Stogumber UDC, 1848

Here is an example of the Stogumber UDC from November 1848 on the receipt for a Registered Letter.  It is not clear exactly what colour the UDC is, red or yellow, given the fading of ink over time.

UDCs: Porlock, Stogumber, West Quantoxhead, Wrantage

A few more UDCs, starting with one from Porlock in September 1851.  The Porlock UDC was issued in September 1845 under Taunton, and the example below is currently the only recorded example.

The UDC below from Stogumber in December 1846 is rather faint - it has been labelled as yellow but I think it may have been red.  Determining colours is always tricky and rather depends on the lighting and on how the postmark has aged.

The West Quantoxhead UDC below is definitely in red and is dated April 1856.  The UDC was issued on September 1851 under Bridgwater.  One example in black is known in October 1851 and one example in red (this cover).

And finally an UDC from Wrantage used in January 1859, currently the latest recorded example.  The UDC was issued in June 1852 under Taunton.

Dunster to Stogumber February 1828 - Updated

 From January 1828, primarily because of a new turnpike road between Taunton and Minehead, the Taunton Penny Posts were reorganised.  The entire below from Dunster to Stogumber dated February 1828 is from a period of transition for Stogumber and appears to have been charged 4d in the Taunton Fifth Clause Post from Dunster plus 2d in the Taunton Penny Post, this latter charge including an extra penny for the post from Crowcombe to Stogumber.

Early Taunton Penny Post

Some more examples of the early Taunton Penny Post, beginning with an entire from 1820 written from [Bishops] Lydeard, showing a faint boxed "No.1" handstamp.

And a further example from 1826 ...

Next two examples of the boxed "No.3" handstamp from Torre, both from 1826.  The top example does not have a "TAUNTON / Penny Post" handstamp and was addressed to Stogumber, another receiving house in the Taunton Penny Post, so it probably went direct without going into Taunton and back.

And finally an entire from 1824, written in Stogumber and addressed to Wells.  At this time Stogumber was served by a messenger to and from the Taunton-Minehead ride, the cost of which was an additional 1d paid by the inhabitants of Stogumber on top of the Penny Post.

UDCs from Stogumber

Here are a number of UDCs from Stogumber, firstly in red from March 1848, May 1849, May 1850 and December 1850.  The UDC is known in red between October 1845 and November 1851.

A couple of Stogumber UDCs in black, from November 1854 and May 1855.  It is known in black from May 1849 to March 1858.

Undated Circular Handstamps - North Curry, Stogumber

Here are two examples of the North-Curry UDC handstamp from 1846 and 1848.

 

And two examples of the Stogumber UDC handstamp.

 

Taunton Penny Post - unboxed "No.4"

An official Receiving House was established in Stogumber and the unboxed "No.4" handstamp was assigned  to it.  Here are a sequence of eight entires from 1830 to 1844 showing the handstamp.

Taunton Penny Post - Pre-1829

Taunton's Penny Post started some time before May 1817 with the Receiving House at Gore Inn, Bishop's Lydeard ("No.1" boxed handstamp) having a branch to Bagborough, Crowcombe, Lydeard St. Lawrence, Handy Cross and Combe Florey.

In April 1823 Monksilver ("No.2" boxed handstamp) and Torre ("No.3" boxed handstamp) converted from Fifth Clause to Penny Posts.

In 1824 the inhabitants of Stogumber requested an improvement to their post - as the number of letters was small an official Post was denied, but a bag was made up at Taunton and dropped off at the nearest point to Stogumber (about one mile), with a private messenger costing an extra 1d on each letter (over and above the General Post plus Penny Post charges) employed to pick up the mail and meet the return coach.

The item below originated in Stogumber in 1824 and may have been subject to these arrangements.  It does not have any Receiving House marks.

Here is the reverse of the item showing that it originated in Stogumber.

The item below also originated in Stogumber in 1827.

The item below originated in Capland, just south of Hatch Beauchamp.  It was taken to Hatch, presumably by a servant, to catch the private post to Taunton, to then go in the Penny Post to Torre, and then to Chapel Cleeve.  It was charged 2d as a "short" letter, ie. on that did not go in the General Post.

Main period sans-serif 25mm UDCs under Taunton - part 2

There were 48 offices under Taunton that had main period UDCs issued to them (one, Fitzhead, had two issued).

Bicknoller had its UDC issued on 22nd September 1845. Usage is known from the example below on 24th July 1851 to December 1854.

North-Curry also had its UDC issued on 22nd September 1845.  Usage is known in black from June 1846 to November 1850 and in blue from October 1852 to September 1855.  The examples below in black are from June 1846 and September 1847.

Stogumber also had its UDC issued on 22nd September 1845.  Usage is known in red (October 1845 to November 1851), Yellow (February 1848 to July 1849), Black (May 1849 to March 1858) and blue (December 1858).  The example below is dated May 1849 and is either in orange or faded red.

Washford again had its UDC issued on 22nd September 1845.  Usage is known in red from January 1846 to August 1851 and in black from December 1854 to August 1859.  The first example below in red is from December 1851, which extends the known usage.

 The following two examples in black are from November 1852 (earlier than previously known usage) and January 1853.

 

Williton's UDC was issued on 22nd September 1845, and is known used in red (between November 1845 and April 1848), blue (May 1849) and black (January 1851).  The example below is in red from December 1846.

Taunton Penny Posts - part 2

The next few posts will show the items I have for the different Receiving Houses in the Taunton Penny Post after 1828, beginning with an entire that has an unboxed RH handstamp from 1836, that I believe is a "No.3" - because it originates from Crowcombe which was the No.3 Receiving House after 1828.

Next an unboxed "No.4" from Stogumber, used after the introduction of the Uniform Penny Post in 1844 as a receiving handstamp.

And an unboxed "No.5" from Monksilver Parsonage in 1831 that could be from Bicknoller (although Monksilver had its own Receiving House, No.10, at some stage) - the scan shows a bit of the contents - how anyone could read it I don't know.

Taunton Fifth Clause and Penny Posts

Taunton had a Fifth Clause Post from January 1808, some Penny Posts from1823, and a major reorganisation of the Penny Posts in 1828.  For the full details join the S&DPHG and read the Journal articles (!) but here is a brief synopsis.

I have one  entire that appears to be from the Taunton Fifth Clause Post - unfortunately no Taunton FC handstamp but they are very rare (rarity H according to the BCC), but it does have a boxed "No.3" Receiving House handstamp (Torre).

From the early Penny Post period, here is an item with a Taunton Penny Post handstamp from 1824, apparently originating in Stogumber, with a scan of the back of the entire.

And here is an entire from 1827 with a boxed "No.3" Receiving House handstamp (Torre).