Postcards are a fascinating mix of art and words – a picture on one side, a brief note on the other. But what was once a standard activity on a holiday – writing and sending postcards to friends and family – is now dying out. One rarely sees them in tourist resorts any more and the hassle of then having to find a post office and buy a stamp, when pictures can be sent by email or social media, all now seems too hard.
In my view, this is a pity, as postcards have had a most interesting and important history. In March 1942 when Britain was preparing to fight the Nazis on the beaches, naval intelligence needed information about the areas they could be landing troops in. They asked people in Britain to send in their postcards, so that street signs, beaches and buildings in the vital areas could all be noted. They expected a few thousand to arrive, but instead ten million postcards were sent in. They played an important role in D-Day planning.
In 1777, a French engraver produced a set of cards with greetings on them, but people were wary of servants reading their messages, and the idea failed to catch on. The world’s first postcard was sent in 1840 when Englishman Theodore Hook sent one to himself. The card had a hand painted picture which featured postal workers and was intended as a joke (his postcard sold at auction in 2002 for £31,750). The idea caught on quickly. The Austrian postal service began selling ‘Correspondenz-Karten’ in 1869, while in Britain they rapidly became the way to communicate, especially for holidaymakers. Between 1895 and 1915 it is estimated that between 200 to 300 billion postcards were in circulation. A recent article in The Economist called them ‘the first worldwide social network’.
The Postal Service loved them. They were lighter to post than an envelope with an enclosure. The public loved them because one never had to write too much (senders of postcards were rather like the texters of today). They were cheap and cheerful (saucy postcards sold in huge numbers), they gave a wonderful sense of place, and they reminded friends that you were thinking of them – a ‘wish you were here’ message was so easy to send.
This newsletter is reaching you on World Postcard Day, 1st October. Maybe we should all celebrate by sending a postcard? Today, postcards are of value to historians and those studying communication, genealogy, and popular art. They are becoming treasured items in libraries and museums. Or, simply leave a comment.
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Robyn
I sent 10 postcards to friends and family from the Blue Mountains recently. The gallery/heritage centre in Katoomba has some beautiful old style cards for $1 each.
I’ve been sending postcards when on holidays for 60 years
Susannah Fullerton
Keep up the good habit!
Lesley C Gent OAM
When my mother passed I found several shoe boxes filled with postcards I had sent when travelling overseas, and within Australia, and when I was living overseas. She had saved them all. I spent many, many hours reading them and marvelled at the memories that returned – even to some places I had forgotten I had visited.
a text message would have been lost forever.
Thank you Mum.
Susannah Fullerton
Lovely memories! And that won’t be happening with emails.
Helen
A family friend,who is very adventurous always sends a postcard to my husband and me, wherever he happens to be adventuring! It is always a thrill to receive this item of mail,with so many interesting updates on where he is and what he is seeing. He is a self deprecating person, with a wonderful way with words,and every postcard we receive from him always brings a smile to our faces. I am touched that he takes the time.
I have another friend who also sends us postcards. Several years ago now, he cycled from Sydney to Perth to raise money for The Black Dog. I have kept all the postcards that he sent from so many places along the way. The trip took 47 days,and he presented the organisation with $45,000 at the end of his journey.
Receiving a postcard can be so lovely. I think that perhaps it might be good if we all made the effort occasionally to brighten someone’s day in this way.
Maria
I used postcards, as well as letters, to keep in touch with family and friends during my first big overseas solo trip when I was 20. Now, like most people, I send texts with photos I’ve taken. In some ways this is a more personal way to communicate but texts are not retained. No one other than me and the recipient is likely to ever know anything about my travels and they are unlikely to be available, should any students of history be interested. I found the parallels between social media and postcards to be quite fascinating.
Susannah Fullerton
When I lead my literary tours, I take people to libraries and museums which display wonderful old letters, diaries and even postcards written by famous authors. Today we are not creating those treasures, as everything is on computer. It’s sad that we do not have written memories these days, except for emails which somehow seem so impersonal.
Tore Tunold
Hi Susannah!
Yes, we are of the old school, and particularly my wife likes to send postcards when we travel. But it is becoming more and more difficult. A few years ago we were in Jordan, and we did find some postcards, we even managed to buy stamps, but we could not find anywhere to post them! We thought we would be sure to find a letter box at the airport, but when we asked there the man just looked at us with an empty expression in his face. We had to carry the postcards home, and send them from Arendal!
Susannah Fullerton
Nice to hear from you Tore. Yes, it’s become sad that postcards rarely reach the recipient before the sender is home from holiday, and it’s all become too expensive.
Prudence hassan
Happy postcard day… I too am a sender of postcards to grandchildren in Melbourne. I agree , the cost of postage often outweighs the cost of the card
Recently I mailed postcards from Capetown to Melbourne in Early May and they arrived in August !!
Fish mail perhaps !!
Prudence Hassan. Mentone Victoria
Susannah Fullerton
Yes, isn’t it a pity that the cost of the card and the stamp really make you think twice abut sending a postcard. And the slowness! They usually seem to arrive well after one arrives home from holiday.
John
When I lived in Britain, I used to send a vast number of postcards, around 30 from each place I visited. However, the price of postcard stamps in Australia is vastly higher than it was in Britain, so I stopped soon after my return. I send a few people calendars each year, but the cost of the postage is almost ten times the cost of the calendar! So only send a few.
Susannah Fullerton
I also used to send lots of postcards and had fun selecting nice pictures and choosing what to write on them, but now I rarely send one.
Annaleise Byrd
Happy World Postcard Day! A couple of years ago, while we were on an overseas trip, we got our sons (then aged 11 and 8) to send postcards to their friends. They didn’t even know where to stick the stamp! After that experience, I’ve included kids sending postcards as a plot point in my latest middle-grade novel… I’d love to see postcards make a comeback!
Susannah Fullerton
Yes, that’s not uncommon now – young people don’t know what to do when sending a letter. Good luck with your novel!
Graham H.
Me, I bought an inexpensive Viking Ship postcard at the Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark, to send to a relation in Australia who likes ships. And hard-copy postcards. “Do you sell stamps too?” I asked the friendly sales assistant. “Yes” she replied “But posting within Denmark using PostNord is no longer even a thing. And the stamps we sell in the museum, for Australia, will cost you 46 kroner!” (which is over $10, in Aussie dollars, just to send a postcard). “That’s OK!” I replied helpfully “I can buy a stamp at the Post Office in town!”. “They are 46 kroner there too” she continued, looking doleful. “I am embarrassed to be Danish …”.
Susannah Fullerton
Oh dear, I had heard on the news that the Danish postal system was pretty much closing down. Isn’t it a shame that sending a postcard should be so expensive.