Somerset & Bristol Postal History

Castle Cary became a Railway Sub-Office in 1898, and then a Sub-Office / Post Town on 1^st August 1905 when the Post Office stopped using the R.S.O. terminology.  

In 1920 it came back under Bath, having previously been under Bath before becoming an RSO in 1898.

The “CASTLE·CARY. S.O / SOMERSET” double circle double-arc cancel was previously known from October 1913 to September 1918.

The postcard below extends the known usage to October 1921, from after when Castle Cary moved back under Bath, and when it should really have been "CASTLE CARY / BATH".

Burnham was made a Railway Sub-Office (R.S.O.) on the 1st December 1887.  This lasted until August 1905 when the terminology in the Post Office changed and it became a Sub Office / Post Town (S.O.).

The double circle double-arc RSO cancel was in use beyond 1905 and then the cancel was altered to remove the "R." of "R.S.O.".

On the 2nd August 1917 Burnham became Burnham-on-Sea.

Wiveliscombe was made a Railway Sub-Office (R.S.O.) in October 1874, and remained one until 1905 when the "R.S.O." terminology was abandoned, when it became a Sub-Office/Post Town.

The "WIVELISCOMBE R.S.O. / SOMERSET" cancel remained in use after 1905 (see the first item below).
 It was eventually replaced with a "WIVELISCOMBE - S.O. / SOMERSET" double-circle, double-arc cancel - here are two examples used in 1914 and 1915.
 In November 1919 Wiveliscombe came under Taunton again - here is a "WIVELISCOMBE / TAUNTON.SOM" cancel from 1942.