Glastonbury skeleton - Update

With regard to my earlier post (see link) I've received more information from a fellow member of the S&DPHG who has seen examples from 31st August 1921 (with the "O" in "SOMERSET" present) to the 16th March 1922, with examples from October, November and December in between.  The "O" disappeared before the example from 28th November and did not reappear in the later examples.

It seems that this skeleton was used between the disuse of the double circle cancel with the Maltese Cross at the base and the introduction of the double circle cancel with "SOMERSET" at the base.

Taunton Penny Posts - part 2

The next few posts will show the items I have for the different Receiving Houses in the Taunton Penny Post after 1828, beginning with an entire that has an unboxed RH handstamp from 1836, that I believe is a "No.3" - because it originates from Crowcombe which was the No.3 Receiving House after 1828.

Next an unboxed "No.4" from Stogumber, used after the introduction of the Uniform Penny Post in 1844 as a receiving handstamp.

And an unboxed "No.5" from Monksilver Parsonage in 1831 that could be from Bicknoller (although Monksilver had its own Receiving House, No.10, at some stage) - the scan shows a bit of the contents - how anyone could read it I don't know.

Taunton Fifth Clause and Penny Posts

Taunton had a Fifth Clause Post from January 1808, some Penny Posts from1823, and a major reorganisation of the Penny Posts in 1828.  For the full details join the S&DPHG and read the Journal articles (!) but here is a brief synopsis.

I have one  entire that appears to be from the Taunton Fifth Clause Post - unfortunately no Taunton FC handstamp but they are very rare (rarity H according to the BCC), but it does have a boxed "No.3" Receiving House handstamp (Torre).

From the early Penny Post period, here is an item with a Taunton Penny Post handstamp from 1824, apparently originating in Stogumber, with a scan of the back of the entire.

And here is an entire from 1827 with a boxed "No.3" Receiving House handstamp (Torre).

Taunton - Too Late !

A couple of examples of the Taunton framed "Too Late" handstamp from 1836 and 1837 (in use from 1829-1843).  This handstamp was applied if post arrived at the Post Office too late to catch the mail wagon or ride and was to indicate that this was why the post might arrive a day later than the sender/recipient thought it should have.

Taunton - Circular Handstamps without Mileage

The next two handstamps are similar to the ones just before but have had the mileage removed.  Taking them in the order as in the BCC, the first handstamp has no mileage and was in use from 1829-1833 - this example from 1829 is franked by the MP from Minehead (a "rotten borough"):

Here's another example from 1830:

The next handstamp has dotted arcs below, where the mileage used to be.  It was in use from 1828-1833.  here are two examples, again from 1829 and 1830.

And finally a Taunton double-arc handstamp - this was in two formats, the first shown here has no code and was in use from 1833-1841.  The second (which will be shown later) has a code in the top arc and was in use from 1841-1846.

Taunton - Circular Handstamps with Mileage

Skipping over the period from 1800 to 1818 (as I don't have any of the four handstamps from that period), one comes to a series of circular handstamps of different sizes with the mileage to London (161).  Firstly one with 'o's in the handstamp from 1817.

Then a couple of examples of a slightly smaller handstamp without any 'o's.  The letters in "TAUNTON" are more narrowly spaced than a later handstamp.

 This second example is a Free front and also has an undated Taunton Penny Post handstamp.

Then another example of the narrow spaced handstamp above and an example of a wider spaced one from 1828.

And finally a further example of the wider spaced handstamp, also with an undated Taunton Penny Post handstamp.

Taunton - Half Circle and Circular Handstamps

Moving on to the curved handstamps in the late 1790s, I have examples of two handstamps - firstly from 1794 and 1795 here are two examples of a half circle handstamp.

Then a full circle handstamp - I have a number of examples of this handstamp, upwards of two dozen !  They are all from the courtship of Miss Frances Oliver of Bath by William Leigh of Bardon, near Taunton in 1797.  Some of the entires I have were sent every day or up to three a week.  They were married by 1798 as a letter in September 1798 addressed to "Mrs W. Leigh" evidences.  Here is an example of the handstamp, not part of that correspondence.

Taunton - Introduction and Straight-line Handstamps

Firstly an introduction to Taunton from Pigot's 1830 Commercial Directory:

The first handstamp for Taunton in the British County Catalogue is from 1704; I don't have any of the first three handstamps (which are rarity H, H & Z).  The first handstamp I can show is from 1731-1746.  There is no date on the wrapper that I can spot.  [Having just looked at this post, I've updated the write-up - the final postal charge was "1N4" which was shorthand for "1/4", the rate for four sheets or an ounce.]

The next handstamp I can offer is on a free front from 1759-1769.  One can narrow the date range down a little because the MP only sat from 1761-1766.

There are then five more handstamps in the BCC that I haven't got, until this straight line handstamp from 1791, with a Bishop mark to set the date.

Beaminster (Dorset) in the Penny Post

Beaminster was in both the Crewkerne and Bridport Penny Posts.  It had both the boxed "No.1" and "No.2" Receiving House handstamps in the Crewkerne Penny Post and also the boxed "No.1" in the Bridport Penny Post (I don't know whether it used a "No.2" handstamp in the Bridport PP as well).

I have three examples of the "No.2" handstamp in the Crewkerne Penny Post.  One has a manuscript date of the 1st September 1826 while the others only have later annotated dates, one in pencil of 10th August 1825, the other in ink of 30th September 1835.  This last one is very suspicious as the straight line "BEAMINSTER" handstamp is only known in use until 1834.

 My examples of the Crewkerne "No.1" handstamp are from later - from 1829, 1833, 1838, 1840 and 1841.

Did Beaminster use both the "No.1" and "No.2" handstamps at the same time, or was the "No.2" handstamp replaced by the "No.1" ?

I also have an example of Beaminster using the "No.1" handstamp in the Bridport Penny Post, in 1838.