"Notice of Objection" from Langport in 1865

The item below originated from Langport but was cancelled in Taunton and was franked with a 3d stamp.  It is a "Notice of Objection" which is treated as a special sort of Registered item.

From the GBPS website:  The Parliamentary Voters Registration Act 1843 (6 & 7 Vict c.18) laid out detailed rules for the preparation and maintenance of lists of registered voters.  Clause 100 allowed for objections to a name on the list (on the grounds that they did not meet the qualifications to vote) to be sent by post.  Such a "Notice of Objection" was to be brought to any Money Order post office in duplicate, one copy to be sent registered to the person objected to, the other to be datestamped and returned to the sender as proof of posting.  The Act specified that the Notices were to be registered, at a concessionary registration fee of not more than 2d (in addition to postage). 

  

What is not so clear is why the Notice of Objection was processed in Taunton rather than in Langport.  Langport was a Money Order office from March 1847, however it did come under Taunton from 1855.

 

A trio of Skeletons - Evercreech, Frome, Langport

Here are a trio of skeleton cancels starting with one from Evercreech in 1922.  The cancel was only known used on Christmas Eve so may have been brought into service to cope with increased workload.

The Frome skeleton below is known used from 27th March to 3rd April 1905.

And the last of the trio is from Langport.  It was also only used for one day, on 8th August 1924.

 

Somerset "L"s - Langford, Langport, Long Ashton

Continuing with the alphabetical scheme, the Airgraph below was sent from Langford to the Pioneer Corps, C.M.F. [Central Mediterranean Force] in November 1943.

Moving a bit earlier, the entire below is from Langport to Ilminster and is dated February 1777 - this extends the known usage of the "LANGPORT" handstamp by a year.

Below is a postcard from Chicago to Long Ashton, with a receiving handstamp dated 27th July 1928.  I'm not sure why it would have a receiving mark ?

 

A few Perfins from Bristol, Langport, Shepton Mallet & Taunton

Here are a few Perfins, starting with some from Bristol.  The first is from John Lysaght Ltd, an iron and steel company in 1920.  [A perfin is a postage stamp perforated with the initials or insignia of an organization to prevent misuse.]

Great Western Railway (GWR) were prolific users of Perfins, this one is from 1927.

Colthurst & Harding Ltd was a paint manufacturing company.  The windowed commercial envelope below was posted in 1935.

Bristol Corporation (BC) was probably the largest user of perfins in Bristol, the pieces below were receipts bearing a perfinned stamp in 1952.

Moving into Somerset, the commercial postcard below from Langport in 1903 has a "K&S / L" perfin from Kelway & Son Ltd.

The commercial envelope below is from 1899 with an "ABB" perfin from the Anglo-Bavarian Brewery.  The firm suffered a decline during WWI because of their apparent German name.

Small & Sons in Taunton sent out this bill in 1946.

Eighteenth Century London Receivers

In the 1700s a number of the Letter Receivers in London had their own handstamps.  Here are a couple of examples, the first going to Ilminster.  The entire is undated;  based on the London bishop mark and 8d postal charge it must date from 1713 to 1784.  It has an "AR" in a circle receiver's mark which looks to be for Abel Roper who was a bookseller in Fleet Street from 1688 to 1726, so the entire would date from 1713 to 1726.

My second example is from London to Langport and is again undated.  It has an "RB" in a circle receiver's mark, which is from Richard Brunton who was a receiver at Mount Street by Berkeley Square from 1768 to 1783.  His "RB" in a circle mark is known in use from 1770 to 1772.

Couple of Langport Skeletons, 1909 and 1911

Here are a couple of Langport skeleton cancels;  the first from 1909 is known used from 29 May to 21 June.

The second example from 27th April 1921 may be an earlier date for one known used on 5th May 1921. Another earlier skeleton is known from 25th March but this seems to be smaller.

Early Langport, Somerton and Martock handstamps

Here are a couple of early handstamps, the first from Langport via Somerton to London in 1799.  The London receiving date stamp has a code "G" above it.

The second entire comes from Martock to London in 1796.  It is a very early example of the Martock handstamp, the previous earliest example recorded was in 1812.

Langport Parcel Post Labels from 1900 and 1903

Below are two Parcel Post Labels (PPLs) from Langport, in February 1900 and April 1903.  The first is titled "LANGPORT  R.S.O.  (LAN)" while the second is "LANGPORT  (LAN)".  The "R.S.O." Railway Sub-Office has been dropped, prior to 1905 when the Post Office stopped using the terminology.

The "Types" on the sheet above are taken from The Parcel Post of the British Isles by James Mackay. There are a number of other changes in format between the two Parcel Post Labels:

1. The "Fee paid on Registration." box moving and changing to "Registration and Express Fees."
2. The change from "Under Taunton" to "under Taunton"
3. "X-LIST Letter and Number" gains a full stop in the second PPL
4. "Postge." loses a full stop in the second PPL
5. The size of the "S." and "D." reduces in the second PPL

It would appear that collecting PPLs could get like fly-speck philately !

Early Langport handstamp, 1776

Here is an example of the first Langport handstamp, dated inside to July 1776.

 The entire went free because it was addressed to the Secretary of the Bishop of Bath and Wells.

Langport postage due handstamp, 1910

The unfranked postcard below from Langport to Banwell in 1910 has a distinctive "1D" postage due handstamp.

Boxed Mileage Marks - "ILMINSTER / 143" & "LANGPORT / 140"

Two more of the boxed mileage marks.

“ILMINSTER / 143” 1801-1821

“LANGPORT / 140” 1805-1846

A Trio of Maltese Crosses - Glastonbury, Langport & Wells

Here are three Maltese Crosses, starting with a red MX from Glastonbury in January 1841, unfortunately somewhat blurred and unclear.

Next a nice crisp black MX from Langport in December 1842.

And finally a good black MX from Wells in January 1842.

Langport

Here are two sheets showing the "LANGPORT / 140" mileage handstamp, the first with examples from 1814 and 1815.

The second sheet has a late example from 1846, and also has the Langport "721" numeric obliterator cancel.

Langport Skeleton - new date ?

A "LANGPORT" skeleton is known used at Langport from 27th April to 5th May 1921.  Below is an example from 25th March 1921, so either the usage of the skeleton started a whole month earlier or this is a new separate usage of the skeleton cancel.

Is this a new example of the skeleton or is it already known ?  Does anyone have a Langport cancel of any kind from 26th March to 26th April to determine whether the skeleton was in use all this time or not ?

Langport & Weston-Super-Mare Skeletons

Langport used a skeleton from May to June 1909 and then from June to July 1911, followed by further usages in the 1920s.  The example below is from 1911 and brings the earliest date known forward by one day.

Weston-super-Mare first used a skeleton from late September to early November 1853.  The example below is not very clear and is in red - are other examples from this period also in red ?

Maltese Crosses - Chard, Langport

A couple of relatively late Maltese Crosses from some recent acquisitions.  First Chard from March 1843.

And next a Langport Maltese Cross from January 1844, some four months before Langport was issued with a "721" numeric obliterator.

Climax Rubber Handstamps - Langport & Martock sub-offices

Long Load was originally under Taunton and had a "LONG LOAD / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp issued in 1887.  It then moved to Langport when a "LONG LOAD / LANGPORT / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp is known used from September 1912.  The example below is from June 1915.

Pitney was also originally under Taunton and had a "PITNEY / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp issued in 1890.  It moved to Langport and had a "PITNEY / LANGPORT / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp, known used from December 1911.  The example below is one of the first known used examples of this handstamp.

Ash was originally under Ilminster and had a "ASH / ILMINSTER" Type Ib handstamp issued in 1896.  It moved to being under Martock and first had an "ASH / MARTOCK R.S.O. / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp (known used from January 1905) then an "ASH / MARTOCK / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp known from June 1911.  An "ASH / MARTOCK" Type 3 skeleton handstamp is known used in December 1913.  The example below is of the "ASH / MARTOCK / SOMERSET" handstamp from November 1913.

Langport

Some postmarks from Langport - unfortunately I do not have any of the early straight line handstamps, so starting with the handstamp with mileage in use between1805 and 1846:

  Then the squared circle, these from 1905/6 with the time of posting:

 The earlier squared circle from 1899 has a code instead of the time of posting.

 A continuous machine cancel from 1976 - this strikes me as late, is it ?

 A double circle double-arc cancel.

 And finally a special commemorative cancel for the Battle of Langport.