Sunday 30 August 2015

A few Climax Rubber cancels from the end of the alphabet

A few Climax Rubber cancels, from the later part of the alphabet ...

... first from South Cadbury from May 1913.  South Cadbury only has one rubber cancel in the Proof books, from June 1910, and this is a (blurred) example of it. A skeleton rubber cancel is also known used in November 1913, a few months after this example.

Stoke St. Michael has two rubber cancels known, the first proofed in March 1896, and the second known in July 1916.  This is a later example of this second cancel.

Sutton Montis had a rubber cancel proofed in April 1898 under Bath, and then a second under Sparkford SO in September 1904.  Below are two examples under Bath from 1911 and 1916 of two different cancels (the 'S' of Sutton overlaps the date more in the top example, and the lower example has a smaller font).

Witham Friary has two normal rubber cancels known, the first proofed in March 1893, and the second known from October 1912.  In between a skeleton rubber cancel is known for two weeks in May 1912.  The examples below are of the two normal cancels from August 1911 and October 1912.

Note the blunt message on the top postcard - "Mr Giles is dead. Saw Uncle Walter yesterday. Staying at West Barn. Playing Cricket today. Return Wednesday."  The "Mr Giles" who had died was John Steed Giles, a retired farmer.  Here is an extract from the 1911 census for his household.

The final rubber climax cancel is from Yarlington from May 1904.  Yarlington had a rubber cancel proofed in November 1898 under Bath, then another under Wincanton SO in September 1904, and a third under Wincanton is known used from 1909.  Note the faded postcard picture of Wincanton High Street.

Wednesday 26 August 2015

Some Undated Circular handstamps (UDCs)

A few UDCs, from Bathford (under Bath), Bitton (under Bristol), Brislington (under Bath), North Cadbury (under Yeovil), and Street (under Glastonbury), all of the non-serif 25mm type

Bathford had two UDCs. The first, of which this is an example was issued in July 1849 and is known used between October 1849 (this cover) and December 1851; the second was issued in April 1857 and is not known used.

Bitton had a single UDC issued in January 1858, which is known used in blue from July 1849 (this cover) and March 1860, and in black from September 1856 to February 1860.

Brislington had a 29mm serif UDC issued in February 1841 and this UDC which was issued in December 1855. It is known used in black from July 1858 to November 1859, and in brown from December 1856 (this cover) to February 1857.

North Cadbury had a single UDC issued in September 1844 and is known used in red from September 1845 to June 1846, and in blue known only in June 1851 (this cover).

Street had two UDC issued, the first in January 1848 (known used between March and September 1848), and this second UDC which was issued in June 1849 and is known used in black from April 1854 to November 1859, and in blue known between September 1849 and December 1856.  The usage below falls in the middle of this period, in April 1852.

Wednesday 19 August 2015

Sunday 16 August 2015

Post Office Internal Posters (5)

Some more encouragement to do things the correct way:



The poster below is the only one I have in colour, appearing to be encouragement to read internal publications.

Wednesday 12 August 2015

Post Office Internal Posters (4)

Based on the next series of posters, Redirection must have been a problem:





Wednesday 5 August 2015

Post Office Internal Posters (2)

Then there were some aimed more specifically at the working practices of postmen & postwomen.





Sunday 2 August 2015

Post Office Internal Posters (1)

At the recent sale of duplicate GPO posters by the British Postal Museum and Archive I was successful in bidding for one of the less glamorous lots, a set of 35 approximately A4 size internal posters, mainly black and white, labelled "JPC" and "IRP (H)" with a number.

A quick search revealed that they were commissioned by the GPO Joint Production Council (JPC) Internal Relations Panel (IRP) - I haven't managed to find out what the "(H)" stands for.  The series dates from 1951-1969 and was designed to instruct staff on how best to perform their jobs.  Nearly all of them are in black and white, though there are a few in colour.

The Royal Mail Archive holds a nearly-full set (number 010 is missing) of 66, from which my 35 duplicates in the lot come from, mainly being the earlier ones.

The early ones are fairly general admonitions:





Ending with an admonition to read what I assume was the internal magazine: