Some Somerset "C"s: Cannington, Cheddar, Chilcompton, Chilton Polden, Churchill, Churchinford

As a bit of change, here are some Somerset postmarks from places that begin with "C", starting with a couple of examples of the Cannington undated circular handstamp (UDC), firstly in black in 1848 ...

... then in brown in 1851.

The postcard below from Cheddar to Cardiff in September 1948 was underfranked at 1d.  The Postcard Rate had been 2d since 1st May 1940.

A registered envelope sent in July 1940 gives an example of the Chilcompton cancel and registration etiquette.

The early Climax rubber cancels were in violet because the standard black ink caused the handstamps to deteriorate.  Here is a nice clear example of the Chilton Polden cancel from 1904 on a parcel post label.

Churchill's cancel is used here on a first day cover in April 1980.

And finally here is another registered envelope, this time giving examples of the Churchinford cancel and registration etiquette in April 1939.

Some Cs - Chard, Cheddar, Chedzoy

A few more Cs to be going on with, starting with one from (or associated with) Chard - a philatelic registered envelope from Chard Agricultural Show in 1958 with "MOBILE POST OFFICE No.3 / C" cancels dated July 1958.

Next a First Day Cover from Cheddar in March 1989, with "CHEDDAR / SOMERSET " cancels, and a Bristol registration etiquette.

And lastly a postcard from Chedzoy to Staplegrove, Taunton in September 1926 with a partial "CHEDZOY / BRIDGWATER" 25mm single ring cancel.

Unboxed "No.1" Receiving House handstamp through Cross in 1841

Receiving House handstamps continued to be used after the abolition of the local Penny Posts when the Uniform Penny Post was introduced in 1840.  They were generally used as despatch marks in the local village post offices, and this continued until the more general introduction of the undated circular handstamps from 1844.

The wrapper below has an unboxed "No.1" receiving house handstamp and went through Cross to Bewdley.  One would normally look to the wrapper originating wherever the unboxed "No.1" handstamp had been in use but no unboxed "No.1" handstamp is recorded in use in the Cross Penny Post.  There was however a boxed "No.1" handstamp that was used at Axbridge.

The wrapper has a filing note of "Mr John Bulls Receipt" and Pigot's Directory of 1844 has a John Bull as a Tin-Plate worker in "Chedder".  Both Cheddar and Axbridge were in the Cross Penny Post so either are potential locations for the unboxed "No.1" receiving house handstamp.

Cross Penny Post: Boxed "No.4" in c.1838

The Receiving House at Cheddar used the boxed "No.4" handstamp firstly in the Wells Penny Post from 1816 and then in the Cross Penny Post after it was established in 1827.  The undated item below went in the Cross Penny Post from Cheddar ("No.4") to Banwell (which had the boxed "No.3" handstamp).

Because the "Cross / Penny Post" is in blue/green, the piece must date from 1837-1839.

Cheddar, Clevedon, Cocklake registered envelopes

Here are a trio of registered covers, this first one being from Cheddar in March 1921.

This next registered envelope from Clevedon in October 1978 has also paid for Special Delivery.

The final registered letter is from Cocklake in July 1945.

UDCs #2 - Burnham, Cheddar, Churchill (& Langford & Street), Upper Clevedon

Continuing with UDCs, here is an example of the "BURNHAM-SOMST" UDC from November 1844.

This next sheet has three examples of Cheddar UDCs, from August & October 1848 and March 1849. The earliest Cheddar UDC was issued in December 1847, with later ones issued in March and April 1851.

... and here is a postcard from the period illustrating Cheddar.

This cover from March 1852 has three UDCs for the price of one, with UDCs from Churchill in blue, Langford in black and Street also in black, being the earliest recorded blue Churchill UDC and black Langford UDC.

This entire has a nice example of the Upper Clevedon UDC from the middle of June 1843 - not quite the earliest known which is from 1st June.

A couple more UDCs - Cheddar, Widcombe, both in Brown

Here is an example of the first Cheddar UDC, issued on 7th December 1847 under Wells, here used on 13th December 1848 in brown.

And here is an example of the first Widcombe UDC, issued on 2nd November 1844 under Bath, here used on 24th January 1847 in brown.

UDCs - Lansdowne Bath, Cheddar, Holford

Some recent Undated Circular Handstamp acquisitions, firstly a yellow "LANSDOWNE" example from December 1854.  This handstamp is known used in Yellow, Green, Blue, Brown and Black !

Next a handstamp from "CHEDDAR" - I cannot work out which of the three Cheddar UDCs it is despite the handstamp being a clear strike.

And finally a yellow (?) "HOLFORD" UDC from June 1846.

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Bristol, Chard, Cheddar sub-offices

I only have one example of a rubber climax handstamp for an office under Bristol, which is from Felton.

Felton had three "FELTON / BRISTOL" Type Ib handstamps, the first issued in 1889, the second known used from May 1905 and the third known from February 1907.  Consulting the S&DPHG catalogue of these handstamps, the example below, dated July 1906, looks like the third type of handstamp - if correct this would bring the introduction of this handstamp earlier.

I also only have single example from an office under Chard, from Wadeford,

Wadeford had two "WADEFORD / CHARD" Type Ib handstamps, the first issued in 1899 and the second known used from January 1913.  The example below is dated November 1913.

I again have just a single example from an office under Cheddar, from Cocklake.

Cocklake had a "COCKLAKE / WESTON-SUPER-MARE" Type Ib handstamp issued in 1899 before moving to come under Cheddar in October 1909. A "COCKLAKE / CHEDDAR / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp was then issued in January 1910.  As can be seen from the examples below, a second Type 2 handstamp was issued before July 1917, the difference between the two example clearly visible in the size of the lettering.

Main period sans-serif 25mm UDCs under Glastonbury, Wells and Weston-super-Mare

There were five offices under Glastonbury that were issued with UDCs.  One, Street, was issued with two.

Street had UDCs issued on 8th January 1848 and on 26th June 1849.  The example below in grey-blue from August 1857 is probably of the second UDC issued, which is known used in blue from September 1849 to December 1856, and in black from April 1854 to November 1859.

Wells had  18 offices that were issued UDCs, one of them, Cheddar, was issued with three.

Cheddar was also issued with multiple UDCs, on 7th December 1847, 17th March 1851 and 24th April 1851.  The last UDC was issued immediately after the previous one and one might assume that it represented a problem with the previous handstamp.  The example below, from 10th December 1858, appears to come from the middle UDC, the one proofed on 17th March 1851 - see the write-up for images of the strikes in the Steel Impression Book and why I think it comes from the 2nd UDC.  Let me know if you think differently !

Weston-super-Mare had nine offices that were issued UDCs, three of them were issued with two.

South-Brent was issued with UDCs on 15th June 1852 and on 17th March 1857.  The first of these is known used from November 1854 to January 1855.  The example below is from November 1854.