"Where the measureless ocean between us will roar”: Scottish emigration to New Zealand, personal correspondence and epistolary practices, c. 1850-1920

Personal correspondence is a unique source for migration historians in that it opens an unprecedented inroad into the interior world of migrants. Letters are more than simple means to add colour to historical analysis. By exploring the diverse range of epistolary practices among members of New Zealand's Scottish community, this study takes agency as its point of departure. In so doing, it focuses on the multifaceted roles of letters in the context of emigration. Not only did they record experiences and emotions, they also served as practical means of adjustment by facilitating continuity. They allowed Scots to keep in contact over vast distances, fostered networks and provided a potent platform for the expression of memories.