Bath 1807 - 1810

The final (!) straight-line Bath handstamp was introduced late in 1807, measuring 29 x 5 mm.  This first example is from 31st December 1807.

Two examples from March 1808 ...

... and from April 1808 ...

... from September 1809 ...

... and from May 1810.  The letter is a request for the addressee to pay the sender's Powder Tax.

Bath 1805 - 1807

Sometime between March and September 1805 the handstamp changed again, with a new 28½ x 5½ mm handstamp introduced.  This handstamp does have quite pronounced serifs (eg. at the base of the "B" and the "H") - the measurements have been taken without the serifs, from the downstroke of the "B" to the downstroke of the "H".

Here are a number of examples, from March 1805 and March 1806 ...

... from June and July 1807 ...

... and from October 1807.

Bath 1804 - 1805

Sometime between the end of February and the end of May 1804 a new 23½ x 4½ mm handstamp was introduced.

This next entire, from June 1804, was initially sent from Bristol to Bath and was then turned and sent Free from Bath to London.

Another example from June 1804 bore the manuscript "Double Only" but was charged at five times the single sheet rate as it must have weighed over an ounce.

And finally an entire from Bath to Warwickshire in March 1805.

Bath 1802 - 1804

The second of the handstamps in the 1798-1807 period runs from 1802-1804 and is 29½ x 5½ mm.  The contents of this first example, from December 1802, are a request to identify an annuity.

This entire, from March 1803, is addressed to the New England Coffee House in London.

This example, from March 1803, was originally from London to Bath and was then redirected to Liverpool.  It was a double letter so ended up with a charge of 2/8.

The final two examples are from January and February 1804, the second being to Edinburgh via London.

Bath boxed 109 mileage

According to the British County Catalogue a boxed mileage mark, "BATH / 109" was in use between 1801 and 1804 - I only have a couple of examples from 1801 - 1802.  Here is a nice clean example from July 1801.

This second example, from January 1802, was franked by William Northey (called Wicked Billy by his family).

Here is a further example of the previous 1798-1802 handstamp, posted in June 1802, so the two handstamps were apparently to some degree used in parallel.

Bath 1798 - 1802

The British County Catalogue [1990] has one 30 x 5 mm handstamp in use from 1798 to 1807.  Close examination of a number of examples shows that this is a number of different handstamps.

The first one in this period, 30 x 6 mm when measured using a computer scanner and image software, was in use from 1798 to 1802.  Here is an example from March 1798, addressed to a Coffee House in London. 

This next example, from July 1798, was sent free.

Another example, from February 1799.

... and from February 1800, suggesting the use of Bath waters to the Duke of Hamilton.

An entire from February 1801 saying that "Bath is full of Company and the Dress Balls at the Upper Rooms disagreeably crowded - the Duke and Duchess of York arrived here."

And finally a further example from February 1801 from Bath to Edinburgh that I reckon has been charged the wrong amount because at that time the Scottish rates were different to the English ones.

Bath 1795 - 1796

A new 29½ x 5 mm handstamp was introduced at Bath, sometime between April and July 1795 as evidenced by these two entires.

Some further examples, from February 1796 ...

... and a day later in February 1796.  This entire has a London solid red star Inspector's mark.

... another from March 1796 ...

... and from July 1796.

Bath 1788 - 1795

Back to the earlier handstamps from Bath.

Bath had a 24 x 5 mm handstamp from 1788 to 1795.  I have about a dozen examples, too many to show in one post, so here are a selection starting with one from November 1788.

This next example from January 1789 has some interesting contents relating to the tithe.

This example from June 1789 was charged 2/6 as it weighted 3¾ ozs.

This letter from January 1791 is a Bishop giving thanks for the fine food he has been given.

Here is a letter from Bath to Goettingen in August 1791.  It has a number of crayon markings relating to the postage abroad which I don't understand fully (any explanations gratefully received).

 And finally an entire from Bath to Dumfries in September 1794.

Somerset County Council Home Help Service

Here is a postcard from Taunton to Ilminster in November 1954, with details of when a Home Help would be coming during the week (six days of the week, from 10 to 2:15).  It would appear that the Home Help was provided by the Somerset County Council.  On the assumption that this service is no longer available, I wonder when it ceased ?