Postmarks from Kingsbridge (Devon) in 1796 and 1834

The entire below dated August 1796 was sent from Salcombe (according to the address inside, close to Kingsbridge which was its post town)  to Edinburgh with a horseshoe "KINGSBRIDGE" handstamp.

The contents are a letter explaining the costs of carpentry to repair the brig Edinburgh, including getting insurance "of Four hundred pounds by Jame Work at New Loyd Coffee House Broker London".

The letter below was sent in April 1834, with contents relating to the tithes of the parish of Churchstow, two miles north-west of Kingsbridge.

 

 

Early "KINGS / BRIDGE" (Devon) handstamp 1791 - and the Kennaway Family Tree

As part of another side line, I have recently acquired this slightly fragile entire (because I have also acquired a Ship Letter from Kingsbridge, to appear here later), which has a fairly clear early mark from Kingsbridge.

As can be seen from the above, the contents of the entire relate to the family tree of the Kennaways in Kingsbridge.  In case there are any Kennaways interested in this I've included below a transcript of the entire as far as I can read it (it's fairly legible but parts are crossed out or on the paper folds).  The letter above is partway through the entire. I've also added some scans of the letter but these are difficult to read round the paper folds.

Extracts from the Kingsbridge Register

 

Joan the Daughter of Robert Kennaway and of Sarah his wife was baptized the 15 day of April the yeare of our Lord God 1679.

Robertt the Sonne of Robertt Kennaway and Sarah his wife was baptized the 20^th day of November in the yeare of our Lord 1683

Robertt the Sonn of Robertt Kennaway and of Rebekhah  Joyce Baslcozal? his wife was baptized the 7^th of July in the year of our Lord God 1685  + see the end

Joyce the Daughter of Robertt Kennaway and of Joyce his wife was baptized the twenty five day of October in the year od our Lord God 1686.

Joseph the Sonne of Robert Kennaway and of Joyce his wife was baptized the thirteenth of November 1688

Richard the son of Robertt Kennaway and of Joyce his wife was baptized the last of July 1694

Burials

Mary Kennaway the wife of Robert Kennaway (1) was buried the 8 day of October 1677

Sarah the Wife or Robertt Kennaway (2) was buried the 25^th November 1683

Robertt the Sonne of Robertt Kennaway was buried the third day of December in the yoear of our Lord God 1683

 

Thomas the Son of Robert Kennaway and of Joyce his wife was born March 28^th baptized April 7^th 1702

Robert Kennaway and Mary Downing were married September 3 1717

Ann the Daughter of Robert Kennaway and Mary his Wife was baptized June 29^th 1718  - married to Baston Land

Mary the Daughter of Robert Kennaway and of Mary his Wife was baptized January 17^th 1719

Jane the Daughter of Robert Kennaway and of Mary his Wife was baptized December 31^st 1721

Jane the Daughter of Robert Kennaway and of Mary his Wife was baptized September 10^th 1721

 

Robert Kennaway was buried Nov^r 16^th 1714 aff^t 22^d

Joyce Kennaway buried July 14^th 1719 aff^t 17^th

Jane Kennaway was buried Oct^r 9^th 1722

Burials in the Year 1745

Joyce Kennaway  January the 14

Burials in the year 1748

Robert Kennaway was buried April 17^th

Burials in the 1769

Mrs Mary Kennaway Oct the 27^th

 

The above Extracts commencing in the year 1702 are actually taken from the Register the beginning of which on the Paper leaves before any entry is made on Vellum are the following Extracts among a small list of Births of Dissentters children

 

Mr Kennaway's child dying before born Apr 13 1698

After an entry in April 1699 is the following

"--------- the son of Rob Kennaway born 19 July

 

Among a few burials of persons uncanonically interred is likewise the following 

A Male child of Robert Kennaway interred about 25 April 1698

 

My Good Friend

According to your desire I have examined the Registers of this town and cannot find a single entry of the Kennaways but what is here sent, but to collect for you as accurate acc^t. of this family as in my power, I have communicated the wish contained in your last to Mrs Jane Kennaway of this town, and who is the person register'd in 1727 - she has given me the underwritten acc^t. found among her mother's writings - the whole of which I think is right to send you, as it may explain what appears to be a mistake in the Register and afford you some information not there contained.

 

Joane the daught^r of Rob^t Kennaway and Sarah his wife was born the 21^st Day of March 1678

Robert the son of Rob^t K. and Sarah his wife was born the 19^th Day of Oct^b 1683

Robert the Son of Robert Kennaway and Joyce his wife 25^th June 1685

Joyce the Daughter of Rob^t Kennaway and Joyce his wife was born 10^th Oct^r 1686

Joseph the Son of Robert K & Joyce his wife was born 8^th Nov^r 1688

Will^m the Son of Robt K & Joyce his wife was born 21^st of Sep^t 1691

Rich^d the son of Rob^t K & Joyce his wife was born the 11^th July 1694

Jn^o  the son of Robert K & Joyce his wife was born 19^th July 1699

Thom^s the son of Rob^t K & Joyce his wife was born 27^th March 1702

 

By the above you will see that the second Robert is called the Son of Robert and Joyce his wife - in the extract from the Register the same person (as appears by the date of both testimonies) is called the Son of Rob^t and Rebekhah, which last Mrs Kennaway tells me is an error as her Grandmother (the mother of the Rob^t in question) was undoubedly call'^d Joyce and was one of the Bastards of Gerston in this neighbourhood.

By comparing the dates of Mrs Kennaway's list with the extract from the Register you will see that the person mentioned without a christian name amoung the Births of Dissenters is John.

Since I have received this list from Mrs Kennaway, I have again searched the Register for the entry of the Birth of William (who I am informed is Mrs. Willand's Grandfather) but can find no mention of it.

Should you want my further services in this business, I am assured, my friend, I need not say you may comment them and with my best comp^t to Mrs Willand and yourseld, in which Mrs Wills and the Miss Lahns join, believe to be yours most sincerely,  J. Wills"

 

Axbridge boxed mileage mark, January 1804

I have posted an example of the "AXBRIDGE / 141" boxed mlieage mark before here, but I have now acquired a slightly better example.

This example is dated 25th January 1804, whereas my previous example was a month later dated 24th February.  This handstamp is only known used in 1804 and is quite difficult to find.  The example above shows the final "E" separated somewhat from the rest of the handstamp;  perhaps the handstamp broke so was not used later.

The contents of the letter from the Reverend Sydenham Teast Wylde at a formal attestation that he qualifies for a Deputy Lieutenancy in the county of Somerset.  With thirteen children one might speculate that he could do with some extra income.
 

1849 Liverpool Ship Letter, Belfast to Liverpool

The entire below went as a Ship Letter on a ship from Belfast to Liverpool.  It was franked with a 1d red-brown and cancelled with a Liverpool "466" barred numeral cancel as well as the Liverpool Ship Letter handstamp in black.

The contents were market reports from Belfast. 

FREE post "ABOVE NUMBER" from Wellington

The two entires below were sent from Jane Besley nee Butler and her brother Robert Butler to Sir Francis Ommaney on 10th October 1823.  Because Sir Francis Ommaney was the MP for Barnstaple  they were Free in the general post - except that there was a limit of 15 letters per day that were allowed Free.  In order to reduce the abuse of Free franks, an Act of Parliament had been passed in 1795, by which a limit was fixed, and no Member was allowed to send more than ten letters or receive more than fifteen in one day free of charge. The counterfeiting of franks was made a felony, the forgers on conviction being liable to seven years transportation.

The first letter, from Robert, was initially charged double at 1/8d but then allowed as Free, while the second letter, from Jane, was initially allowed Free but was then charged 10d as the number of Free letters to Sir Francis was "Above Number".  

Here are the contents of Robert and Jane's letters, presumably written as directed by the solicitors.  It is interesting to note that Jane's letter was countersigned by her husband.  The letters are claiming their share of a £2,000 estate from their uncle - £2,000 would be just over £200,000 today so a seventh share would be about £30,000 today.

Wrong Postcard Rate in 1922

The postcard below dated 3rd May 1922 was only franked at 1d, rather than the 1½d rate that had been in force from 13th June 1921.  The rate reverted to 1d from 29th May 1922.

The postcard has a framed "Inadmissable at .... Rate / 864" cachet with a manuscript "1d" inserted.

This contrasts with the items below which received "Liable to Letter Rate / 864" cachets because the postcards were invalid (material stuck on the front, concertina picture postcard).  The concertina postcard could have been sent at the printed matter rate if there was little or no message written. 

Christmas Post in 1837: Wrington to Norfolk

The entire below was sent postage paid on Christmas Eve 1837 and transitted London on Christmas Day.  The contents are about letting part of a house.

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my readers !  Lets hope that Royal Mail have managed to deliver the post by Christmas.
 

Paulton "999." 3VOS cancel, 1890

Here is a very rare example of the second Paulton "999." 3VOS cancel used in 1890.

My physical copy of Parmenter says the cancel is known in use from January 1880 to November 1885 but the updated online copy on the GBPS website now says "Used on 24 Feb 1884, all other examples are philatelic pieces."

The postal stationery card above was genuinely used so I think Parmenter needs to be updated.

I think the example on the postage stamp might be of the first issued cancel, while the postal stationery card has the second one. 

New earlier date for "FROOME" SO 482, August 1792

 The part-entire below was sent from Frome to "Knightsbridge near High Park Corner" in August 1792.

This is a new earlier date for the handstamp, and judging by its clarity was near the start of its life.

The address the entire was sent to is interesting, "High Park Corner" - was this the earlier name for Hyde Park Corner, or is it just a mistake on the sender's part ?
 

Shepton Mallet post office staff, 1905

Here's a bit of material that I've just acquired - in October I attended the Somerset & Dorset Postal History Group Autumn meeting in Chard and acquired this large photograph.

The photograph is about 28x20 cm and is not annotated apart from the printer, who was J. Bell & Sons, Shepton Mallet.  The inference is that these were the Royal Mail staff in Shepton Mallet.

By a significant coincidence a few days later I acquired the postcard below.

 The postcard has the same picture and is helpfully labelled on the back "P O officals Shepton Mallet 1905".  It was posted in Pilton on 17th November 1905 (the cancel is known used from 1895 to 1913).