Cross Penny Post "No.2" and "No.5"?, 1835

Here are two recently acquired examples of the Cross Penny Post, both from 1835.  This first one is from August 1835 and is from Weston-super-Mare with a poor boxed "No.2" receiving house handstamp.  This is one of the more common receiving house marks in the Cross Penny Post.

This next example is from June 1835 and was written at Uphill.  I think it has a boxed "No.5" receiving house handstamp but it is impossible to be 100% sure because the handstamp was over-inked. 

The assignment of some of the receiving house handstamps in the Cross Penny Post is difficult because there are few examples.  It was previously thought that "No.5" could be Sidcot and that Uphill could be "No.8" - unfortunately this example is not clear enough to make a definitive statement that Uphill was "No.5".

Reverse-Arc "FROME" 1800

The entire below has a fairly poor example of the reverse-arc "FROME" handstamp, used in May 1800.  This extends the recorded usage of this handstamp from 1798-1799.

A previous post illustrates a better example of the handstamp from 1799.

Boxed "No.44" in the Bath Penny Post, 1831

The entire below, written in Chewton Mendip, has a red boxed "No.44" in the Bath Penny Post, going via Old Down to Bath to London.  It is likely that the "No.44" was issued under the Bristol Penny Post - there is a gap in the receiving house numbers at No.44 and the Bath-issued numbers don't go that high.

Mail from the area often went to Old Down where the mail coach routes crossed, going via Bath to the East (& London), via Bristol to the North, and via Wells to the South and West.

Old Down boxed "No.15" used in November 1822

The entire below, dated 9th November 1822, has a crisp boxed "No.15" receiving house handstamp.  This handstamp was used at Old Down and this entire brings the known dates of use earlier, into 1822.  The crispness of the handstamp indicates that it was near the beginning of its life.

Westbury UDC

The "WESTBURY" undated circular handstamp (UDC) was issued on 7th December 1847 under Wells.  The example below is currently the latest known example.

In Victorian society, the width of the black mourning lines expressed the depth of loss.

Timberscombe UDC

The "TIMBERSCOMBE" undated circular handstamp (UDC) was issued on 13th August 1844 under Taunton.  The example below is currently the only recorded example, used in December 1859.

Shapwick UDC

The "SHAPWICK" undated circular handstamp (UDC) was also issued on the 8th January 1849 under Glastonbury.  It is also known in black and in blue, but I don't have any examples in blue.

The contents of the top letter are interesting:  "Mrs GH Templar will thank Mr West to send her by return of Post Five Dozen Stamps as they are not to be had in the Country Offices"

Ashcott UDC in black and in blue

The "ASHCOTT" undated circular handstamp (UDC) was issued on 8th January 1848 under Glastonbury.  It is known used in black and in blue.

 

Wincanton mileage mark, 1817

Here is an example of the "WINCANTON / 118" mileage mark used in 1817, not brilliant but the first example I've managed to acquire.