Watkyn Bassett
Encyclopedia
Sir Watkyn Bassett CBE is a recurring fictional character
in the stories of English comic writer P. G. Wodehouse
.
Bassett is the father of Madeline Bassett
, whose mistaken belief that Bertie Wooster
wishes to marry her is the basis of a major sub-plot in several stories. He is also the uncle and guardian of Stephanie "Stiffy" Byng.
Early in The Code of the Woosters
, Bertie Wooster recalls that, only a few months before, he had appeared in the Bosher Street police court, charged with stealing a policeman's helmet on Boat Race Night, and was fined £5 by Bassett, who was then a magistrate. A few weeks after that event, so Wooster recalls, Bassett inherited a fortune from an unnamed relative, retired from the bench, and bought Totleigh Towers
, where he took up residence. Wooster expresses his opinion that Bassett acquired his fortune by pocketing the fines he imposed as a magistrate.
Bassett is a noted collector of antique silver, his collection rivalling that of Wooster's uncle, Tom Travers: both men "will stop at nothing" to add to their collection. The main plot of The Code of the Woosters centres around the rivalry between Bassett and Travers, and their desire each to acquire a particular antique cow creamer. In what has been described as "a memorable scene", Wooster visits the antique shop where the cow creamer is on sale and encounters Bassett, who vaguely recognises him but mistakes him for a thief and calls the police.
Bassett is a close friend of Roderick Spode
, who is an almost constant presence at Totleigh Towers. In The Code of the Woosters (1938), Bassett is said to be engaged to Spode's aunt, a Mrs Wintergreen, "widow of the late Colonel H H Wintergreen, of Pont Street”, but when Bassett re-appears in Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves
(1963), he is still unmarried.
, Bassett is played by John Woodnutt
and, in a deviation from the original stories, is said to be the uncle of Florence Craye
.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in the stories of English comic writer P. G. Wodehouse
P. G. Wodehouse
Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse, KBE was an English humorist, whose body of work includes novels, short stories, plays, poems, song lyrics, and numerous pieces of journalism. He enjoyed enormous popular success during a career that lasted more than seventy years and his many writings continue to be...
.
Bassett is the father of Madeline Bassett
Madeline Bassett
Madeline Bassett is a recurring character in the Jeeves stories by English comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being one of the young women to whom Bertie Wooster periodically finds himself threateningly engaged.-Overview:...
, whose mistaken belief that Bertie Wooster
Bertie Wooster
Bertram Wilberforce "Bertie" Wooster is a recurring fictional character in the Jeeves novels of British author P. G. Wodehouse. An English gentleman, one of the "idle rich" and a member of the Drones Club, he appears alongside his valet, Jeeves, whose genius manages to extricate Bertie or one of...
wishes to marry her is the basis of a major sub-plot in several stories. He is also the uncle and guardian of Stephanie "Stiffy" Byng.
Early in The Code of the Woosters
The Code of the Woosters
The Code of the Woosters is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, first published on 7 October 1938, in the United Kingdom by Herbert Jenkins, London, and in the United States by Doubleday, Doran, New York...
, Bertie Wooster recalls that, only a few months before, he had appeared in the Bosher Street police court, charged with stealing a policeman's helmet on Boat Race Night, and was fined £5 by Bassett, who was then a magistrate. A few weeks after that event, so Wooster recalls, Bassett inherited a fortune from an unnamed relative, retired from the bench, and bought Totleigh Towers
Totleigh Towers
Totleigh Towers is a recurring fictional location in the stories of English humorist P. G. Wodehouse. A country house, it is the home of widower Sir Watkyn Bassett, his ward Stephanie Byng, and his daughter Madeline Bassett...
, where he took up residence. Wooster expresses his opinion that Bassett acquired his fortune by pocketing the fines he imposed as a magistrate.
Bassett is a noted collector of antique silver, his collection rivalling that of Wooster's uncle, Tom Travers: both men "will stop at nothing" to add to their collection. The main plot of The Code of the Woosters centres around the rivalry between Bassett and Travers, and their desire each to acquire a particular antique cow creamer. In what has been described as "a memorable scene", Wooster visits the antique shop where the cow creamer is on sale and encounters Bassett, who vaguely recognises him but mistakes him for a thief and calls the police.
Bassett is a close friend of Roderick Spode
Roderick Spode
Roderick Spode, Bt, 7th Earl of Sidcup, often known as Spode or Lord Sidcup, is a recurring fictional character from the Jeeves novels of British comic writer P. G. Wodehouse, being an "amateur Dictator" and the leader of a fictional fascist group in London called The Black Shorts...
, who is an almost constant presence at Totleigh Towers. In The Code of the Woosters (1938), Bassett is said to be engaged to Spode's aunt, a Mrs Wintergreen, "widow of the late Colonel H H Wintergreen, of Pont Street”, but when Bassett re-appears in Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves
Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves
Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves is a novel by P. G. Wodehouse, published in the United States on March 22, 1963 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, and in the United Kingdom on August 16, 1963 by Herbert Jenkins, London...
(1963), he is still unmarried.
Television adaptation
In the television series Jeeves and WoosterJeeves and Wooster
-External links:*—An episode guide to the series, including information about which episodes were adapted from which Wodehouse stories.*—Episode guides, screenshots and quotes from the four series....
, Bassett is played by John Woodnutt
John Woodnutt
John Woodnutt was a British actor.He was born in London, and at the age of 18 made his acting debut at the Oxford Playhouse....
and, in a deviation from the original stories, is said to be the uncle of Florence Craye
Florence Craye
Lady Florence Craye is a fictional character who appears in P. G. Wodehouse's Jeeves stories and novels. Lady Florence, the daughter of Percy Craye, Earl of Worplesdon and elder sister to Edwin, a nasty little runtish type of lad, is the sometime fiancee of Bertie Wooster...
.