Charles Bassett, the first Chairman and founder of the Pontypridd Market Company, c. 1856

Description

Charles Bassett was a prominent figure in the commercial and public life of Pontypridd during the mid-nineteenth century. He was a founder member of the Pontypridd Market Company established in 1877. He came to Pontypridd about 1840 and rapidly established a large business as a chemist and druggist, the first of its kind in the town. In 1843 he was appointed postmaster at a time when the weekly volume of letters was no more than 400 letters. It was due to this role as postmaster that Bassett became responsible for the adoption in 1856 of Pontypridd as the name for a growing town which up to that point had been known as Newbridge. Bassett had become increasingly irritated by the continual postal confusion with Newbridge in Monmouthshire or Newbridge-on-Wye, Radnorshire.

Source:
'The Old Photographs Series: Pontypridd', compiled from the Collection of Pontypridd Historical and Cultural Centre by Simon Eckley and the staff of the Centre (Chalford Publishing, Stroud, 1994).