Samuel Lowell Price

Samuel Lowell Price was a pioneering British accountant who founded the eponymous firm that would eventually become half of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Born in the early 19th century, Price recognized the growing need for independent financial scrutiny as the British industrial revolution accelerated and the joint-stock company model expanded.

Samuel Lowell Price opened his accounting office in London in 1849, capitalizing on the rapid expansion of the British railway network and the new regulatory requirements for independent audits established by the UK Companies Act of 1844. His firm, Price Waterhouse, became renowned for its rigorous audit quality and integrity, establishing the foundation for the modern accounting profession. Price's emphasis on independence and meticulous record-setting created a culture of excellence that persisted through the firm's expansion into the United States and Asia, ultimately forming the conservative, audit-centric heritage of the PwC network following the 1998 merger.