The next few posts will be another miscellany of Taunton related items, starting with an early letter from London to "Chipley nigh Taunton Present Somersett". It has a Bishop Mark for 11th April but no year but can be approximately dated from the "5/Off" London receiving house mark to c.1670-1674.
Next is a nice clear "TAUNTON / 161" boxed mileage mark from 1802, the start of the mark's recorded usage. It is solicitor's letter, as is usual with a lot of letters that have survived.
The letter below went free from Sir Thomas Buckler Lethbridge in 1823, who was the MP for Somerset county from 1806-1812 and 1820-1830. He requested that letters be written "to be left at the Post Office, Taunton" as the previous letter had to be paid for in spite of this directive (MP's letters were free in the General Post but not in the Penny Post so if they were delivered in the penny post he had to pay).
The wrapper below has "Missent*to*Taunton" in 1829, currently the earliest known example.
The letter below has a blue horizontal oval rather than the normal black, sent in December 1850.
The envelope below, sent in 1862 has internal advertising for John Hare's House and Estate Agency Office in North Street, Taunton.
