Milverton - 1827 and 1841

The entire below has a straight line "MILVERTON" that is probably the "MILVERTON / 172" boxed mileage mark, with the mileage not showing.  It is dated July 1827 inside.  As the mileage mark is known used until 1833, it is probably just a bad strike of the handstamp.

The part entire below is part of a return from Milverton to Taunton concerning Lunatics, sent in September 1841. 

Milverton and Wells mileage marks

Two recent acquisitions, a very clean "MILVERTON / 172" mileage mark from April 1806 (soon after its issue), and a "WELLS.S / 129" mileage mark from May 1820 franked by the Bishop of Bath and Wells.

Milverton UDC in blue from January 1850

Here is an example of the Milverton UDC in blue from 27th January 1850 - it is known in blue between 21st January 1850 and July 1852, and in black from December 1844 to June 1852.

Boxed Mileage Marks - "MILVERTON / 169" & "MILVERTON / 172"

“MILVERTON / 169” 1801

Discovered at the Spring Stampex 1990 and described in an article in the October 1990 S&DPHG Journal (Vol.3-2), the handstamp was illustrated but unfortunately not the complete cover.

The handstamp was used in 1801. As described in an article in the September 1994 S&DPHG Journal (Vol.3-10), at that time Milverton did not have an official office and mail from Wiveliscombe and Milverton would be brought into Wellington by one messenger. The Milverton mileage mark was to indicate to the Wellington postmaster how to apportion the fees between Milverton and Wiveliscombe (so there may be a missing “WIVELISCOMBE / 169” to find). The '169' mileage in the Milverton handstamp would be the mileage for Wellington, though when the Wellington mileage mark was issued it was for '168' miles.

“MILVERTON / 172” 1805-1833

This second handstamp dates from after an official Receiving House was set up in Milverton, and the mileage from Wellington was 'calculated into the entire distance each letter will be conveyed' [Freeling Reports 25 July 1804].

"311", "725", "777" and "862"

Post Office numbers were assigned to the larger post offices in 1844 when the horizontal oval barred numeral cancels were issued.  The numbers continued to be used, for example on instructional cachets well into the 20th century.

"311" was the post office number for Glastonbury.  The cover below has an example of the first horizontal oval barred cancel from 1845.

"725" was the post office number for South Petherton; the sheet below has examples from 1847 and 1848.

"777" was the post office number for Williton.  The first sheet below has examples of the horizontal oval cancel, while the second sheet has an example of the 3-bar vertical oval cancel.

"862" was the post office number for Milverton.  The sheet below has an example of the horizontal oval cancel.

UDCs - Milverton, Philips Norton, Beckington

The entire below has a Milverton UDC from January 1849.  The UDC was issued under Wellington.

The entire below from July 1848 has a Philip's Norton (aka Norton St Philips) UDC in red and a black Beckington UDC.

The contents are a pedigree or family tree:

The envelope below has a Philips Norton UDC in black, from December 1850.

Glastonbury (1896), Ilchester (1841), Milverton (1839)

Here is a Free entire from Glastonbury to London which was initially going to be charged 5d but then received a London "FREE" handstamp and had the postal charge crossed out.  It has a nice two line "GLASTON / BURY" handstamp on the reverse.

An entire from Ilchester with an 1841 1d red-brown just about tied with an Ilchester Maltese Cross.

An entire from Milverton to Dulverton with a clear script "Milverton" handstamp.

Main period sans-serif 25mm UDCs under Wellington

There were 12 offices under Wellington that were issued with main period UDCs.

Brompton-Ralph's UDC was issued on 6th March 1852.  Usage is known in blue from December 1852 to July 1854, and in black from November 1857 to February 1859.  The example below in blue is from December 1853, just two days after the earliest known usage.

Huish-Champflower had its UDC issued on 10th April 1852, after a mispelt UDC ("HEWISH-CHAMPFLOWER") was issued on 6th March.  It is known used in blue from April 1852 to August 1854, and in black in March 1858.  The example below in blue is from August 1852.

Milverton had its UDC issued on 21st December 1844.  It is known used in black from December 1844 to June 1852 and in blue from January 1850 to July 1852.  The example below is from January 1846.  Milverton at this stage had a numeric obliterator ("862") but would appear to still be under Wellington as witnessed by the dated handstamp on the reverse.

Post Office Circulars

Here is a scan of the Post Office Circular for 28th September 1874 which announced Wiveliscombe (and Milverton) becoming R.S.O.s (towards the bottom of the Circular), as well as Bampton (Tiverton) and Bishop's Lydeard (under Taunton).  The scan is courtesy of Ken Smith who took the photocopy at the Post Office Archives, this being one of the sources of information for his Post Office lists.

The Post Office Circulars were weekly instructions to postmasters, and the last Issue of each month appears to list changes taking place on the First of the next month, including Offices to become MO-SB (Money Order - Savings Bank) or Telegraph Offices, and changes to postal addresses.

Milverton

Two of the three handstamps in the BCC - only missing the "mileage erased" handstamp rarity Z !

 Milverton became a Railway Sub-Office (RSO) in 1874 and remained one until 1905 when RSOs were converted to either Sub-Offices or Post Towns.  The two cancels below from 1910 and 1913 still say "RSO".