Glastonbury

A spread of items from Glastonbury, starting with an entire to Yeovil in October 1844, with a Glastonbury "311" 1844-type horizontal oval cancel.  Glastonbury had three different horizontal oval cancels, this being an example of the first.

This next item from February 1919 has contents relating to Mr Allen's cider business and whether he could load cider withou paying the duty.

Finally here is a telegram from December 1943, also relating to Mr Allen's cider business (I suspect not the same Mr Allen) saying "Please send more cider".

Cheddar, Clevedon, Cocklake registered envelopes

Here are a trio of registered covers, this first one being from Cheddar in March 1921.

This next registered envelope from Clevedon in October 1978 has also paid for Special Delivery.

The final registered letter is from Cocklake in July 1945.

Bridgwater Squared Circle and Krag cancels

Here are a couple of covers from Bridgwater, the first to Germany with two Bridgwater squared circle cancels from September 1891.  The envelope has an oval imprint for "SULLY & COMPANY".  They were coal and culm merchants.

The second postcard was sent to Cornwall in June 1928, with a Bridgwater Krag cancel.  The postcard is from "JOHN BOARD & Co. Ltd." who were Cement Lime and Brick Manufacturers.

More Bath

Here are a few more random Bath items, starting with a registered envelope send within Bath in December 1891 that has been marked as fragile - with diagonal blue lines in addition to the normal crossed lines.

This next envelope was posted in June 1895 and features an envelope with advertising on the reverse.

This registered envelope, sent in June 1922 to the USA, is postmarked "GROSVENOR / BATH" and was sent at the reduced 'Empire' rate.

And finally here is a page from a Post Office Savings Bank Book with "WESTMORELAND . BATH / SOMERSET" single ring handstamps from January 1950.

Bath and the G.W.R.

Here are a couple of Great Western Railway items associated with Bath, starting with an envelope from April 1894 with a GWR 2d stamp - there was an additional fee for the conveyance of letters by railway of double the normal postage charge.  Both the GWR stamp and the normal stamp are cancelled by "BATH / 53" 3-bar vertical oval duplex cancels.

This second item from February 1908 also has a 2d GWR stamp, but in this case both stamps  are cancelled by double framed "G.W.R / BATH" rectangular cancels.

"Royal Mail / BA, BS, GL, TA / Mail Centre" Inkjet cancel ... and others

The Royal Mail centre near Filton, Gloucestershire processes mail from the Bath, Bristol, Gloucester and Taunton areas, using a single "Royal Mail / BA, BS, GL, TA / Mail Centre" inkjet cancel that does not indicate where the mail came from.

So here is an example from Bath (from a well-known stamp dealer with his address label on the reverse):

This next sheet has two more examples of exactly the same "Royal Mail / BA, BS, GL, TA" cancel, but this time the first is from Easton-in-Gordano so is in my collecting area of Somerset and the second was posted in Cheltenham so is not.

The third cover above just has 7 wavy lines (nothing indicating where or when it was posted) ... and happens to have been posted in Cirencester - so not in my collecting area but should have received the same "BA, BS, GL, TA" cancel.

The two covers below were posted in Bath and were received on the same day, the first with multiple strikes of the hand canceller issued to all postmen and the second with the same 7-wavy line cancel as on the bottom cover shown above.

Bristol Mulready - Stamp Office

A brief diversion to Bristol (maybe a foretaste of things to come) with a pre-printed Mulready letter sheet from Bristol to Tetbury from the Bristol Stamp Office in June 1842.  The Mulready has a black maltese cross and a characteristically vermilion double-arc back-stamp.

The reverse of the Mulready from the Bristol Stamp Office saying "Three of the Sovereigns were deficient in weight.  I have taken them at the value allowed by the Bk. of England "2-19-4".

A few Bath 20th century items

In the middle of 1909 Bath held a historical pageant over five days.  Here is an unused postcard showing a decorated tram car.

This next item is an envelope sent Express Delivery from Bath to Nottinghamshire in November 1941.  The Express Delivery cost an extra 6d per mile, the express delivery being from the destination post office to the delivery address.

Here are a couple of parcel post paid labels dated February 1954.

An envelope with a "BATH / AVON" cancel from February 1979.  The county of Avon was in existence from 1974 to 1996.

And finally a piece with a Bath Delivery Office cancel from September 2016.

A few Bath 19th century items

A random selection of Bath items from the 19th century, starting with an entire from Bath to London, that was then reposted to Lancaster.  The initial postage from Bath was 7d, and the reposted entire to Lancaster was another 8d.

This next entire is from February 1840, after the introduction of the uniform penny post in January 1840 but before the introduction of postage stamps in May 1840.  The letter has been prepaid so only cost 1d.

This item from September 1858 is from the Belevedere region of Bath (later called Belvidere) to Edinburgh, with a straight line "BELVEDERE" handstamp (known used 1850 to 1852).

And finally some printed matter from London to Bath in January 1858 with a Bath single arc handstamp as a receiving mark.

Yeovil penny local delivery charge in 1807

The entire shown below was sent free on 9th January 1807 to Yeovil and has a "1d" local delivery charge on the reverse.  While postage in the General Post may have been free, such entires were still liable to the Penny Post and to local delivery charges.