It is sometimes the odd ephemeral item that is of interest.  The sheet below has a couple of items, the top one being an envelope from 1855 with a printed seal for the Somerset Archeology & Natural History Society which had been founded some six years earlier. The second item is more interesting to my eyes - it is a receipt for a Philips 12" table tv and an aerial dated 30th May 1953.  I assume it was to watch Queen Elizabeth's Coronation on 2nd June 1953.  The cost (£65 for the TV and £10 for the aerial) are equivalent to what can be paid today (£2,250 and £340) for a large ..read more

Taunton sub-offices were given numeric registration etiquettes.  Here are a few of them, starting with one with a plain "TAUNTON" registration etiquette but with an oval "REGISTERED / 2 / TAUNTON, SOMERSET" cancel dated March 1950.   Station Road used "TAUNTON 5" registration etiquettes. Musgrove had "TAUNTON 9" registration etiquettes.   The District Valuer also used a specific registration etiquette, "TAUNTON 12".   ... and the Hydrographic Office used "TAUNTON 31" etiquettes ..read more

 A Frome Cheese Show has been held on a Wednesday in September since 1861, with a Mobile Post Office in attendance in 1928 and in most years from 1947 to 1874.  The cover below from 1948 has a hand written unattributed registration etiquette. In 1949 the registration etiquette is printed - the show is now just the Frome Show. An undated cover, with a postcard showing the Chesse Show at Frome, sent in 1956. A registered cover sent in 1958.  The show is now the Frome & District Show. Two more registered covers from the Frome & District Show, in 1959 and 1961. Another ..read more

A few covers from Glastonbury now, starting with an early straight-line "GLASTON / BURY" from December 1772. Next another (different) straight line "GLASTON / BURY" from June 1801. Glastonbury had a Penny Post; Street had the boxed "No.2" receiving house handstamp - here is an example from August 1830.  It was originally charged as a single letter (10d plus the penny post) but was spotted by an inspector (red crown handstamp) and charged as a double letter (1/8d plus the penny post). Shapwick had an unboxed "No.3" receiving house handstamp as shown on this entire date October 1837. As ..read more

Mail and stage coaches, local coaches, fly waggons, all provided a passenger and parcel service before the advent of the railways, and before the British Post Office provided a parcel service from 1883. This first item is a receipt from a coaching inn in April 1820.  It totals £5-11-6d, equivalent to about £585 today, and has a note of tips given to the Butler, Waiter, Chamber Maid and Boot along with a note about the "Post paid by Turnpike" which may be the Postillion. The Bull and Mouth was a famous London coaching inn, from where a number of coaches set off - including the North Devon ..read more

Czechoslovak forces were in the UK during WWII, first in Cheshire, then moving to Leamington Spa, followed by Ilminster and then Lowestoft.   The forces moved to Leamington Spa in late May 1942, before moving off to Lowestoft by the end of August.  Forces were billeted in farms throughout Somerset.  ..read more

 In May 1854, a complaint was sent to W.L. Maberley, the Postmaster General about incorrectly charged post.   Here is a transcript of the contents. A further letter was sent on 10th May, this time being sent OHMS - asking for a refund of the 2d on the first letter as well as the return of 1/4d postage. W.L. Maberley replied to the Taunton Postmaster telling him to return the 1/4d postage - but it does not look as if they got the 2d postage refunded ..read more

A miscellany of yet more Ilminster items today, starting with a receipt for a deposit of one guinea into the Savings Bank, sent in June 1896. The OHMS envelope below, sent to Ilminster in 1920, is from the Charity Commission and has a "CHARITY COMMISSION" handstamp on the front. Here is a Domestic Servants insurance renewal form for 1 male indoor domestic servant, 1 female indoor deomstic servant and "yes" for occasional servants.  I don't know if this was insuring the servants against accidents or was insuring the holder against accidents caused by the servants ! Here, from 1921 and 1 ..read more

Here is a selection of covers with Ilminster postage due marks starting with two postcards from 1904 and 1910 that have been sent without a stamp and received "1D / 401" postage due marks.  "401" was the post office number for Ilminster. Another postcard sent in 1907 with manuscript "Contrary to Regulations 1d to pay".  The charge does not relate to the torn stamp (which probably happened after it was sent) but to the glitter on the front of the postcard, which meant that it was liable to the letter rate. Posted unpaid on Christmas Day in 1908. Two underfranked postcards from 1922 ..read more

Here are an envelope and a letter-sheet advertising "THE GREAT WESTERN ADVERTISER FOR THE COUNTIES OF Gloucester, Somerset, Wilts, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall, Hereford and Monmouth, and those of South Wales" sent in November 1844 ..read more