Somerset & Bristol Postal History

The Squared Circle cancel below from Martock in March 1895 was in use from July 1881 to February 1914 ....

.... while the Williton squared circle cancel was in use from July 1881 to May 1901.
 

This Martock Parcel Post Label was used in August 1901 and has a handstruck "4" for the price.  This was the Parcel Rate for 1-2 lb between June 1897 and July 1906.

Here is a nice clear example of a Climax Rubber cancel from Sandford, Bristol used in May 1905.  This is an example of the third of such cancels issued, the first was issued in April 1893, the second is known used in 1903 and this third one is currently known used at the end of May 1905.

The Wellington "WEF" telegraphic cancel below is undated but cancels a KEVII stamp.

Skeleton cancels were used (a) when the normal cancel was mislaid, (b) when the normal cancel had been sent away for repair or updating, or (c) at busy times.  One suspects that the example below from Street in August 1921 was because the normal cancel had been sent away for repair or updating.

Street is one of the more difficult places to search for on the Internet - here is another example from later in 1959, being the windowed envelope for a Telephone Account.  The cancel, a double cicle with doule line-arcs, is known as a 'Birmingham' cancel as that is where the first cancel of this type was used.

Finally, here is a postcard from Saltford to Westminster in April 1923, with small single-ring Saltford cancels.

 

Harry and Ewart Hebditch were poultry farmers in Martock, expanding their business into selling poultry housing.  This first invoice is from Harry Hebditch in September 1915.

In December 1917 the commercial envelope was in use, postmarked Christmas Eve.

The commercial envelope below was from Ewart Hebditch in 1958, advertising "Trapnesting".

 More UDCs, mostly issued to villages, starting with "HUISH-CHAMPFLOWER" used in October 1859, currently the latest known usage in black.

... "HUNTSPILL" udc used in July 1855 ....

The "ISLE-ABBOTS" udc below is currently the only recorded example, while the example of the "WRANTAGE" udc is currently the earliest usage recorded.

The "LYMPSHAM" udc below is in blue, the first recorded example in blue.

The example of the "MARSTON MAGNA" udc below is undated, one other example is known used in December 1858.

The "MARTOCK" udc below in blue is also known in black.

Here are a couple of early handstamps, the first from Langport via Somerton to London in 1799.  The London receiving date stamp has a code "G" above it.

The second entire comes from Martock to London in 1796.  It is a very early example of the Martock handstamp, the previous earliest example recorded was in 1812.

Some more UDCs starting with a couple of examples of the "LUXBOROUGH" udc which was issued in June 1858 under Taunton.  Both examples are from 1858.

The "MARTOCK" udc was issued in September 1847 under South Petherton.  It is known in blue from September 1849 to February 1851 in blue, with the example below currently being the only recorded example in black.

The cover below has a faint "MERRIOTT" udc in blue (indicated on the sheet below).  The udc was issued in January 1852 under Ilminster and is currently the only example recorded.  UDCs are both common and rare - whilst the handstamp shown below is the only recorded, it is likely that it would have been used at other times so it is not inherently rare - just difficult to find !

Here are a few items from Martock, starting with a partial straight line handstamp from 1822.  The contents indicate that you could write a cheque on anything, for example as part of a letter.

Next a "MARTOCK / 126" circular mileage mark from 1842, along with a maltese cross cancel.  The mileage mark shows where the letter came from but obviously not the date.

Here is a skeleton cancel from August 1914 ....

... a "MARTOCK / SOMERSET" 24mm single ring cancel used on an FDC, ...

... and finally a "MARTOCK SOMERSET" self-inking datestamp (SID) from 2003 (and a cutout with a "MARTOCK / SOMERSET" single ring that I haven't got round to writing up yet).

I acquired the item below off the Internet - it is a wrapper with a "MA**OCK / 126" boxed mileage mark addressed to Ludlow, with a filing date of 16th July 1803 and a postal charge of 7d.

Here is an expanded view of the handstamp.

One can see the "M" and probably the "A" then there is a gap with a vertical serif, followed by the "OCK".

There are two places that it could be from - Matlock in Derbyshire and Martock in Somerset.

The vertical serif fits with Matlock but the mileage, 126, fits with Martock (Matlock mileage to London was 146).  The postal charge of 7d fits with Matlock, and Martock to Ludlow could be the same rate if the postal route was very direct.

However, 126 was the mileage for Derby.  There is a strange anomaly, with the mileage marks for three towns north of Loughborough; Kegworth, Cavendish Bridge and Shardlow all of share the mileage 109 for Loughborough.  Derby mileage was 126 so is this a handstamp for Matlock with the Derby mileage ?

In either event, it is a previously unrecorded handstamp.

This fairly common "CHARD / 142" handstamp from 1817 has some interesting comments, being instructions to book "a place in the Maid to Chard, no other Coach passes through Chard", with the writer saying that he would meet the coach at "Windowhistle" (now Windwhistle) "if the weather be fine and the lanes passable".

Two examples of another fairly common handstamp, the "FROME / 115" handstamp, from 1825 and 1826.  The first example appears to have been posted on Christmas Day.

And finally two examples of the undated circular "MARTOCK / 126" handstamp, from 1826 and 1827.

Following on from the previous post, here is an example of a Martock (726) Maltese Cross cancel in red on a 1d black, from July 1840.  The cancel is quite faint but can be clearly seen with a glass.

Long Load was originally under Taunton and had a "LONG LOAD / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp issued in 1887.  It then moved to Langport when a "LONG LOAD / LANGPORT / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp is known used from September 1912.  The example below is from June 1915.

Pitney was also originally under Taunton and had a "PITNEY / TAUNTON" Type Ib handstamp issued in 1890.  It moved to Langport and had a "PITNEY / LANGPORT / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp, known used from December 1911.  The example below is one of the first known used examples of this handstamp.

Ash was originally under Ilminster and had a "ASH / ILMINSTER" Type Ib handstamp issued in 1896.  It moved to being under Martock and first had an "ASH / MARTOCK R.S.O. / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp (known used from January 1905) then an "ASH / MARTOCK / SOMERSET" Type 2 handstamp known from June 1911.  An "ASH / MARTOCK" Type 3 skeleton handstamp is known used in December 1913.  The example below is of the "ASH / MARTOCK / SOMERSET" handstamp from November 1913.

Examples of the two handstamps for Martock in the British County Catalogue:
 A squared circle cancel from 1910:
 And a double circle double-arc cancel from 1982.