Keith Prowse

The Keith Prowse company originated from a partnership in 1830 between two musical instrument makers to open a shop selling their goods. It later became theatre ticket agency and a music publisher; after a merger with the Peter Maurice company it became KPM and was acquired by EMI in 1969.

Keith Prowse remains as a trading name used by two separate companies. Within the United Kingdom it is used by the Sport, Leisure and Hospitality Division of Compass Group Plc (who provide catering facilities), the company operates at numerous venues for major sporting and cultural events including Cirque du Soleil, Chelsea Flower Show and Wimbledon. While outside of the United Kingdom the Keith Prowse name is used by the Seatem Group Limited.

Robert William Keith (1767–1846), a musical composer, instrument maker and organist at the New Jerusalem Church, Friars Street, London, opened a shop in London in the late 18th century.. In 1830 he entered a partnership with another musical instrument manufacturer and music publisher, William Prowse (1801–1886), to form Keith, Prowse & Co.

The company entered the theatre ticketing business after acquiring "Theater Ticket Messengers" a company which used young message boys to go to theatres and either hold seats or collect seat tokens for favoured clients. The first reference to the firm's selling theatre tickets appeared in an article published in 1786 in the Morning Chronicle, referring to "The New System of Ticket Agents". One of the first ticketing companies to have a telephone installed, Keith Prowse appeared in the first UK telephone directory published in 1880. In 1886, the company first represented Royal Ascot, opened the World's first flight ticket booking office at Brooklands near Weybridge, Surrey, in 1911 and soon opened another at London Aerodrome. In 1924, they first represented the Wimbledon Championships.

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