Sunday 18 August 2013

Early non-standard serif UDCs - Wellington, Ilminster, Beckington

All of the remaining early UDCs (those issued before the introduction during 1844 of sans serif 25 mm diameter UDCs) are 29 mm diameter serif UDCs, except for those from Wellington, Ilminster and Beckington.

Wellington's UDC was issued on 11th March 1830 and is known used from 1830 to 1839.  The first example is from November 1836 while the second is from August 1837.


The example below is undated.

Ilminster's UDC has no entry in the Steel Impression Book and is known used from 1835 to 1839 according to the British County Catalogue.  Uniquely in Somerset it only has a single arc.  .

The handstamp was drilled to hold a date on 19th June 1839 (and repaired on 19th June 1841).  Here is an example of the handstamp with the date included from 1845.

Beckington's UDC again has no entry in the SIB and is known used in 1840.  Another large (29 mm) serif UDC was issued and is known used from June 1845 to October 1849 in black, and from June 1852 to January 1856 in blue. I don't have an example of this rare handstamp.

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