Tom Bassett descends from #299B Samuel Bassett of Gloucester, England as follows:
Samuel Bassett and wife Sarah
Thomas Bassett (b. 1789) and wife Swindinia
Absalom Bassett (b. 1828) and wife Tryphena (White) Lowke
Thomas Absalom Bassett (b. 1857)
Tom is the brother of Henry Bassett featured in the July 2019 newsletter.
Weekly Times, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Saturday, 12 September 1896
Mr. Tom Bassett
In an unpretentious building on the City road, a couple of minutes’ walk south of Queen’s Bridge, Mr. Tom Bassett, one of the pioneer bicycle makers and repairers of the colony, has his workshop. From the complete construction of an up to date ladies or gentleman’s bicycle or tricycle, through all grades of manufacturer and repairing down to the replacing of the tiniest nut or screw, whatever the full-blown cyclist or aspiring rider may require, he needs but to call in at Bassett’s. It is a manufacturing and repairing factory, pure and simple. No particular brand of machine finds an agency there, and consequently the proprietor is free to advise prospective buyers as to the mounts, and if “Tom Bassett” can be persuaded to offer an opinion as to the merits of a bicycle, those who have known him as an expert since the days of the now almost obsolete “ordinary”, will recognize the value of his words. His is strictly a cash trade, and the system has its special advantages, in that the very finest workmanship either in the repairing or building of a machine is procurable at a very reasonable tariff. Many of Bassett’s own make of bicycles are today running under well-known riders. A fair proportion of them carry no name, their owners preferring to introduce them to their friends as a specially imported line, a claim which their admirable finish and excellent appearance thoroughly warrants. Any day in the week the premises may be seen loaded up, so to speak, with bicycles in a more or less bad state of health, convalescing or having been in the hands of the cycle surgeon, completely restored to their former strength and perfect appearance. From all parts of the city and suburbs Tom Bassett draws his business, and every day his country connection is increasing, so well known is the excellence of his handi-work, and many up-country riders now recognize the advisability, when they meet with an accident or require worn parts replaced, of not relying on the local blacksmith, but to forward the machine or required portion of it by rail to Bassett’s factory, whence it is returned by the same medium safe and sound.