Dulverton "803" barred numeral cancels

Dulverton was allocated post office number 803 from 1844.  It was issued with two horizontal oval, one 4-bar vertical oval and two 3-bar vertical oval cancels.

This first sheet has an example of the second horizontal oval cancel and the 4-bar vertical oval cancel.

This second sheet has an example of the second 3-bar vertical oval cancel.

Commemorative cancels - Minehead, Shepton Mallet, Taunton & Bristol

Here are four commemorative cancels found at a recent local stamp fair.

 Minehead lifeboat dedication - June 1980

 Royal Bath & West Show - June 1978

Rural Post in Somerset - May 1981

50th Anniversary Bristol Airport - May 1980

New "WELTON / BATH" Skeleton

Below is an example of a skeleton from Welton, just outside Midsomer Norton, dated 2nd November 1907.  This is the first example of this skeleton recorded. 

The post office  is first known in March 1899 when a Climax rubber cancel was issued, and closed in 1913.  No example of the Climax rubber cancel is known; the post office became a Money Order Office in September 1899 at which time a steel cancel would probably have been issued and the rubber cancel withdrawn, so the probable period of use of the rubber cancel is short (6 months).

Albino "TAUNTON" handstamp, 1743

The entire below has a partial albino "TAUNTON" handstamp and a manuscript date of 15th October 1743 ... it is difficult to see the albino handstamp , even more so via a scan !

The postal rate in 1743 was 4d for more than 80 miles and the entire has a manuscript "4".  However this has been crossed out and replaced by a "5" and there is a possible manuscript "1" on the reverse.  The "1" could be for local delivery at New Street End, Birmingham, making 5d in total.

Later date for "118 SHIPTON / MALLET" handstamp

The cover below has a "118 SHIPTON / MALLET" handstamp with a manuscript date of 17th November 1796.  This is later than examples previously recorded.

The contents are notable for the spelling.

"311", "725", "777" and "862"

Post Office numbers were assigned to the larger post offices in 1844 when the horizontal oval barred numeral cancels were issued.  The numbers continued to be used, for example on instructional cachets well into the 20th century.

"311" was the post office number for Glastonbury.  The cover below has an example of the first horizontal oval barred cancel from 1845.

"725" was the post office number for South Petherton; the sheet below has examples from 1847 and 1848.

"777" was the post office number for Williton.  The first sheet below has examples of the horizontal oval cancel, while the second sheet has an example of the 3-bar vertical oval cancel.

"862" was the post office number for Milverton.  The sheet below has an example of the horizontal oval cancel.

Evercreech, Highbridge UDCs

The Evercreech UDC was issued under Shepton Mallet on 24th September 1844 and is currently known used from 14th August 1846 (the cover below) to 3rd January 1848.

This Highbridge UDC was issued on 22nd May 1846 and is  known used from July 1846 to May 1854.  A second UDC was issued in November 1848 and a third late format one was issued in 1858.

Edward St Maur, 11th Duke of Somerset

This free front from Newton Abbot to Reading was franked by the 11th Duke of Somerset in December 1832.  In 1808 he purchased a London townhouse on Park Lane which he named Somerset House.

Watchet - West Somerset Railway

This philatelic cover commemorates the West Somerset Railway, sent from Minehead to Watchet on the WSR in March 1989.