This first item was posted from London to Dowlish Ford Mills, Ilminster in December 1900 and has a violet oval "POST OFFICE / SECRETARY" handstamp.
Next a couple of postmarks on KGVII postal stationery envelopes, the first from "ILE ABBOTTS" in December 1941, the second from "QUEEN CAMEL / YEOVIL.SOMERSET" in August 1950.
Finally here is a Post Office / Royal Mail redirection form with a "WILLITON TAUNTON / SOMERSET" handstamp dated 29th July 1999 (so 99 years after the top item).
An assortment - starting with a couple of philatelic registered covers posted by John Worral of Clover Farm, Shepton Mallet. The first is from Barrington in September 1973, the second from Horton in November 1975.
The third item is an envelope from Exeter to Chard sent in August 2002 where "SOMERSET" has been misread as Denmark. The envelope has an interesting marking of "LIVE MAIL" but no indication of where that might have been applied.
Marshalsea Bros. of Ilminster and Taunton were "Manufacturers of High-Grade Motor Bodies".
Here are a series of commercial postcards.
This final example deals with a request for a closed car to meet the 1 o'clock train from Paddington.
Here are two examples of the "KINGSDON" udc which was issued in June 1848 under Somerton.
The first example takes a bit of deciphering - I think what happened was that the wrapper was sent from London to Yeovil on 11th August 1858; then the wrapper was reused with a second stamp being added and was sent from Kingsdon to Yeovil on 20th August 1858. Both stamps have been cancelled with Taunton circular duplex on 20th August; the right hand stamp has some evidence of a London barred numeral cancel underneath.
The second example is a simpler example on an envelope posted from Kingsdon to London on 31st January 1859.
Here is a further, quite poor, example of the "HOLNICOTE" UDC dated 16th May 1853 (see here for an example posted earlier). The UDC was issued in September 1845 under Taunton. Below is currently the earliest recorded example.
The envelope below has an example of the "HUISH-CHAMPFLOWER" UDC used on 26th September 1857. It was issued in April 1852 under Wellington.
The packet below from Bristol to Bath in February 1949, franked with 2½d, was "Closed contrary to regulations" and was charged 5d postage due with a red cachet and a red charge mark. It was also cancelled with a "BRISTOL / 28 / -*-" undated packet cancel. One can establish the approximate date from the Bath cancels of the postage due stamps (February 1949).
The 5d postage due charge means that the correct total postal rate (as a sealed packet) would have been 5d rather than the 2½d it was franked with (2½d deficient so 5d postage due charged). As it was cancelled with an undated cancel I would assume that it was sent as Printed Matter. From 1940 to 1951 2½d was the rate for 6-8 oz. The Letter Rate for 6-8 oz was 4d so I can't see why it was charged 5d postage due rather than 3d. 5d was the Letter Rate for 10-12 oz. Please let me know if you can work it out !
All the postcards below incurred postage due for different reasons (two which had the same reason are displayed together).
The postcard below from Bridgwater to Ilminster in June 1921 has a large 1d postage due mark and postage due stamps. The 1d postage due mark is currently known used from 1903. The Postcard Rate increased 10 days before the postcard was posted so the postcard was insufficiently franked.
The next postcard is from Porlock in 1930 and was posted without a stamp. It has 2d charge marks from both Dunster and Taunton and a postage due stamp.
The next two postcards, sent in March 1905 to the same addressee from Taunton, both had glitter on the picture side (not allowed at Postcard rate, only at Letter rate).
The final postcard, sent from Taunton in 1930, incurred postage due because the postcard was a novelty one with an opening with pictures and had more than 5 words of message. This meant that it needed to be paid for as a Letter rather than Printed Matter (which was the same rate as Postcards).
Here are a few postmarks from some of the town sub-offices in Bridgwater - there are a lot of TSOs that I haven't seen. Below you will find postmarks from Bath Road Bridgwater (1982), Dunkery Road Bridgwater (1996) and Willoughby Road Bridgwater (1985).
