Some Somerset "Sh"s - Shepton Beauchamp, Shepton Mallet, Shipham, Shuttern

The Post Office had some difficulty delivering this envelope from Shepton Mallet to Pilton in May 1895 before it was returned to Budd & Spire, Glastonbury with a violet "Undelivered for reason stated" cachet.

The Post Office was also unable to deliver the under franked envelope below in August 1959, this time because it was refused - it was also charged 3d for return.

 

The items below come from the similar sounding Shepton Beauchamp, some 25 miles south-west of Shepton Mallet near Ilminster.  They are commercial printed postcards for Manor Farm.

Shipham is 8 miles east of Weston-super-Mare and comes under Bristol based on the "SHIPHAM / (Under Bristol)"Parcel Post Label below .  However the "SHIPHAM / WESTON-SUPER-MARE" climax rubber handstamp dated 30th April 1898 in manuscript suggests that it came under Weston-super-Mare.

Below is a cover from Shipham in December 1974 where the handstamp is "SHIPHAM / WINSCOMBE SOMERSET", showing it under Winscombe with psot going via Weston-super-Mare.

The registered covers below are from Shuttern, Taunton which had sub-office number 4.  The bottom cover has the 75th Anniversary of the UPU set but was sent a day late so was not a FDC.  The registered envelope is marked "senders excess" which suggests that the extra postage did not pay for extra insurance.

UDCs part 3 - Oakhill, Radstock, Shepton Beauchamp, Sion Hill, Stourton(Wilts), Wedmore, Winsford, Yatton

 Yet more UDCs, starting with Oakhill (under Bath) from November 1845.

... "RADSTOCK" from April 1846.

This example of the "SHEPTON-BEAUCHAMP" udc is currently the only example recorded.

The "SION-HILL" udc from August 1845 is currently the earliest example known.

Stourton is in Wiltshire but was issued a UDC under Bath in October 1853.

The envelope below, with a "WEDMORE" udc, was sent to the USA and has markings that indicate that it went on a British ship.

... a "WINSFORD" udc from November 1857.

... and an earlier example from July 1854, currently the earliest known usage.

And finally (alphabetically) here is a seriffed "YATTON" udc from October 1848 on a Registered Letter.  The registration fee had to be paid in cash while postage had to be paid in stamps.

Highbridge (1989), Curland (1991), Chard (1997), Staplegrove (2002, 2005) and Shepton Beauchamp (2008)

A miscellany of items to clear the decks for Christmas, starting with a large registered envelope from  Highbridge in April 1989.

The receipt below are certificates of posting for registered letters from Curland in October 1991.

The unfranked letter below, to Chard, was charged a handling fee on top of the deficient fee in June 1997 - in this case it made no difference to the amount to pay.

As I've said below, it is quite difficult to get cancels from town sub-offices:  here are a couple from Staplegrove, Taunton in 2002 and 2005.

And finally another Certificate of Posting, this one from Shepton Beauchamp in May 2008.

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.