Climax Rubber Handstamps - Wellington & Wells sub-offices

Clayhidon in Devon came under Wellington until October 1923 and was issued with a "CLAYHIDON / WELLINGTON / SOMT." Type 2 handstamp which is known used from August 1913.  The example below is from September 1922, just over a year before Clayhidon transferred to Cullompton.

Nynehead had a "NYNEHEAD / WELLINGTON, SOM." Type Ic handstamp issued in September 1897, followed by a "NYNEHEAD / WELLINGTON / SOM." Type 2 handstamp which is known used from August 1922.  The example below are from June 1922 (so being the earliest date known) and October 1924.

Coxley had two "COXLEY / WELLS" Type Ib handstamps issued in August 1889 and in March 1894.  This was followed by a "COXLEY / WELLS, SOM." Type Ic handstamp knwon used from April 1904 and then a "COXLEY / WELLS / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp known from November 1921.  The example below is from July 1920 so brings the date forward.

Henton had two "HENTON / WELLS. SOM." Type Ic handstamps, the first issued in October 1890 and the second known used from April 1914.  These were followed by a "HENTON / WELLS / SOM" Type 2 handstamps known used from January 1921 and by a "HENTON / WELLS / SOMT" Type 2 handstamp known used from May 1929.  The example below is of the first of the two Type 2 handstamps, dated February 1921.

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Taunton sub-offices (4)

Last post for Taunton - only a few more posts to go !

Timberscombe had three "TIMBERSCOMBE / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamps, the first issued in June 1886, the second known used from April 1905 and the third from April 1908.  The examples below are from September 1905, September 1906 and August 1907.

West Lydford had five "WEST LYDFORD / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamps, the first issued in September 1909, the remainder known from December 1904, February 1911, March 1913 and June 1917.  A "WEST / LYDFORD / TAUNTON" Type 3 skeleton is known used in August 1912.  The example below is from September 1918. 

West Quantoxhead initially came under Bridgwater; a "WEST QUANTOXHEAD" Type Ia was issued in December 1886 followed by two "WEST QUANTOXHEAD / BRIDGWATER" Type Ib handstamps, known used from May 1906 and November 1911, with a "WEST- / QUANTOXHEAD" Type 3 skeleton known in February 1906.

A final "WEST QUANTOXHEAD / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp is known used from August 1918 - the examples below are from September 1920, October 1922 and September 1923.

Wrantage had two "WRANTAGE / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamps, the first issued in November 1902 and the second known from May 1911.  The example below is from August 1908.

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Taunton sub-offices (3)

Isle Abbots had a single "ILE ABBOTS / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp issued in December 1899.  The example below, addressed to "Isle Abbots" but cancelled "ILE ABBOTS", is from August 1907.

Lowton had an initial "LOWTON / WELLINGTON. SOM." Type Ic handstamp issued in March 1899.  It then moved to under Taunton when a "LOWTON / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp was issued, known used from May 1904.  The example below is from July 1926.

Sampford Brett had two "SAMPFORD BRETT / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp issued, the first in February 1889 and the second known used from November 1919.  The example below is from August 1929.

Skilgate had an initial "SKILGATE" Type Ia handstamp issued in 1886, followed by a "SKILGATE / WIVELISCOMBE / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp known used from June 1912.  This was followed by a "SKILGATE / TAUNTON" Type Ib hanstamp known used from August 1923.  The example below is dated December 1923.

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Taunton sub-offices (2)

Fitzhead had a "FITZHEAD / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp issued in April 1900.  The example below is from August 1912.

Fivehead had two "FIVEHEAD / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamps, the first issued in April 1900 and the second known used in August 1918.  In November 1907 a mis-spelled "FIVFHEAD / TAUNTON" Type 3 skeleton is known used in November 1907. A later "FIVEHEAD / TAUNTON / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp is known used from December 1925.  The first example below is from November 1908, followed by one from February 1910, both being of the first handstamp.  The last example below from November 1925 is of the last Type 2 handstamp.

  

 

Halse had a single "HALSE / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp issued in November 1899.  The example below is from December 1905 (as are all the other known examples).

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Taunton sub-offices (1)

Alcombe had a series of Climax rubber handstamps, starting with an "ALCOMBE / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp issued in July 1898.  This was followed by an "ALCOMBE / TAUNTON" Type 3 skeleton known used in August 1908.

Alcombe then came under Dunster within the Taunton postal area and used an "ALCOMBE / DUNSTER / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp known in June 1911, with an "ALCOMBE / DUNSTER / SOMERSET" Type 3 skeleton known in July 1911.

A further "ALCOMBE / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp is known used from October 1911 with an "ALCOMBE / TAUNTON" Type 3 skeleton known in August 1913.  The examples below, from August and September 1911, brings the date of this last Type Ib handstamp a little earlier.  Alcombe had transferred to Taunton from Dunster on 1st July 1911 so this may be the approximate date that the handstamp was issued.

Barton St David was one of the first sub-offices to receive a Climax rubber handstamp with a "BARTON / ST. DAVID" Type Ia handstamp issued in June 1885.  This was followed by a "BARTON-ST.-DAVID / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp known used in October 1892.

The sub-office then moved to under Somerton with two different "BARTON ST. DAVID / SOMERTON S.O. / SOMERSET" handstamps known used in May 1906 and December 1910.

The office then moved back under Taunton with a series of three different "BARTON ST. DAVID / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamps, known used in September 1911, December 1913 and May 1917, with a final "BARTON-ST.-DAVID / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp known used from May 1918.  The example below, dated September 1919 is of this last type, with the hyphens back in the name.

Charlton Adam had an initial "CHARLTON ADAM / SOMERTON, SOM" Type Ic handstamp issued in November 1899 before moving under Taunton.  The first Taunton handstamp known is a "CHARLTON ADAM / TAUNTON" Type 3 skeleton in September 1908.  This was followed by two "CHARLTON ADAM / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamps, known used in October 1911 and August 1919, with a "CHARLTON / ADAM / TAUNTON" Type 3 skeleton handstamp known ins November 1914.  The example below from August 1919 is of the last Type Ib handstamp, being just over a week earlier than the previously known example.

Curry Mallet had an initial "CURRY MALLETT / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp issued in January 1891 (note spelling) and then a correctly spelled "CURRY MALLET / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp was in use, possibly by March 1904.  The example below is from September 1913.

Climax Rubber Handstamps, Shepton Mallet, Somerton & South Petherton sub-offices

North Wootton had five "NORTH WOOTTON / SHEPTON MALLET" Type Ib handstamps.  The first was issued in June 1892, and the others are known used from November 1904, May 1906, March 1911 and January 1915.  In addition a "NTH WOOTTON / SHEPTON MALLET" Type 3 skeleton is known used in January 1906 and a "NORTH WOOT / TON SHEPTON MALLET" Type 3 skeleton in November 1910.  In the sheets below the top example is of the 2nd Type Ib (Nov 1904) handstamp, the next two are of the 3rd handstamp (May 1906) while the bottom example is of the last handstamp (Jan 1915).

Babcary was originally under Taunton and had a "BABCARY / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp issued in March 1893.  It then moved to Somerton where a "BABCARY / SOMERTON S.O. / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp was issued (known used from April 1905).  It then moved back to Taunton where another "BABCARY / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp was issued (known used from January 1915) with a "BABCARY / TAUNTON" Type 3 skeleton briefly in use in November 1914.  The example below from June 1907 is of the handstamp while it was under Somerton.

Compton Dundon had a "COMPTON DUNDON / SOMERTON, SOMERSET" Type Ic handstamp issued in March 1904 and then a "COMPTON DUNDON /  SOMERTON / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp is known used from October 1909.  The example below is of this later handstamp from c. 1911.

East Lambrook was originally under Ilminster where an "EAST LAMBROOK / ILMINSTER" Type Ib handstamp was issued in July 1899.  It then moved to South Petherton and received an "EAST LAMBROOK / SOUTH PETHERTON / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp which was known used from August 1918.  The example below brings this date forward, being from November 1917.

S&DPHG meeting on Sunday 16th March

A quick post to say that the Spring meeting of the Somerset & Dorset Postal History Group will be on Sunday 16th March 2014 at Hornsbury Mill, Chard, TA20 3AQ, with coffee available from 10:00am for a meeting start at 10:30am.

The agenda for this meeting is freeform with attendees speaking on a topic of their choice for up to 10 minutes (speaking is not mandatory !), with discussion on the way forward following the sad death of our chairman Tony Osmond in December last year.

WE ARE ALWAYS PLEASED TO WELCOME NEW MEMBERS & VISITORS TO OUR GROUP & MEETINGS.

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Langport & Martock sub-offices

Long Load was originally under Taunton and had a "LONG LOAD / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp issued in 1887.  It then moved to Langport when a "LONG LOAD / LANGPORT / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp is known used from September 1912.  The example below is from June 1915.

Pitney was also originally under Taunton and had a "PITNEY / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp issued in 1890.  It moved to Langport and had a "PITNEY / LANGPORT / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp, known used from December 1911.  The example below is one of the first known used examples of this handstamp.

Ash was originally under Ilminster and had a "ASH / ILMINSTER" Type Ib handstamp issued in 1896.  It moved to being under Martock and first had an "ASH / MARTOCK R.S.O. / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp (known used from January 1905) then an "ASH / MARTOCK / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp known from June 1911.  An "ASH / MARTOCK" Type 3 skeleton handstamp is known used in December 1913.  The example below is of the "ASH / MARTOCK / SOMERSET" handstamp from November 1913.

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Ilminster sub-offices

Broadway had a "BROADWAY / ILMINSTER S.O. / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp issued in December 1907.  The nomenclature of "S.O." for an independant sub-office or railway sub-office was introduced in 1905 and was abolished in March 1909.  It then had a "BROADWAY /ILMINSTER / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp known used from October 1913.  The example below is of the first type dated December 1909, ie. nine months after the "S.O." terminology was discontinued.

Dowlish Wake had a "DOWLISH WAKE / ILMINSTER" Type Ib handstamp issued in December 1900 and a "DOWLISH WAKE / ILMINSTER / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp was known used from 1921 - the example of this handstamp below brings the earliest date known back to September 1915.

Horton had two "HORTON / ILMINSTER" Type Ib handstamps, the first issued in 1891 and the second known used from 1907. It then had a "HORTON / ILMINSTER / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp, known used from June 1913.  The example below is of this latter handstamp, dated June 1914.

Puckington had a "PUCKINGTON / ILMINSTER S.O. / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp issued in December 1908, then a "PUCKINGTON / ILMINSTER / SOMERSET" Type 3 skeleton handstamp known used in April 1914, and finally a "PUCKINGTON / ILMINSTER / SOMERSET" Type2 handstamp known used from June 1916.  The example below is of the first of the above handstamps from June 1912 (so three years after the "S.O." terminology was discontinued).

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Dulverton & Frome sub-offices

I only have one sub-office for each of Dulverton and Frome.

Hawkridge was originally under Tiverton and had a "HAWKRIDGE / TIVERTON" Type Ib handstamp issued in July 1891 before it transferred to Dulverton where a "HAWKRIDGE / DULVERTON / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp was in use by June 1913.  The example below is dated September 1926.

Whatley had two "WHATLEY / FROME" Type Ib handstamps, the first issued in July 1893 and the second known from October 1914.  The example below is from February 1920.