A History of Christopher Pratts Founded 1845 Who are Christopher Pratts? From a single-room miner’s cottage in Gunnerside, Swaledale to the largest and most lavish furniture store in the country at Regent Street, Leeds, Christopher Pratts has come a long way in nearly 170 years. Our founder, Christopher Pratt, was 11 years old when his recently widowed mother left the family cottage in the remote Dales village of Gunnerside to join her brothers in Bradford. Christopher’s dad, a leadminer, had died in the treacherous conditions deep in the Swaledale mines - leaving his wife and 13 children without any income. It took Christopher’s mother, two days to drag the entire family’s possessions in a hand-cart to settle in Bradford. At the age of 21, Christopher Pratt became an apprentice to cabinet maker Joseph Nutter, and 5 years later, in 1845, formed his own business. Quickly, the quality and craftsmanship of the furniture produced by Christopher - and eventually his sons - won over many new customers. The sons started selling other craftsmens’ work and soon the business became the north’s leading furniture store. The company continued to grow rapidly, and in 1925 became one of the few stores in the entire country to offer wirelesses and later gramophones. In keeping with the beliefs and principles of its founder, Christopher Pratts has created the largest and most comprehensive furniture experience in the country. From Gunnerside to Leeds, the journey has been well worth it - for Christopher and for you