UDCs part 2 - Huish Champflower, Huntspill, Isle Abbotts, Lympsham, Marston Magna, Martock

 More UDCs, mostly issued to villages, starting with "HUISH-CHAMPFLOWER" used in October 1859, currently the latest known usage in black.

... "HUNTSPILL" udc used in July 1855 ....

The "ISLE-ABBOTS" udc below is currently the only recorded example, while the example of the "WRANTAGE" udc is currently the earliest usage recorded.

The "LYMPSHAM" udc below is in blue, the first recorded example in blue.

The example of the "MARSTON MAGNA" udc below is undated, one other example is known used in December 1858.

The "MARTOCK" udc below in blue is also known in black.

UDCs part 1 - Aller, Bedminster, Blackford, Blagdon(Bristol), Burnham

Here are a number of examples of UDCs (UnDated Circular handstamps) which were typically issued to village post offices, starting with one from "ALLER" in April 1859, currently the only recorded example.

The "BEDMINSTER" udc below is from January 1850.  A second udc was issued to Bedminster in 1857.

The "BLACKFORD" udc was issued in 1858 - the example below is currently the earliest known usage.

Below is an example of the "BLAGDON" udc issued under Bristol.  Another Blagdon, near Taunton, was also issued with a "BLAGDON" udc.

The entire below has a faint "BURNHAM-SOMST" udc, used in March 1848.

Early Ilminster

Here are a number of earlier Ilminster covers, starting with one from London in February 1744.  As usual with older letters it is about money.

This next entire is from South Petherton via Ilminster to Nether Stowey near Bridgwater in May 1787, with a "141 ILMIN / STER" mileage mark (the first type issued).  The letter is marked "X Post" to make sure it goes cross post and not via London (which would have cost significantly more).

The printed letter below from the Legacy Duty Office to Buckland St Mary in November 1825 was redirected to Bideford, then Plymouth or Tavistock and finally to Ilminster where it received an "ILMINSTER / 143" circular mileage mark.

Here is a clearer example of the "ILMINSTER / 143" circular mileage mark used in February 1829 on a wrapper to London.  It was originally rated at 1/8d (double rate) before being uprated to triple rate, 2/6d, with the "1/8" crossed out and overstamped with an Inspector's Crown handstamp.

Here is another example of the postage charge being uprated by an inspector, also from 1829.

The letter below to Cirencester in 1829 has an example of the circular "ILMINSTER" handstamp with the mileage erased.  It was charged 10d postage (the circular curly squiggle).

In November 1839 the entire below was from Winchester to 'Near Andover' but was missent to Ilminster and received the fairly rare "Missent to / Ilminster" handstamp.

And finally the entire below from Ilminster to Wells in June 1839 received a black example of the "ILMINSTER" single arc dated handstamp.  The handstamp is known later in blue and in red.

West Town

West Town in Somerset is adjacent to Backwell, about eight miles south-west of Bristol.  These two covers bear "WEST-TOWN" double arc undated cancels.  The first entire is from June 1846 and is in black ...

... while the second, much less clearly struck, is from August 1857 in blue.  This is almost the last known usage of the handstamp.

Wellington Somerset

 A few covers from Wellington, Somerset (as opposed to Wellington Shropshire), starting with an entire from Wiveliscombe going via Wellington to London in November 1789, originally charged 6d but uprated by an inspector to 1/-.

This undated entire has a straight line "WELLINGTON" which is known used 1829-1830.  The contents ask for notices for the year 1829.

This registered envelope from March 1910 went to Newport, Isle of Wight and received a "WELLINGTON / M.O & S.B." single ring cancel.  Wellington was a Money Order branch from 1792 and a Savings Bank branch from 1861.  The cancel would have come to hand when the envelope was presented at the post office counter in Wellington.

The envelope below from August 1970 received a framed "NOT KNOWN / WELLINGTON SOMERSET" cachet.  Wellington, Somerset is often confused with Wellington, Shropshire but in this case it looks as if it should have been Wallington in Surrey (near Sutton).

And finally an unfranked postcard from Florence with a 2d Inland Section postage due in April 1914 (and a similar one to Taunton dated 1916).

Bridgwater Miscellany

It's the turn of Bridgwater (or Bridgewater according to the postmarks from approximately 1750 to about 1870), starting a couple of letters with London Receiver marks from 1782.

The first one below has a "PARTINGTON" receiver's mark ...

... while this one has a "WALTER" handstamp.  George Walter succeeded Richard Partington as the Receiver at Holborn Hill in 1782.

Below are printed orders for the assembly of the West Somerset Regiment of Yeomanry at Bridgwater, for eight days of duty in May 1835.  It was sent free from London.

Here is a copy of the orders.

Next is an entire sent from Rome to Cannington in December 1843., then redirected to Chudleigh, with redirection marks at Bridgewater.

Here is the contents, written in Italian, asking for a Commission.

From August 1844 the entire below was from Bridgwater to  London but had 2d more to pay.

And finally here are two postcards with "BRIDGWATER SOM." Krag machine cancels, the first from 1929 ...

... and the second from November 1933 with 1d postage due.  The postcard rate had been 1d from May 1922.

Misssent to Bradford (Wiltshire), Frome, Bath, Taunton !

The item below went on an approximately 70 mile excursion in May 1810.

It was written in 'Bluehayes' which could be Blue Hayes House near Exeter and was addressed to 'Ford, Bradford, Somerset' which should have been Ford, Wiveliscombe.  Bradford-on-Tone is about 7 miles from Wiveliscombe.  It went instead to Bradford, Wiltshire and then came back via Frome, Bath, and Taunton before getting to Wiveliscombe.

Cross

Cross is just west of Axbrige and was a Post Town becaust it was on the cross Post Road.  The first items below are from 1840, after the introduction of the Uniform Penny Post, and whows the "CROSS" double arc dated handstamp in black (February) and in red (June).  Red ink had been introduced to cancel the penny black stamp issued in May 1840.

Cross also had had a local Penny Post.  The items below are from after 1840, so the local Penny Post was no longer in operation, but the receiving house handstamps continued to be in use in the absence of any other issued handstamp.  The first one below from April 1842 has a small boxed "No.7" handstamp, possibly from Mark.

The next example from September 1843 has a large "No.7" handstamp.  Both this and the previous item were written in Wedmore.

The next two items have small boxed "No.9" handstamps, thought to be from Wedmore and were written in Stoughton Cross, a mile north of Wedmore.  The item below is from September 1844.

The final item is dated August 1845.