Here are two items from Crewkerne with Postage Due markings, the first from March 1932. The postcard is underfranked with ½d when the correct rate was 1d. The postcard received a "1D / 230" charge mark and a 1d postage due which was cancelled when the charge was collected.
The second item from March 1975 received a framed postage due charge mark with manuscript "1p". Actually the correct postage due should have been 11p as the stamp was an old pre-decimal one.
There is a bit of a mystery to the postcard below which has a Southampton Ship Letter single ring cancel dated 1st November 1907. The postcard bears a Washford squared circle cancel and a "ROADWATER / TAUNTON" postmark both dated 2nd November. However the postcard appears to be addressed to Pitney, Langport. Why did it go to Roadwater ?
Here are a series of mainly single ring handstamps from Wincanton starting in 1885 when a single ring cancel was in use.
The next sheet shows another 19th century Wincanton single ring handstamp (1895) followed by a series of postmarks on piece from 1963 to a self-inking datestamp in 1997.
Finally here is a further Wincanton self-inking datestamp from 2002, along with a form with the preprinted address of the Post Office in Wincanton.
Here are a number of sheets showing a series of counter handstamps from Somerton, from 1969 to 1982 ...
... 1995, ...
... and 1998 to 2005.
Here are a couple of examples of the "YEOVIL / 125" boxed mileage mark, known in use from 1801 to 1811. The first is from 1802 ...
... and the contents are a report on the bids for land at auction.
The second is from 1808 with a cleaner handstamp. The contents also relate to land purchase and are a memorandum about the purchase of various farms and estates by Sir John Lethbridge of Sandhill Park.
In the 1700s a number of the Letter Receivers in London had their own handstamps. Here are a couple of examples, the first going to Ilminster. The entire is undated; based on the London bishop mark and 8d postal charge it must date from 1713 to 1784. It has an "AR" in a circle receiver's mark which looks to be for Abel Roper who was a bookseller in Fleet Street from 1688 to 1726, so the entire would date from 1713 to 1726.
My second example is from London to Langport and is again undated. It has an "RB" in a circle receiver's mark, which is from Richard Brunton who was a receiver at Mount Street by Berkeley Square from 1768 to 1783. His "RB" in a circle mark is known in use from 1770 to 1772.
Dowlish Wake is just south of Ilminster. The post office closed in 1991. Here is an example of the double circle double-arc cancel that was in use in 1937. The cancel is currently known used until 1972.
The press cutting below from 1980 is about keeping the postmistress job in the family.
Here are a couple of Langport skeleton cancels; the first from 1909 is known used from 29 May to 21 June.
The second example from 27th April 1921 may be an earlier date for one known used on 5th May 1921. Another earlier skeleton is known from 25th March but this seems to be smaller.
