List of the papers and correspondence of LYON PLAYFAIR First Baron Playfair of St....

1. General correspondence

2. Family correspondence

3. Diplomas and appointments

4. Orders and decorations

In 1962 Sir Edward Playfair, K.C.B., great nephew of the first Lord Playfair, presented to the Imperial College the documents described in this list. Lord Playfair was closely connected with the early development of the Royal School of Mines and the Royal College of Science, first as a member of the teaching staff and later as an administrator. He had a distinguished career both in science and politics; a brief outline of the main events of his life is given overleaf.

Sir Edward's generous gift also included Lord Playfair's medals, the gold medal from Prince Albert amongst them; his English and foreign decorations; a portrait bust, and a charming gold - mounted miniature.

The papers were mostly unbound, but some had been arranged in two autograph albums, perhaps by Lady Playfair. There is also an elegantly bound volume of the letters of condolence received on the death of Lord Playfair; only a representative selection of these is listed. Reference numbers to letters from this volume are prefixed with 'C'.

A page reference is given for all letters printed in 'Memoirs and correspondence of Lyon Playfair', by Wemyss Reid, published by Cassell in 1899.

ABBREVIATIONS

B.A. British Association for the Advancement of Science

B.M.A. British Medical Association.

G.C.B. Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.

K.C.B. Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.

LP Lyon Playfair. Some of his correspondents are also referred to by their initials.

Memoirs. 'Memoirs and correspondence of Lyon Playfair', by Wemyss Reid. Cassell, 1899.

n.d. Undated.

P.M.G. Postmaster General.

P.O. Post Office.

Proc. Proceedings.

R.A.S. Royal Agricultural Society.

R.C.C. Royal College of Chemistry.

R.I. Royal Institution.

R.S. Royal Society.

'1851 Commission' refers to the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851.

Most of the letters, etc., are holograph letters. The description 'dictated' indicates the employment of an amanuensis.

Outline of the life of LYON PLAYFAIR 1st BARON PLAYFAIR of ST. ANDREWS

1818 Born at Meerut, India. Educated at St.Andrews, Scotland.

1834 - 39. Studied chemistry under Thomas Graham at the Andersonian University of Glasgow, and later at University College, London; afterwards, a student in Liebig's laboratory at Giessen.

1840 Represented Liebig at the British Association meeting.

1841 Awarded Ph.D. at Giessen; then appointed the chemical manager of a calico printing works.

1841 Toured Great Britain with Liebig, publicising chemistry.

1843 Appointed honorary professor of chemistry at the Royal Institution, Manchester. Served on the Royal Commission on Health of Towns.

1844 Joint research with Bunsen on the chemistry of blast-furnace gases.

1845 Appointed Chemist to the Geological Survey; reported to Sir Robert Peel on the potato crop in Ireland.

1846 Marriage to Margaret Oakes.

1848 Election as Fellow of the Royal Society.

1850 Special Commissioner for the Great Exhibition.

1851 Lecturer on 'Chemistry applied to the Arts and Agriculture' at the Government School of Mines. Awarded the C.B.; appointed Gentleman Usher to Prince Albert.

1853 Joint Secretary, with Henry Cole, of the Science and Art Department of the Board of Trade.

1855 Death of first wife.

1856 Inspector General of Government Museums and Schools of Science.

1857 President of the Chemical Society until 1859; second marriage, to Jean Ann Millington.

1858 - 69 Professor of Chemistry at Edinburgh University.

1869 Commissioner for the Exhibition of 1851; elected as Liberal MP for the Universities of Edinburgh and St. Andrews.

1873 - 74 Postmaster General in Gladstone's first ministry.

1877 Death of second wife; married Edith Russell of Boston, Mass., in 1878.

1880 - 83 Chairman of Ways and Means, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.

1883 Awarded K.C.B.; Honorary Secretary of the 1851 Commission until 1889.

1885 MP for the South Division of Leeds; President of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.

1886 Vice - President of the Council.

1892 Created Baron Playfair of St. Andrews; Lord in Waiting to Queen Victoria.

1894 Awarded G.C.B. Member of the Aged Poor Commission.

1898. Died in Kensington, May 29; buried at St. Andrews.