A bit of Glastonbury

A few covers from Glastonbury now, starting with an early straight-line "GLASTON / BURY" from December 1772.

Next another (different) straight line "GLASTON / BURY" from June 1801.

Glastonbury had a Penny Post; Street had the boxed "No.2" receiving house handstamp - here is an example from August 1830.  It was originally charged as a single letter (10d plus the penny post) but was spotted by an inspector (red crown handstamp) and charged as a double letter (1/8d plus the penny post).

Shapwick had an unboxed "No.3" receiving house handstamp as shown on this entire date October 1837.

Ashcott was receiving house "No.1" - here is an example from February 1839.

Use of the penny post receiving house handstamps continued beyond the abolition of the local penny posts in 1840.  The boxed "No.2" handstamp from Street can be seen here on a cover from July 1844.  This was before Street was issued with a double-arc undated handstamp (udc) in January 1848.  Glastonbury was using a "311" barred numeral cancel from April 1844.

A number of Glastonbury "311" barred numeral cancels were issued - below is an example from January 1857 - probably the second of the three rather than the third as written up.

The example below from August 1859 would have been the third type of "311" cancel.

Vertical oval barred numeral cancels were in use from 1872.

Shapwick UDC

The "SHAPWICK" undated circular handstamp (UDC) was also issued on the 8th January 1849 under Glastonbury.  It is also known in black and in blue, but I don't have any examples in blue.

The contents of the top letter are interesting:  "Mrs GH Templar will thank Mr West to send her by return of Post Five Dozen Stamps as they are not to be had in the Country Offices"

Froom, Frome and Glastonbury

The first handstamp for Frome (pronounced "Froom") was spelt "FROOM" (in use 1760-1778).  Subsequent handstamps swapped between "FROME" and "FROOM".  Below is an example from 1773.

This next cover has a "FROME" skeleton from 1902.  The Skeleton is known between 7th and 17th September 1902.

Lastly, a cover from Glastonbury with an unboxed "No.3" receiving handstamp, in use at Shapwick.

Alphabetic Tour - S

Starting with St Audries, which had a seasonal April-September Post Office, here are items from 1953 and 1963.

Then we move on to Sampford Brett, with items from 1921, 1926 and 1960.

 

This last item from  Sampford Brett in 1960 is addressed to The Rector, with an image from the postcard above which shows The Rectory.

... Shapwick, in 1905

... Shepton Beauchamp, in 1912 and 1929

... and finally Street S.O. from 1910 and 1914.

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 ?