In my case my wife still maintains contact with school friends in England even though she and I migrated to Australia in 1960. Originally the contact was by written letter or aerogram (hand written). The turn around time of sending a letter and receiving an immediate reply was around two weeks. This method of communicating, using postage stamps which eventually became part of MY collection, continued until 2002 at which time Margaret’s friend brought a home computer. Since we were already using a PC connected to the internet, it was not long before Margaret was sending daily emails to her friend. The turn around time for a reply can now be measured in minutes as against the weeks of 1960. They also send each other voice mail attached to their typed email messages without a postage stamp in sight.

Gone are the postage stamps that used to adorn the envelopes together with the ability to write with a pen, now that the computer keyboard has taken over.

Prior to the invasion of PC’s, the fax machine started a decline in postal mail as an article could be sent and retrieved within minutes provided both parties had a facsimile machine. Now the postal authorities have begun to dismantle the Hobby of Kings altogether as they also keep pace with the constant barrage and demands of technology advancements.

An article in a recent edition of the Sydney Morning Herald is headed “Stamps licked by net”. It goes on to report that Britain’s ‘Royal Mail’ has now followed in the footsteps of the USA postal authorities by providing a stamp issuing facility via the internet to customers preparing to pay £50 a year so that they may print their own stamps on their home or business printer. This service is called ‘Smartstamps’ and also allows the user to add their own business logo to the stamps they print.

A further recent announcement by ‘Royal Mail’ suggests that in the near future, all high value stamps will be issued in the form of self adhesive counter printer stamps. To us collectors, these will be as interesting as collecting Woolworth’s checkout dockets!

In conclusion I can only comment that it was good while it lasted. It appears inevitable that eventually we will all have our own postal barcode to enable us to produce our own stamps on our computers and paid for electronically. There will be no need for post offices as such, just receptacles and pick up points for our boring envelopes to be dispatched to the addressee.

One positive thought is; that if I am forced to relinquish my stamp collecting hobby, it would free up a presently cluttered room in our home. Meanwhile I will continue to enjoy my rewarding hobby, bury my head in the sand and ignore the sad progress of impersonal communications.