LAST week’s Now and Then picture was of Westgate Square, a significant landmark in Newport’s history .

In 1839, John Frost led a Chartist march on the Westgate Hotel. When the Chartist movement was established in the late 1830s, only 18 per cent of the adult male population of Britain could vote. Much of the working-class population were living in poverty, but without a voice in politics.The ultimate goal of the Chartists was ‘to seek by every legal means to place all classes of society in possession of their equal, political, and social rights’.

The Chartist movement in south east Wales was chaotic in this period, after the arrest of Henry Vincent, a leading agitator, and the feelings of the workers were running extremely high. The march, as Frost and his associates led the protestors down from the valley towns above Newport, numbered some 3,000 when it entered the town but the known Chartists of Newport had already been arrested and shut up in the Westgate Hotel.

On their arrival soldiers posted in the hotel started firing. Overall the battle of the Westgate lasted only about 25 minutes, but at its close some 22 people lay dead or dying and upwards of 50 had been injured.

It would be interesting to know the occupants that were in the building that is now HSBC bank? I only ask as I currently work there.

Jason, Newport

The photo is of Westgate Square looking up Stow Hill. The large building to the right of centre is the London City & Midland Bank later to become the Midland Bank and now HSBC Bank.

Next to the bank was the Gas showrooms and next to that was HA Smith’s Wine & Spirit merchants. This was followed by the Tredegar Hall Picture House, later the Majestic dance hall and now Argos.

Further up was Stow Hill Baptist Church and the Methodist Church and the Corporation Baths in Arlington Terrace. On the left hand side was Pleasance & Harper Ltd jewellers, watchmakers & opticians, now a mobile phone shop. Next to that was the once fine Westgate Hotel.

Dave Woolven, Newport

Today’s old picture is the bottom of Stow Hill at Westgate Square.

Nothing has changed much except for more closed premises and fewer shoppers now. It shows how vibrant the town centre was then with all sorts of activities taking place like the Majestic dance hall. Can those days return?

Jim Dyer Newport

The Then photograph was taken from Westgate Square, Newport, circa 1907, and in it we are looking towards Stow Hill which was previously called Church Street. The London City and Midland Bank is on the right-hand side and further up the hill is the Tredegar Hall and the Stow Hill Baptist Church.

On the left is the Westgate Hotel and on the same corner is the watchmaker and jeweller, Rainforth and Son, where in 1909, my grandfather John Henry purchased a pocket watch for 19 shillings and 11 pennies. I regularly wear the silver pocket watch and 104 years later, it still keeps excellent time.

Keith Wood, Newport