Undated "BATHFORD.BATH / SOMERSET" handstamp & "BATHFORD" 23mm Single Ring handstamps

The Parcel Post receipt below has a "BATHFORD . BATH / SOMERSET" single ring handstamp.  

Other postmarks from Bathford are quite scarce.  Small sub-offices did not use their handstamps other than for receipts, as mail was postmarked at the main office.  The Post Office Savings Bank book below, used between 1910 and 1920, has examples of "BATHFORD" 23mm single ring handstamps.

Some Undated Circular handstamps (UDCs)

A few UDCs, from Bathford (under Bath), Bitton (under Bristol), Brislington (under Bath), North Cadbury (under Yeovil), and Street (under Glastonbury), all of the non-serif 25mm type

Bathford had two UDCs. The first, of which this is an example was issued in July 1849 and is known used between October 1849 (this cover) and December 1851; the second was issued in April 1857 and is not known used.

Bitton had a single UDC issued in January 1858, which is known used in blue from July 1849 (this cover) and March 1860, and in black from September 1856 to February 1860.

Brislington had a 29mm serif UDC issued in February 1841 and this UDC which was issued in December 1855. It is known used in black from July 1858 to November 1859, and in brown from December 1856 (this cover) to February 1857.

North Cadbury had a single UDC issued in September 1844 and is known used in red from September 1845 to June 1846, and in blue known only in June 1851 (this cover).

Street had two UDC issued, the first in January 1848 (known used between March and September 1848), and this second UDC which was issued in June 1849 and is known used in black from April 1854 to November 1859, and in blue known between September 1849 and December 1856.  The usage below falls in the middle of this period, in April 1852.

More on Bath "No.1" Receiving House

The initial establishment of the Bath Penny Post in 1810 (after an experimental Fifth Clause Post in 1804-5 that was dropped because it ran at a loss) was announced in a Post Office Notice in the Bath Chronicle on 18th September 1810.

 The initial Walks in the Penny Post were as shown on the map below (taken from an article in the S&DPHG Journal by Mike Welch, based on information in the Post Office Archives).

Walk No.1 "commences in Sydney Place, passes along Bathwick Street, across the ferry, along the farther part of Walcot, Kensington Place, Grosvenor Place, Lambridge, Batheaston and Bathford".

Most of the mail that has survived from the Bath Penny Post is some years after its initial establishment.  The vignette below is from a much larger map of 1838 and shows the Bath Penny Post.

Oxley ("The English Provincial Local Posts 1765-1840") has identified Batheaston as Receiving House No.2 while others have evidence that Walcot/Grosvenor was No.3.

Based on the above I suggest that it is possible that Receiving House No.1 was at Bathford.  The initial walk in 1810 suggests that it could have been, at least in the early days, while the vignette from 1838 suggests that Bathford was still a Receiving House then.

Another candidate for RH No.1 is Bathampton, but it does not appear to have been a centre of population in the 1800s - Pigot's 1844 Directory of Somerset does not list any tradespeople in Bathampton whereas there are 19 entries for Bathford.  The early Ordnance Survey maps of 1884-7 show Bathampton as a small hamlet while Bathford looks more substantial.

One factor possibly in favour of Bathampton is that Hampton Manor (now Bathampton Manor) was to the north-west side of Bathampton (over the river from Batheaston) - it is possible that the occupant of the Manor warranted the establishment of a Receiving House there.  However there has been a toll-bridge near the Manor since the 18th century giving access to Batheaston which also had a Receiving House, so perhaps Bathampton Manor wouldn't be enough to justify a Receiving House.