Some B's: Barrington, Bayford, Bishops Lydeard, Butleigh

Going through these four Bs in chronological order, here is an orange UDC from Butleigh in June 1854 that was proofed in December 1853;

.... a "BISHOPS LYDEARD / TAUNTON.SOMT" double circle double arc cancel from October 1949;

... a "BARRINGTON / ILMINSTER.SOMERSET" double circle double-arc cancel from March 1972;

... and finally "BAYFORD.WINCANTON / SOM." single ring cancels and a registration etiquette from September 1975.

Glastonbury Penny Post 1838, "No.5" receiving house handstamp from Butleigh

 Here is a nice cover from 1825, sent from Butleigh ("No.5" in the Glastonbury Penny Post) to Pontefract, with receiving house, penny post and town handstamps.

A few "B"s

The envelope below, with a Baltonsborough single ring cancel from April 1918, has some nice advertising for everything from Motors & cycles to Bedsteads, Petrol and Mangles.

The registered envelope below is from Blagdon, Bristol (not to be confused with Blagdon Hill under Taunton) in January 1953.

A couple of registered envelopes from Butcombe from 1952 and 1958, the second of which went via Blagdon (Bristol).

And finally a colourful greeting telegram to Butleigh in October 1937.

Glastonbury Penny Post

Courtesy of a fellow member of the S&DPHG, here are some scans of items from the Glastonbury Penny Post.  More information on the Glastonbury PP will be appearing in a future S&DPHG Journal.
Receiving House No.1 was at Ashcott.

Receiving House No.2 was at Street.

Receiving House No.3 was at Shapwick.  According to the BCC there is also a boxed "No.3 handstamp.

No examples of a "No.4" handstamp have been found but it is believed that it was at Walton.

Receiving House No.5 was at Butleigh (or maybe a nearby Baltonsborough). The known examples of this handstamp are evenly split between the two places.  Information in the Post Office Archives implies that the Receiving House was set up in Butleigh but with the land between the two villages liable to flood and with the River Brue inbetween it seems unlikely that either village would use the other's Receiving House. Perhaps the messenger took the "No.5" handstamp with him or it was applied at Glastonbury on his return ?