Climax Rubber Handstamps - Bristol, Chard, Cheddar sub-offices

I only have one example of a rubber climax handstamp for an office under Bristol, which is from Felton.

Felton had three "FELTON / BRISTOL" Type Ib handstamps, the first issued in 1889, the second known used from May 1905 and the third known from February 1907.  Consulting the S&DPHG catalogue of these handstamps, the example below, dated July 1906, looks like the third type of handstamp - if correct this would bring the introduction of this handstamp earlier.

I also only have single example from an office under Chard, from Wadeford,

Wadeford had two "WADEFORD / CHARD" Type Ib handstamps, the first issued in 1899 and the second known used from January 1913.  The example below is dated November 1913.

I again have just a single example from an office under Cheddar, from Cocklake.

Cocklake had a "COCKLAKE / WESTON-SUPER-MARE" Type Ib handstamp issued in 1899 before moving to come under Cheddar in October 1909. A "COCKLAKE / CHEDDAR / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp was then issued in January 1910.  As can be seen from the examples below, a second Type 2 handstamp was issued before July 1917, the difference between the two example clearly visible in the size of the lettering.

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Bridgwater sub-offices (4)

Stawell had a single "STAWELL / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamp, issued in January 1907 and known used between December 1911 and August 1922.   The example below is from March 1912.

Walton had three "WALTON / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps, the first issued in July 1890, the second known from August 1911, and the third known from June 1915.  It also had a "WALTON / BRIDGWATER / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp known used in August 1925.  The Type Ib example below is from January 1916

Wollavington had two "WOOLAVINGTON / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps, the first issued in October 1893 and the second known used from August 1919.  It also had a "WOOLAVINGTON / BRIDGWATER" Type 3 skeleton handstamp known used in July 1913.  The Type Ib example below is a significantly distorted cancel from July 1920.

Ken Smith's Lists: "UK Post Offices by County" up on the internet

Just a quick post to say that Ken & I have just finished loading Ken's UK Post Office lists by County up onto a new website at https://sites.google.com/site/ukpostofficesbycounty/ - county lists for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are available for viewing or download.

It is intended to update individual lists as and when sufficient changes accumulate.

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Bridgwater sub-offices (3)

Middlezoy had two "MIDDLEZOY / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps, one issued in 1890 and another previously known used from December 1912.  The examples below are of the second handstamp, from April 1912 (so bringing the earliest known usage forward) and from December 1915.

Moorlynch had two "MOORLYNCH / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps, one issued in 1891 and another known used from January 1912.  Below are examples of both of these, the first from September 1911 and the second from November 1914 (the size of "BRIDGWATER" is noticeably different in the two cancels).

Othery has a single "OTHERY / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamp, known used between October and December 1911.  The example below is from the end of this usage.

Puriton had three "PURITON / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps, one issued in 1893, another known used from September 1911 and a third from November 1916.  The example below is of the second handstamp.  From the clarity of the handstamp one can imagine that it was from near the start of its usage.

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Bridgwater sub-offices (2)

Cossington had three "COSSINGTON / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps issued, in 1890, prior to September 1906 and prior to July 1919 (the latter two not in the Proof Books).  The example below is from September 1917 and shows some distortion so may actually be another, as yet unrecorded, handstamp.

Dodington had three "DODINGTON / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps, issued in 1893 and prior to 1911 and to 1915.  This last handstamp may actually be two very similar ones as the handstamp is known distorted in 1921 while the example below from August 1923 is in good condition.

Enmore had three "ENMORE / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps, issued in 1890, prior to 1911 (not in the Proof Books) and in 1915.  The example below is from the second handstamp and extends the known usage from 1911 to July 1914.

Holford went through cancels at a rate of knots - it had seven "HOLFORD / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps, issued in 1891, prior to June 1905, prior to June 1912, prior to December 1913, prior to June 1914, prior to May 1920 and prior to September 1924.  It also had two different "HOLFORD / BRIDGWATER" Type 3 skeleton cancels, known used in September 1913 and May-June 1914.   The example below is from May 1912.

In addition here is a previously unknown "HOLFORD / BRIDGWATER / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp from July 1927.

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Bridgwater sub-offices (1)

Next some offices under Bridgwater.  

Bawdrip had four "BAWDRIP / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps issued, in 1891, 1904, prior to 1911 and in 1917-18 (the latter two handstamps do not appear in the Proof books so we only have a known period of usage from examples found).  The example below from April 1912, is of the 3rd handstamp which is known used between August 1911 and October 1917.

Chedzoy had three "CHEDZOY / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps isued, in 1890, prior to the end of 1911 and in 1915.  The example below, from October 1911, is of the 2nd handstamp and brings its earliest known usage forward from December 1911.  By July 1915 examples of the handstamp show major distortion which prompts its replacement in November 1915.

Chilton Polden had three "CHILTON POLDEN / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps issued in 1893, prior to July 1911 and in June 1919.  It also had a skeleton "CHILTON / POLDEN" Type 3 handstamp which is known used in November 1912.  The example below is from February 1913 and is of the 2nd Type Ib handstamp.

Combwich had two "COMBWICH / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps, issued in 1888 and prior to 1918 (not in the Proof books), and a "COMBWICH / BRIDGWATER" Type 3 skeleton handstamp known used in December 1911.  Below are three examples from 1907 in violet ink and 1915 and 1916 in black ink.

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Bath Sub-Offices (2)

Some more from Offixes under Bath ... Litton had three Ib "LITTON / BATH" handstamps, the first issued in 1896, the second known used from 1904 to 1910 and the third in 1919.  A Type III skeleton is also known used in July 1912.  The two sheets below show two examples in violet from 1908 and 1909 (the second type Ib handstamp), and a distorted example in black from 1922 (the third type Ib handstamp).

Midford had a Type I "MIDFORD" handstamp issued in 1885 and then three Type Ib "MIDFORD / BATH" handstamps, the first issued in 1905, the second known used in 1907 and the third used in 1914-15. The examples below are from 1905 (first type Ib) and 1907 (second type Ib) - there are small differences in the size of the letters in the handstamps.

Monkton Combe had a Type Ib "MONCKTON COMBE / BATH" handstamp issued in 1891 and then three more Type Ib "MONKTON COMBE / BATH" handstamps (corrected spelling), the first known used 1911-1914, the second 1916-1917 and the third in 1922.  The example below is from 1920 and is probably of the second "MONKTON COMBE/ BATH" handstamps.

Odd Down (not to be confused with Old Down) had a Type Ib "ODD DOWN / BATH" handstamp issued in 1898, and then two more, the first known used in 1906 (a much smaller typeface), and the second known used in 1912 - the example below, from 1914, is of this third type.

South Stoke had a single Type Ib "SOUTH STOKE / BATH" handstamp which was issued in 1898.  Examples are known used from 1904 to 1906 - the faint example below is from 1916 and extends the known usage.

Bristol Postal History Group meeting, Friday 14th February

If you are in the Bristol area on Friday 14th February you will be welcome to come along to a meeting of the Bristol Postal History Group at the Church Hall, Prior Road, Easton-in-Gordano, BS20 0PA from 12:00 midday to 3:00 pm where, weather allowing (!), you can see a display on "The Mulready and its Caricatures".

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Bath Sub-Offices (1)

Climax Rubber handstamps were issued to a number of sub-offices of Bath, and to some Town sub-offices (though unfortunately I don't have any examples of these).

A Type Ib "BATHAMPTON / BATH" handstamp was issued in July 1891.  Bathampton also had a Type III skeleton handstamp known used in August 1912, and two later Type II "BATHAMPTON / BATH / SOMERSET" handstamps known used in 1927 and 1930.  A steel Circular Date Stamp was in use by July 1923.

Compton Pauncefoot had a Type Ib "COMPTON PAUNCEFOOT / BATH" handstamp issued in 1898, a Type II "COMPTON PAUNCEFOOT / NORTH CADBURY S.O. / SOMT." handstamp in 1904, and a second Type Ib "COMPTON PAUNCEFOOT / BATH" handstamp is known used from the end of 1911 to 1915.  The example below is of this last handstamp and is in violet.

Enborrow (Emborough) had at least three different Type Ib "EMBORROW / BATH" handstamps.  The first was issued in 1899, a second is known used from 1910 to 1914 and a third in 1918.  A steel Circular Date Stamp was issued in May 1921.  The first sheet below shows an example in violet from 1909, while the second sheets shows examples of a different handstamp in black from 1913.

Galhampton had a series of four handstamps issued, the first Type Ib "GALHAMPTON / BATH" in 1899.  In 1904 a Type Ic "GALHAMPTON S.O. / SOMT." was issued in 1904 and then two further Type Ib "GALHAMPTON / BATH" handstamps are known used in 1912 and from 1921 to 1922.  The example below from 1921 in black, is of the last type. 

Kilmington (Wiltshire) had one Type Ib "KILMINGTON / BATH" handstamp issued in 1898 which is known used between 1911 and 1924.  Below are two examples, from 1911 and from 1922.

Climax Rubber Handstamps - overview

Climax Rubber Date-Stamps were first issued in 1885 to small post offices that were not Money-Order Offices, to date-stamp the recently introduced postal orders.  Later, they were also used by these offices to date-stamp Parcel Post labels and ordinary mail.  Although much cheaper than steel hand-stamps they were very much less durable, and from about 1916 they were gradually replaced by the more economic steel hand-stamps.

From their introduction in 1885, the rubber datestamps were necessarily used with a special violet water-based ink, because the normal post office black ink contained oil that would damage the rubber.   In December 1910 a new black ink suitable for rubber handstamps was introduced.  Because of this, a Post Office Circular of 20^th June 1911 now permitted the cancellation of stamps with the Climax datestamps at non-Money Order Offices - a practice that had actually been in operation for about seven years.  The Circular still expected a Head Office transit stamp to be added - a practice that had been abandoned for many years, and an instruction that continued to be ignored.  Violet ink was banned from November 1912.

The particular characteristic of a Climax datestamp is that the month is always expressed as three letters, followed by a full stop. This distinguishes them from any 28 mm. steel skeleton handstamps.

There are three main types of Climax datestamp, the first of which comes in three varieties.

• Type Ia - Village name only, with long names split between top and bottom.  This Type was issued only in the first two years - a total of 27 handstamps from 26 post offices (Butleigh had two) - plus one which appears to have been issued to Catcott in 1912.

• Type Ib - Village + Head Office only.

• Type Ic - Village + Head Office + County.

• Type II - Inscription in three lines.

• Type III - Rubber Skeletons.  When a Climax rubber datestamp needed repair, the office was supplied with a 'skeleton' handstamp. From late 1905 until 1916, this was of a special kind with slots for loose rubber type. Impressions are generally very poor. Before and after this period, steel skeleton handstamps were supplied.  

How many different handstamps of this type were used in Somerset ?  The Somerset & Dorset Postal History Group has catalogued approximately 630, so allowing for ones not yet found there are probably 700-750 different handstamps.  A catalogue of these handstamps is available from the society website for download by S&DPHG members.

The next posts will illustrate these handstamps, grouped together by issuing head office.  The handstamps are not the most exciting but do extend the breadth of Offices covered quite considerably.  A number of the handstamps do not appear in the Proof books so just have known dates of usage which are often extended as new examples of a handstamp come to light.