The envelope below went from Portishead to Geneva in July 1852 and has nice clear "PORTISHEAD" udc in blue. I do not know why it was charged 1/4d rather than 1/5d.
The next cover is from Portishead to Ceylon sent in August 1865, with a "PORTISHEAD" single ring dated mark on the reverse.
The Portishead single ring is known used from 1862 to 1937; here is another example from 1871 going to Bath.
Some items from Somerton, starting with an example of the early "136 SOMER / TON" mileage mark dated 1788 - notifying Mr Hancock that Mr Stringer only accepts post paid letters.
The entire below has a fairly blurred example of the "SOMERTON" straight line handstamp from 1800, at the end of its period of usage.
The entire below came from Langport to Norwich via Somerton in November 1809, and received the boxed "SOMERTON / 135" handstamp on the reverse.
The wrapper below only has the top line of the mileage mark registering in July 1811 - Somerton used a new mileage mark in 1812.
The letter below was written at Kingweston, 3 miles east of Somerton in May 1836. It has a framed "Somerton / Penny Post" handstamp on its way to Shaftesbury. I can't work out what route it would have taken to be charged 9d.
Some items from South Petherton starting with a letter with enclosures from 1811 charged, I think, at the 1oz rate.
The next postcard is advertising a FAT STOCK sale due to be held on 27th May 1872. Fat Stock is livestock that is fat and ready for market. The postcard is addressed but has no postal markings so may well have been hand-delivered.
And finally a postcard from 1923, asking for the Land Agent at Ilminster to come and measure up the work that the thatcher has nearly completed, presumably so that he could get paid.
Here are a few items from Wiveliscombe, starting with an example of the UDC in red and in black from 1840.
Here is the same udc used in black, used a bit earlier in 1835 as a misdirected mail handstamp.
The envelope below contained advertising for Parkins & Gotto, used in February 1858.
And finally a piece of advertising sent to the Booking Clerk, Wiveliscombe station in August 1906.
Puckington is three miles north of Ilminster which was its Post Town until the Puckington Post Office closed in 1980. Here are a few postmarks, starting with a rubber skeleton that is likely from 1914.
Puckington appears to have used the same postmark from at least 1928 to 1980.
The postcard below depicts the Puckington Fete in 1910.
One of my interests is in Parcels, which before 1883 went by Coach or Waggon and then later by Railway. Here is a receipt from "Drewett's Original Waggon & Van Offices", Spur Inn Yard, Borough, London dated 19th April 1843. At this time the Railways were starting to take the trade from the traditional horse-drawn coaches/waggons (I don't know when 'waggons' became 'wagons').
In 1883 the General Post Office introduced its own Parcel Post service, in response to the UPU agreement in 1880. Below is a Notice from the GPO in June 1883 warning people who were likely to send parcels. Note that in the beginning it was referred to as 'Parcels Post' not 'Parcel Post'.
Here is a newly identified "CREWKHERN" handstamp, used in November 1796 on an entire sent free to London by John Poulett, 4th Earl Poulett. It has been added to the Somerset County Catalogue as SO 399.
The handstamp has an 'H' in the middle but no final 'E' unlike SO 400 "CREWKHERNE" which is known in use in 1798-1801. The sizes are similar (54x5 mm vs 54x4mm) but the new handstamp is without the final 'E'.
Here are a few Perfins, starting with some from Bristol. The first is from John Lysaght Ltd, an iron and steel company in 1920. [A perfin is a postage stamp perforated with the initials or insignia of an organization to prevent misuse.]
Great Western Railway (GWR) were prolific users of Perfins, this one is from 1927.
Bristol Corporation (BC) was probably the largest user of perfins in Bristol, the pieces below were receipts bearing a perfinned stamp in 1952.
Moving into Somerset, the commercial postcard below from Langport in 1903 has a "K&S / L" perfin from Kelway & Son Ltd.
The commercial envelope below is from 1899 with an "ABB" perfin from the Anglo-Bavarian Brewery. The firm suffered a decline during WWI because of their apparent German name.
Small & Sons in Taunton sent out this bill in 1946.
