaking to the current Brecon and Radnor Express team, David said: “It was a crazy thing really. I’ve been left a house next door and the bloke who had it was ninety-odd years old. I was rummaging through the twenty to thirty boxes in the attic tipped one over and out falls a Brecon and Radnor, so I picked it up and it was only about two pages or something and I thought wow that’s a small paper and thought nothing of it.

“I took it to my wife and said I’ve found a B&R, and she had a look at it and said ‘have you seen the date on this? It must be an early one,’ and of course we went on the internet and had a look and realised it was the very first one.

“Doug, the bloke next door, always had a B&R but even he wouldn’t have got that. It’s in such brilliant condition, I thought maybe it was something put in a more recent paper as a commemorative feature because it was in such good nick.

“To be that old and in that good condition it’s crazy. It made you think of that time (1889) and how big of a source of information it must have been for people and how on earth must they have transported it around.”

The paper in 1889 was actually titled The Brecon and Radnor Express and Carmarthen Gazette and the picture provided shows many advertisements for John Powell, a well known Grocer, Baker, and Confectioner, Wine and Spirit Merchant in Cavendish House, Brecon.

It also featured advertisements for: J.Bodman’s in Wellington House, Brecon for good and cheap overcoats, waterproof coats, men and boys’ suits in great variety and good value; Castle Steam Brewery on Church Street Brecon; Hobbiss’ Studio at 18 The Watton for portraits printed in oils or tinted in water colour; Stationary and fancy stores at 51, High Street, Brecon; J.W. Sheen Manufacturer’s agent at 88 The Struet, Brecon; and Tower Tea sold at Caxton Buildings, 51, High Street opposite the Town Hall.

The paper found by David Groves is now in the Builth Wells Heritage Society.