Miscellany 3 - Wedmore, FPO 716, Stocklinch, Patchway, Rooksbridge

 Here is a colourful Greetings Telegram sent to Wedmore in May 1942, with a single ring "WEDMORE" handstamp.

This next item is from FPO 716 to REET Paymaster, Taunton - Somerset, Barrack Office RASC, Wuppertal in March 1950.  I haven't quite got the hang of deciphering all the Army acronyms.

Moving on to c.1956, here is an envelope from Stocklinch near Ilminster to the USA.  The date is unclear but must have been prior to October 1957 when the USA ceased to qualify for the reduced pstal rate.

 The envelope below was from Cleveland to Easton-in-Gordano in January 1985 - on its way it received this "PATCHWAY / BRISTOL" backstamp.

And finally here is an example of a Post Office form signed by the Post Master of Rooksbridge in June 2014 and cancelled with a "ROOKSBRIDGE AXBRIDGE SOMERSET" SID (Self-Inking Datestamp).

 

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.

The Cross Penny Post - Part II

Skipping ahead a few numbers from the previous post, Wedmore had the boxed "No.9" receiving house handstamp.  The entire below was written at Sand, a hamlet about a mile south of Wedmore.

We don't know where the large unboxed "No.7" receiving house handstamp was used.  Below are two examples, both bearing the name of the Revd. Kempthorne in the filing notes.  Revd. John Kempthorn was the vicar of Wedmore from 1827 until his death in 1876, and is recorded in the 1841 census as living in Wedmore.

Miscellany on PO receipts from 1970s

 Here are a miscellany of marks on green Post Office receipts from the 1970s, from Croscombe, Easton (Wells), Meare, Mells, Walton, Wedmore, Westbury-sib-Mendip, Westhay and Windmill Hill (Glastonbury).  

Modern postmarks from village or Town sub-offices are difficult to find as there are few occasions when a local post office will cancel or handstamp things.

Wedmore Parcel Post Label, 1904

The Parcel Post Label (PPL) below is for "WEDMORE (WON) / (Under Weston-Super-Mare)", and was for a parcel of 2-3 lb.  The KEVII 5d stamp is cancelled with a Bristol roller cancel.

On the Parcel Post Label, "WON" is the telegraphic code for Wedmore, and the post office came under Weston-super-Mare.  This PPL however was cancelled at Bristol - it seems that the parcel service operated differently from the ordinary mail.

Cross Penny Post: Boxed "No.9"

The entire, below, from March 1841, is from Wedmore to Weston-super-Mare and has a boxed "No.9" receiving house handstamp.  The receiving house handstamps continued to be used to indicate where mail was posted, even after the introduction of the Uniform Penny Post (and the end of the local Penny Posts).

Red boxed "No.9" in Cross Penny Post

Wedmore had the boxed "No.9" receiving house handstamp in the Cross Penny Post.  Here is an example from November 1840 in red.

Crewkerne and Cross

Here is a boxed "No.4" handstamp in the Crewkerne Penny Post from 1831.  The "No.4" handstamp was in use at Haselbury.

Next are a couple of items associated with the Cross Penny Post, starting with a boxed "No.3" handstamp from 1833.  Banwell was in the Wells Penny Post from 1823, and then in the Cross Penny Post which was established in 1827, and used the boxed "No.3" handstamp in both Penny Posts.

This next cover is from Wedmore, with a large unboxed "No.7" and a "CROSS" UDC from January 1845.