The Lost Art of Letter Writing

A DigitalNZ Story by Kowhai Reader

Once upon a time the only way to communicate with someone over distance was by letter. It was magic when the mail revealed a letter addressed to you. Today t we onlyl have our memories and these great examples of what a letter was and meant.

mail, letters, letter-writing, postcards, NZPost

Some of our earliest letters, including those in Māori.

Image: Maori letters

Maori letters

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Early letters

Early letters

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Letter from Jane Williams to Lydia Marsh, March 27, 1828

Letter from Jane Williams to Lydia Marsh, March 27, 1828

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

Image: Letters to his parents

Letters to his parents

Alexander Turnbull Library

Image: Letter

Letter

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Letters to Santa have always been popular.

Image: Letters to Santa, 1918

Letters to Santa, 1918

Waimate Museum and Archives

Image: Letter to Father Christmas

Letter to Father Christmas

Alexander Turnbull Library

The writing accessories.

Image: Writing Case

Writing Case

Howick Historical Village

Image: pens, quill

pens, quill

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira

War-time letters.

Image: New Brighton postcards

New Brighton postcards

Christchurch City Libraries

Image: Mistreatment of horses letters

Mistreatment of horses letters

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Image: A letter to my older self

A letter to my older self

Radio New Zealand

Image: Letters

Letters

Alexander Turnbull Library

Great letters

Services to Schools

Tips on how to write great letters.

Image: Dead Letters

Dead Letters

NZ On Screen

How to write a letter

Services to Schools

Image: Post Office

Post Office

Antarctica New Zealand

Image: Stamps

Stamps

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage