Minehead selection 1705 to 1915

A few items of Minehead post, starting with an entire dated February 1705 with a straight-line "MINEHEAD".  

This handstamp is known used from 1703 to 1719, earlier than the first handstamp known from Taunton which is only known used from 1704.

The next entire is dated 1779 bearing a two-line "MINE / HEAD" handstamp, at the end of its known usage (1737 - 1779).  It is from Luxborough, about 8 miles south of Minehead, to Nether Stowey, about 12 miles north of Taunton.

The entire below is a Money Letter, one containing coin or jewellery, sent in August 1838.  It was treated as registered free of charge as an internal measure to avoid losses in the post.

 

This next item went from Minehead to London on 25th November 1850.  It actually originated in Rio de Janeiro (see contents below) and is extremely likely to be a ship letter even though it wasn't marked or charged as such.  On 25th November 1850 there was a severe gale with squalls, with ships foundering in the Bristol Channels with loss of life.  It is likely that the ship bearing the letter put into Minehead to escape the weather.

The sender of the novelty postcard below in July 1915 obeyed the rules for Printed Matter, surprising the Post Office which was so used to the rules being broken that they franked it for 1d postage due and then had to cancel the charge with a barred numeral cancel.