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).