An early Rock Band - November 1846

This cover, dated November 1846, has a nice "BRIDGWATER / 5" skeleton cancel.

The contents relate to an early Rock Band coming to Bridgwater later in November 1846.

Aishcott [Ashcott] and Bridg(e)water

This first entire dated May 1799 is from "AISHCOTT" (later Ashcott) to Wiveliscombe, with a straight line "BRIDGEWATER" handstamp known 1799-1801.

Switching to the Bridgwater Penny Post, this next cover from Kilve has a large framed "No.1" handstamp, known in use at Nether Stowey. The cover is dated September 1814 inside.

It is not known where the unboxed "No.2" handstamp was used in the Bridgwater Penny Post.  This entire dated July 1840 was written at Bardon near Williton.

Crewkerne and Cross

Here is a boxed "No.4" handstamp in the Crewkerne Penny Post from 1831.  The "No.4" handstamp was in use at Haselbury.

Next are a couple of items associated with the Cross Penny Post, starting with a boxed "No.3" handstamp from 1833.  Banwell was in the Wells Penny Post from 1823, and then in the Cross Penny Post which was established in 1827, and used the boxed "No.3" handstamp in both Penny Posts.

This next cover is from Wedmore, with a large unboxed "No.7" and a "CROSS" UDC from January 1845.

Froom, Frome and Glastonbury

The first handstamp for Frome (pronounced "Froom") was spelt "FROOM" (in use 1760-1778).  Subsequent handstamps swapped between "FROME" and "FROOM".  Below is an example from 1773.

This next cover has a "FROME" skeleton from 1902.  The Skeleton is known between 7th and 17th September 1902.

Lastly, a cover from Glastonbury with an unboxed "No.3" receiving handstamp, in use at Shapwick.

Bath Straight-Line handstamps - 1774 & 1792

Here are a couple of Bath handstamps from the 18th century.  This first cover is from Bath to London, redirected to Edinburgh in June 1774.  The main interest to me is from the contents (transcribed to the right of the cover) which may describe attacks of Ménière's disease, which  was first identified in the early 1800s by Prosper Ménière.

This second cover is also from Bath to London.  Bath had a lot of visitors 'taking the waters'.

Pair of Axbridge covers

Here are a pair of Axbridge covers, both with straight-line "AXBRIDGE" handstamps.  The first, from 1907 is 37x4 mm.

... while the second from 1842 is 40x4 mm with a damaged final "E".

Trio of Somerset Maps

Here are a trio of maps of Somerset, starting with a strip map of the London to Barnstaple road.

Next a sideways map that looks like a coloured version of John Cary's map of 1817.

And finally a Dugdales map from 1846.

Plymouth-to-Bristol TPO "B.16" Barred Numeral cancels

Here is a nice item that I recently acquired with five "B.16" 3-bar vertical oval cancels from the Plymouth-to-Bristol TPO from August 1882.

Wellington, Weston-super-Mare, Williton and Wiveliscombe

Some more "W"s that have appeared on my desk, starting with a Wellington skeleton from March 1915 - the cancel is "WEL INGTON / SOM" with missing letters.

Next are a couple of postage due items from Weston-super-Mare, firstly an unfranked envelope from 1940 with two different "TO PAY" handstamps, the first (incorrect) one being crossed out in pencil.

... and secondly an underfranked postcard with a nice framed TO PAY cachet from 1958.

Moving on, the next item is a newspaper wrapper, also from Weston-super-Mare, with a red PAID handstamp from 1979 ...

... and then another newspaper wrapper from Williton with a red postage paid meter frank from 1981.

And finally two Wiveliscombe items, firstly "WIVELISCOMBE R.S.O. / SOMERSET" cancels from 1905 and 1908 (the RSO terminology was dropped in 1905) ...

... and a "WIVELISCOMBE - S.O / SOMERSET" cancel from 1918.