Cross Penny Post: Boxed "No.9"

The entire, below, from March 1841, is from Wedmore to Weston-super-Mare and has a boxed "No.9" receiving house handstamp.  The receiving house handstamps continued to be used to indicate where mail was posted, even after the introduction of the Uniform Penny Post (and the end of the local Penny Posts).

Bath Penny Post: Unboxed "No.19"

Below is a new acquisition, an unboxed "No.19" in the Bath Penny Post in 1837.  The entire is addressed from Paulton.

An unboxed "No.19" receiving house handstamp is known used at Paulton in 1837-38 in the Bath Penny Post.

It is quite difficult to read the unboxed handstamp - at various times I thought it was a "No.10" or a "No.18" before settling on "No.19".

Wincanton, WWI Censorship

The cover illustrated below was posted from Wincanton to the USA in October 1916 by Charles King, a stamp dealer.

As a stamp dealer, he had to have a permit to send stamps abroad.  His was number C21, as is written on the front of the cover.

Wincanton c. 1801-1804

The Wincanton straight line mark shown below is known used from 1801 to 1807.  The entire, to Birmingham, is undated apart from "1st July".

The entire has two postal markings, an "8" crossed out, and a stylised "10" (the spiral).  From 1801 to March 1805 8d was the postal rate for 120-170 miles and 10d was the rate for 230-300 miles (on 12th March 1805 the postal rates went up so that 8d was 80-120 miles and 10d was 170-230 miles).

Wincanton to Birmingham direct is about 125 miles while going via London is about 245 miles.  This fits with the 1801 rates as 8d would be the rate for going direct while 10d would be the rate for going via London.

This would date the entire to be from July 1801 to July 1804.

Bruton 1797 and 1804

The "BRUTON" straight line handstamp illustrated below is known used in 1797 and 1798.

Bruton had a boxed mileage mark "BRUTON / 142" from 1802 to 1809, the example below being from 1804.

A Trio of Advertising Envelopes

Here are a trio of advertising envelopes, starting with one from Bristol in 1913 advertising 'Fitu' corsets.

The envelope below advertised Fardon's Vinegar in 1928 - it was sent as printed matter but charged 2d psotage due as it was liable to the letter rate.  The addressee refused the letter.

Here is an advertising envelope for Radiac Shirts, Collars and Pyjamas.  The firm was taken over and became part of 'Tootal'.

Burnham-on-Sea three colour franking

This nice cover below bearing a three colour franking is from Burnham-in-Sea to Switzerland in July 1921.  3d paid for the UPU surface mail while the additional 6d paid for the overseas Express service (typically just the delivery from the local delivery office to the addressee.

Shepton Mallet 'Dulwich' Cancels

A 'Dulwich' cancel is a double circle double-arc cancel, so called because the first one was issued to Dulwich.

Shepton Mallet has had a number of 'Dulwich' cancels, the earliest type of which were of the form "SHEPTON-MALLET / +" with a maltese cross at the bottom.  Some of these are illustrated on this first sheet - with examples with thin arcs from 1903, slightly thicker arcs from 1905 and thick arcs from 1930.  There are probably more varieties used in the intervening years.

This next sheet has a "SHEPTON MALLET SOMERSET / 1" cancel from 1939. 

The cancel is slightly unusual as the date inside is not aligned wit the lettering outside.