▁History ▁ ▁W . R . P rior ▁& ▁Co . L td . ▁was ▁founded ▁by ▁Walter ▁Robert ▁Prior ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁Many ▁records ▁and ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁micro scop es ▁from ▁the ▁early ▁days ▁of ▁the ▁Company ▁were ▁lost ▁in ▁a ▁fire ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁but ▁some ▁illustrated ▁catalog ues ▁have ▁surv ived ▁which ▁give ▁an ▁indic ation ▁of ▁the ▁range ▁of ▁quality ▁instruments ▁produced ▁by ▁W . R . P rior ▁over ▁the ▁years ▁for ▁the ▁highly ▁compet itive ▁market ▁of ▁the ▁time . ▁ ▁W . R . P rior ▁& ▁Co . L td ▁offices ▁were ▁originally ▁located ▁at ▁ 9 , 1 0 , 1 1 ▁E agle ▁Street , ▁Hol born , ▁London ▁and ▁later ▁at ▁ 2 8 a ▁Dev ons hire ▁Street , ▁London ▁ ▁W . 1 . ▁Little ▁is ▁known ▁about ▁the ▁Company ▁during ▁this ▁time ▁and ▁no ▁records ▁or ▁catalog ues ▁exist ▁as ▁to ▁when ▁and ▁why ▁they ▁began ▁to ▁produce ▁micro scop es ▁under ▁the ▁Prior ▁name . ▁ ▁A ▁W . R . P rior ▁catalog ue ▁of ▁micro scop es ▁and ▁access ories ▁dated ▁February ▁ 1 9 5 0 ▁gives ▁the ▁location ▁of ▁the ▁office ▁as ▁Dev ons hire ▁Street ▁and ▁the ▁factory ▁as ▁Bishop ' s ▁St ort ford , ▁H ert s . ▁England .( 1 3 ▁North gate ▁End ) ▁where ▁manufact uring ▁was ▁carried ▁out ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 2 - 1 9 5 7