Williton "777." 3-bar vertical oval 3VOS cancels, 1878

Here is an envelope from Williton to London in October 1878, cancelled with Williton "777." 3-bar vertical oval 3VOS cancels.  Because it was franked with two ½d bantam stamps (plate 5) it received two 3VOS cancels, one for each stamp.

 

Mail from Thorncombe via Chard to Milan, 1831

The entire below was sent from Sadborow Hall, Thorncombe to Milan in May 1831, taking 12 days to arrive.  It first went in the Chard Penny Post (Thorncombe had the "No.1" receiving house handstamp), then in the General Post to London and then via France to Italy.

It was prepaid 2/8d postage which takes a little deciphering.  First there is a charge of 1d for the Chard Penny Post, then a charge of 10d for the around 142 miles from Chard to London.  The charge to Italy via France was 1/1d with a reduction of 2d on the charge from Chard to London, making a total of 2/8d, which is what is marked on the entire (1d + 10d -2d + 1/11d = 2/8d).

To explain the 2d reduction, in January 1817 there was a GPO Notice to All Postmasters "Postmasters are to add to the rates on Foreign Letters made up in London a sum of 2d less than the inland rate from their offices.  On letters sent to Falmouth ... a sum of 1d less than the inland charge".
 

"Notice of Objection" from Langport in 1865

The item below originated from Langport but was cancelled in Taunton and was franked with a 3d stamp.  It is a "Notice of Objection" which is treated as a special sort of Registered item.

From the GBPS website:  The Parliamentary Voters Registration Act 1843 (6 & 7 Vict c.18) laid out detailed rules for the preparation and maintenance of lists of registered voters.  Clause 100 allowed for objections to a name on the list (on the grounds that they did not meet the qualifications to vote) to be sent by post.  Such a "Notice of Objection" was to be brought to any Money Order post office in duplicate, one copy to be sent registered to the person objected to, the other to be datestamped and returned to the sender as proof of posting.  The Act specified that the Notices were to be registered, at a concessionary registration fee of not more than 2d (in addition to postage). 

  

What is not so clear is why the Notice of Objection was processed in Taunton rather than in Langport.  Langport was a Money Order office from March 1847, however it did come under Taunton from 1855.

 

Newpaper wrapper Avonmouth to Bath in 1892 - N. Stanmore Docks

The newspaper wrapper below went from Avonmouth to Bath in April 1892, cancelled with a Bristol 3-bar vertical oval duplex (3VOD).  

It bears a framed "N. STANMORE / DOCKS, / AVONMOUTH" cachet which I have been unable to identify - help gratefully received !

 

 

1817 Lyme Dorset Ship Letter

Another Dorset item, a Ship Letter from Madeira to London arriving via Lyme in Dorset in May 1817.  The letter was written on 22nd March and took 44 days to London.

It was charged 8d as a Ship Letter (the rate was introduced on 11th July 1815) plus 10d in the General Post for 120-170 miles, making 1/6d in total.
 

Taunton Penny Post to Lowton, 1839

The entire below is a bill from the Taunton Courier and General Printing-Office, East Street, Taunton to Lowton in September 1839.  It was charged 1d for the Taunton Penny Post.  Lowton is about 5 miles south of Taunton.

The contents are a bill for £1-5-0 for printing Bills for an advertisement for "Sweets Hotel, to be let or sold".  The auction at Sweets Hotel (now the Castle Hotel, Taunton) was for the right to 'farm' the tolls arising from use of the bridge at Burrowbridge, see here for more details.

Lowton was on the Churchinford Walk via Trull.  In February 1829 the Surveyor recommended that the Penny Post be extended to the villages south of Taunton, with a Receiving House at Trull.  A Messenger was to leave Taunton as soon as the letters were sorted, at about 3 p.m., and deliver on the road to Trull, where he would leave a Bag with the letters for Staplehay, Fulwood, Canonsgrove, Dipford, Daw's Green, Angersleigh, Lowton and Howleigh, to be delivered by the Trull Receiver.  The Messenger continued on via Amberd House, Poundisford Lodge, Poundisford Park, Barton House, Corfe, Pitminster and Blagdon, to Churchingford, "where he will leave letters for Churchstanton and Otterford".  On the following morning he would return to Taunton before the up Mail left. The Messenger was paid 12/- per week for the round trip of 18-20 miles.

Chard or Bath "MORE TO PAY / OVER OZ" cover from 1865

The cover below is addressed to Shaftesbury with an indistinct barred numeral cancel, a "MORE TO PAY / OVER ½ OZ" cachet, and a manuscript charge of "2d" with initials.

 On the reverse the envelope has single ring handstamps from Chard (April 4th 1865), Bath (April 5th 1865) and Shaftesbury (April 5th 1865).

Based on the backstamps, it would appear that the envelope originated in Chard, and went to Shaftesbury via Bath.   

Question 1:  Why would the envelope go via Bath, rather than the direct route via Yeovil and Sherborne ?

Question 2:  Where was the "MORE TO PAY / OVER   OZ" cachet applied ?

No such cachet is yet recorded used at Chard, but a very similar cachet was issued to Bath on the 20th September 1855, with a proof in the Steel Impression Book.  This cachet has been recorded in use from 1857 to 1861.  This example matches well with other examples.

Normally one would expect a More-To-Pay cachet to be applied at the originating Post Office, so at Chard.

However if the envelope was misrouted to Bath, it is likely that the envelope was examined while it was being re-sorted and found to be overweight;  in this case the More-To-Pay cachet could reasonably originate in Bath.

My conclusion:  The envelope probably went via Bath because it was mis-sorted at Chard and put in the wrong bag.  It is then probable that the envelope was picked out at Bath when it was re-sorted and the More-To-Pay cachet applied there.

Ship Letter from Oporto to Fox Brothers, Wellington via Falmouth, 1835

The Ship Letter below from Oporto to Fox Brothers, Wellington via Falmouth in June 1835, caused some discussion about the postal rate.

I had difficulty reading the postal charge - it looks like "1/6" but can also be read as "2/6" if you imagine a "2" on its side. 

My first thoughts were that as it went via Falmouth it would have gone by a packet ship.  The rates for a packet from Lisbon would have been 1/7d or perhaps 2/6d to London, but there weren't any London marks (or additional charges to send it back to Wellington).

It was then pointed out that a standard 8d Ship Letter fee plus 10d in the General Post (for 120-170 miles from Falmouth to Wellington, Somerset) gives 1/6d.  Bringing in the Packet rates was over complicating things !

The contents relate to eventually selling "Estaminas" - I think this was a form of worsted, or possibly twill.

 

Porlock skeleton, 1926

I have recently acquired this copy of the "PORLOCK / TAUNTON SOMT" skeleton, used on 11th May 1925 at the end of the known period of use.

When I measure it, I find a diameter of 29mm rather than the 30mm in "Skeleton Postmarks of England & Wales", originally by James Mackay but now maintained by Patrick Awcock.  I've raised this with Patrick and will see what he says.  Here is an enlarged and cleaned up image of the cancel above.