Bristol - part 2

Continuing with Bristol, my next is from 1825:

The item below is one I bought as being of more direct relationship to my Somerset Postal History interest as I could see from the address (Thornbury) and the "PAID / AT / BRISTOL" handstamp that it was probably in the Bristol Fifth Clause Post.  It was only when I examined it later that I discovered that it originated in Keynsham (so Somerset).

The next item has a "SO. PETHERTON" undated handstamp (so Somerset) but also a nice "Missent / to / Bristol" handstamp.  I'm somewhat confused by the postal charge - is what I read as a "9" actually a "5" ?

The final item also has me scratching my head about the postal charge - I read the manuscript charge as 9d, which would be for 80-120 miles, yet Bristol was 122 miles from London.  Have I misread the manuscript charge, or was the mileage to London adjusted by 1838 ?

Bristol - part 1

My personal definition of Somerset Postal History goes up to the river Avon in the north - so the city of Bristol does not fall into Somerset - however some of the Receiving Houses in the Bristol Penny Post are in Somerset. I've also acquired a few other items of Bristol Postal History but I don't think I'm going to make a habit of this as Bristol's Postal History is enough of a subject to warrant collecting by itself !

Firstly a map of Bristol from 1832:

 

Then the earliest item I have from 1755 (the first handstamps in the British County Catalogue date from 1697):

Then a two-line dated handstamp from 1801 - I'm not entirely sure that I've got the calculations about the postage charge right, in particular there are some figures that are crossed out that I cannot work out:

And a type of handstamp that I think was unique to Bristol, a dotted circle handstamp.  Looking at the postal charge, the only way that I can work it out is if the post went over the Severn to Wales by ferry - did it do that in 1822 ??

Bridgwater - Views on Postcards

A selection of views of Bridgwater on postcards.

 

 

 

 

And finally a couple of examples of "Caveat Emptor" !

Bridgwater - Money-to-Pay marks

Some Money-to-Pay marks, starting with one from 1971 when the postal rates went up as a result of Decimalisation.

 

Bridgwater - Machine Cancels

A selection of machine cancels.

Bridgwater - Circular Date Stamps

A couple of examples of the Bridgwater Circular Date Stamp, with slightly different sized dies.

And an example of the Bridgwater Money Office and Savings Bank cancel used on a postcard.

Bridgwater - Squared Circle cancels

Bridgwater had a variety of Squared Circle cancels - the sheet below illustrates some of them.  The first (1d pink envelope) has a code for the time, while the second has the time in clear.

Bridgwater - Numeric Obliterator and Duplex cancels

Bridgwater was office number "123".  The following three sheets illustrate the Bridgwater Numeric Obliterator (or barred numeral cancel), and also the "BRIDGEWATER" double-arc dated cancel.  The first sheet has the four-bar obliterator, the later two have three bars.

 

 

After the numeric obliterator cancels Bridgwater had a variety of duplex cancels.  This sheet shows two examples from 1874 and 1875, with different sizes of town dies.

 The second item above, from 1885, is a delivery note for sacks hired from Bridgwater Docks.

Bridgwater - 1840s

A few examples of Bridgwater Maltese Crosses, on a Mulready envelope, on a 1d pink envelope, and with a red "Bridgewater / Penny Post" cancel used as a receiving mark.