Llangollen historian Paul Lawton looks back on the rise of some precious packets... As the spring weather entices us back into our gardens it's worth remembering that Cuthbert's seeds was based at Upper Dee Mill, Llangollen. James Cuthbert, who is said to have walked from Scotland to London to seek his fortune, started the business in the late 1700s. The firm was well known for selling its seeds in Woolworth's, a name now gone from the High Streets, with the packets first appearing on the counters there in 1937. The packets sold for two old pennies per packet. Thanks to colour printing technology, it was possible to package the seeds in bright envelopes with idealised artwork that proved a potent marketing tool.