Mr Charles Ashton Halbert was born in Nevis. His mother was poor and worked for the famous Pamenter family. She sent Ashton to school with the hope of every poor but ambitious parent, that he would be good. Mr Halbert came out good, earning his Standard Seven Certificate and became a pupil teacher in Nevis. Perhaps it was his brief stint as a Teacher that gave him his love for books, an interest which was to remain with him up to the end of his life.
Mr Charles Ashton Halbert did not stay long in teaching, however, he was unable to resist the adventure to Santo Domingo and borded the war spite like many other Nevisians who saw Santo Domingo as the easiest escape from the dying Nevis Sugar Economy. Mr Halbert was frugal in Santo Domingo and saved enough money for a quick return to Nevis. He got a job as a steam ship agent's Clerk, shipping cotton out of Nevis. He was later sent to work the Delisles in St Kitts and ended up at the Warehouse working for all the shipping agents as a Tally Clerk. Even while he worked at the warehouse, Mr Halbert kept company with books, collecting mater pieces for his library. At the same time her tried to share the treasures of books with the Community by opening a bookstore.
Mr Charles Ashton Halbert was no orator, and thus made no moving public speeches, but in the quiet corner of his bookstore, He exercised a powerful influence on the minds of many young men of Basseterre. His bookstore was the only public place in town in which hung portraits of Marcus Garvey and Haile Selassie. Mr Halbert never failed to take the opportunity to espouse the cause of Africa. When youngsters went to his shop to brouse, he introduced them to books and magazines about black achievement. If he could have done it, he would have inspired all the Youths of Basseterre with pride in themselves and in their race. | 
Culture 
