Probably most associated with middle class Victorian society the mourning card is still observed today in some quarters. For the mid nineteenth century mourner, the mourning card was a method of advising of the death and funeral arrangements of a loved one.
As a method of advising relatives, friends and associates of the deceased the mourning card was a cheap yet dignified way of passing on the sad news. But in Victorian Britain the social status of the family demanded a funeral and mourning befitting of their class. Mourning cards were not exclusive to the UK and were also found in the US and Australia. Universally, the cards used black or dark coloured edging, but the main body of the card could be embossed or use gilded lettering to emphasise the higher status of the deceased. More intricate cards may have a prayer or photo of the deceased included. Some may even have a silk ribbon or other attachment such as a small flower. The tradition of sending mourning cards carried over into the 20th century and the Edwardian mourning cards were just as common.
But the mourning card of the famous or of royalty not only served their purpose at the time but also has now become collector’s items in their own right. They have also been an aid to genealogists in tracking down ancestors. The increasing use of the postal service and growth of the newspaper industry diminished the need for mourning cards. That and the shift in social status and class after the First World War bought the use of mourning cards to a minimum. However, those wishing to notify others of an impending funeral can still buy mourning cards from specialist stationers or funeral directors.
