UDCs: Norton - Norton Fitzwarren and Norton-sub-Hamdon, Galhampton

A "NORTON" undated double-arc handstamp was issued to both Norton Fitzwarren under Taunton in September 1845 and to Norton-sub-Hamdon under Ilminster in May 1852.  If the strikes are clear one can distinguish between the two UDCs but otherwise one has to identify them based on which Post Town the cover comes under.

This first example is from Norton Fitzwarren, used in January 1852 in blue (currently the only recorded example of this udc in blue; it is also known in black).  The cover is postmarked in Taunton and is dated before the second UDC under Ilminster was issued.

The next two sheets show examples of the other Norton UDC from Norton-sub-Hamdon.  Both examples are postmarked at Ilminster. 

This second example is currently the latest recorded date of usage of this Norton udc.  The cover also has a poor "GALHAMPTON" udc being used as a receiving mark.  The envelope is addressed to South Barrow and Galhampton was the closest post office, being about 4 miles from South Barrow.

Norton Fitzwarren, Wincanton Skeletons

Here are a pair of skeletons, recently acquired, from Norton Fitzwarren (1909) and Wincanton (1912).  The Norton Fitzwarren skeleton is known in use from 25th April to 24th May 1909.

This Wincanton skeleton is known in use from 29th November 1912 to 19th January 1913.

Crewkerne, Highbridge, Norton Fitzwarren

It's nice to get postcards with nice postmarks and pictures of the place that the postmark comes from - here is one from Crewkerne showing Station Road ...

here is one from Highbridge ...

... and one from Norton Fitzwarren.

With the outbreak of the Second World War, the British Army were in desperate need of modern logistics facilities, positioned with easy access to the major port and transport facilities, yet away from the major Nazi-Luftwaffe targets.

Norton Fitzwarren is on the former Bristol and Exeter Railway mainline, which was operated and then taken over by the GWR in 1890. The station became an important junction station, with access within an hour to:

• North: Bristol, Cardiff and Gloucester, then onwards to the industrial Midlands
• South: Exeter, and hence to HMNB Devonport
• East: Yeovil and the LSWR mainline, onwards to all of the major south coast ports, including Portsmouth and Southampton
• West: branch lines to Minehead and Barnstaple

Resultantly, the station for a relatively small village was quite extensive, having two island platforms creating four platforms. Thanks also to the extensive local silk mills, there were also extensive existing freight handling facilities within the Fairwater Yard, a large regional freight yard located south of the mainline.

Taunton Penny Post - unboxed "No.1"

Following the 1828 reorganisation, a new Receiving House was established at Norton Fitzwarren in February 1829.  The Receiving House had the unboxed "No.1" handstamp (the old boxed "No.1" handstamp was used at Gore Inn for Bishops Lydeard, which became the new unboxed "No.2).

Here are a couple of examples of the unboxed "No.1" handstamp, the first of which includes inside a drawing of "The natural position of man".