ABSTRACT
Findings of the previous chapters briefly summarised as the place of the Edwardian postcard in the era is examined in a number of ways. The Postmaster General’s reports demonstrate that the postcard continued to grow even beyond the Edwardian era. The postcard is shown to have been popular across diverse social classes and genders, with examples from the card collections of the teenage daughters of Lloyd George and a Cornish tin miner. Contemporary media provide backing for the prominence of the postcard in society, claiming a revolutionary impact.
Similarly, a revolutionary impact on communications, even on society, has been claimed for social media in contemporary times. Brief comparisons are made with social media platforms and mobile messaging. A sociomaterial sensitivity is argued to be more productive than an emphasis on the dichotomy between non-digital and digital technologies. Political influences also have a strong bearing, with Edwardian picture postcards having been shown to be subject to strict regulation.
The chapter ends with a reflection of the contribution of this book to Literacy Studies and the use of open-access Lancaster Digital Collections as a resource for further study.
