Llantrisant Post Office on Commercial Street was chosen as the first telephone exchange, run by James Little.
In March, 1928, the Clerk to the Town Trust was instructed by the Postmaster General in London to establish the exchange and call it Pontyclun Telephone Exchange since so many of the Parish Council lived outside Llantrisant.
Regarding the naming as a slight on the town, the Trustees unanimously agreed that the name of Llantrisant be used and pressurised the Postmaster General in the strongest terms. On May 19, 1928, the Llantrisant Telephone Exchange was officially named and opened.
Undoubtedly this was the central point of the town for any local snippets of gossip!
It was later run by Mr Little’s children, Nesta and Peter who continued in the business through to the 1990s when it transferred to Swan Street and sadly closed by 2008.
The Robbery
Nesta Little, the Llantrisant sub-postmistress and her assistant Muriel Thomas were commended for their courage in 1970 by thwarting the attempts of an armed raider on the Post Office.
They enjoyed a reception with the Managing Director of Post Offices in London who paid tribute to the two ladies for their outstanding bravery.
Miss Little’s father, James Little was postmaster from 1902-1943 and she ran the business from 1943-1969.
Her brother, Peter Little, succeeded her as postmaster in 1969 but Miss Little continued in the post of sub-postmistress for many more years, assisted by Miss Thomas.