Walton late-format UDC, from November 1859

The late-format UDC below from Walton is previously unrecorded.  It was used in November 1859, just a little before the latest recorded usage of UDCs in Somerset of 13th March 1860.

Milverton UDC in blue from January 1850

Here is an example of the Milverton UDC in blue from 27th January 1850 - it is known in blue between 21st January 1850 and July 1852, and in black from December 1844 to June 1852.

Stogursey and Cannington UDCs

The wrapper illustrated below has a black Cannington UDC on the front and a red/orange Stogursey UDC on the reverse - the letter from October 1847 would have originated in Stogursey and picked up the Cannington UDC on its way through Bridgwater (their post town) to Yeovil.

Milborne Port UDC under Sherborne

The cover below has a "MILBORNE-PORT" undated circular handstamp from 1846.  The UDC was issued under Sherborne.

The cover does not go through Sherborne but has picked up a Blandford [Forum] dated Penny Post handstamp on the reverse - was this because Milborne Port did not have a dated handstamp even though it did have a barred numeral cancel ?

Gillingham in Dorset, UDC under Wincanton

This is another cover associated with Wincanton, bearing a "GILLINGHAM" undated circular handstamp that was issued in 1846 under Wincanton.

This is currently the earliest recorded example of this UDC.

Wincanton Penny Post ?

The sheet below has two covers from after the introduction of the Uniform Penny Post with Receiving House handstamps going through Wincanton. 

Oxley in his book "The English Provincial Local Posts" identifies Wincanton as having a Penny Post with a receiving house at Bourton in use by 1838.  The top cover below is from Bourton with an ornate "No.2" receiving house handstamp.  The lower cover is from Stalbridge with an unboxed "No.7" receiving house handstamp, which was in use at Stalbridge in the Shaftesbury Penny Post.  It appears from this cover that Stalbridge transferred from Shaftesbury to Wincanton by 1843.

Burnham Parcel Post

Below are two Parcel Post labels for Burnham (later Burnham-on-Sea).  The top one is of the first type of Parcel Post labels issued:  it is headed "PARCELS POST." rather than the later "PARCEL POST.". 

Both parcel post labels have interesting stamps, the top with a 6d on 6d lilac from 1883 and the second a 4½d green & deep bright carmine jubilee from 1887.

Wellington: "Your Correct Postal Address is ...."

The envelope below was addressed to "Gorbestone Manor", West Buckland, Wellington in 1949.  West Buckland is the village that is historically associated with Gorbestone Manor, but by 1949 the postal address had altered to Blackmoor as evidenced by this cover.

"FROOME" free front in 1793

The free front below went from Frome to Seend near Devizes in May 1793.  This "FROOME" handstamp was only known used in 1793.

However the entire below from Frome to Bristol on 1st September 1795 has a degraded copy of the same handstamp (compared using scans).

The contents are an interesting begging letter from a Curate.