Papers of Lyon Playfair, 1st Baron Playfair of St Andrews, 1795-1910, comprising general correspondence, 1795, 1840-1910, covering a range of subjects relating to Playfair's scientific and political interests, notably with Prince Albert, 1851-[1853], and via Charles Grey, 1850-1861, concerning the Great Exhibition, Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, 1865-1886, Matthew Arnold, 1883, Sir Charles Barry, 1795-1860, Thomas Francis Bayard, concerning 'Venezuela dispute', 1896, Queen Victoria, 1883, and via Sir Arthur John Bigge, 1895-1898, Charles Booth, 1895, Sir David Brewster, concerning lighthouses,1851-1868, Robert Wilhelm Bunsen, concerning their research, 1841-1849, Edwin Chadwick, concerning agriculture and politics, 1855-1899, concerning pensions, Joseph Chamberlain, concerning the Aged Poor Commission, Venezuela, 1894-1899, Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, concerning the 1851 Commission,1882-1896, Sir Robert Christison, concerning vivisection bill, 1867-1876, Anthony Ashley Cooper, 1852-1874, Charles Darwin, concerning vivisection bill, 1875, Sir Thomas Henry De La Beche, concerning the Geological Survey, 1842-1852, Sir James Dewar, 1885-1898, Albert Edward, Prince of Wales (later Edward VII), 1879-1898, Michael Faraday, 1842-1857, William Ewart Gladstone, 1859-1892, Thomas Graham, 1839-1867, Thomas Henry Huxley, 1854-1891, Henry James, 1898, George Granville Leveson-Gower, [1850]-1889, Justus von Liebig, 1841-1873, Joseph Lister, 1876-1898, David Livingstone, including an account of his exploration in Africa, 1861, John Stuart Mill, 1868, Viscount Horatio Nelson to 'Pollard', 1795, Sir Robert Peel, [1842]-1850, letters of condolence to Lady Playfair on the death of Lord Playfair, 1898.
Family correspondence, comprising letters to various correspondents from Playfair, 1854-1898, notably his son George and daughter-in-law; letters from Edith Playfair (third wife), to her step-son, 1898.
Papers relating to diplomas and appointments, 1840-1892, notably appointment as Professor of Chemistry, Edinburgh University, 1858, Charity Commissioner, 1886, Lord-in-Waiting to Queen Victoria, 1892, Privy Councillor, 1873.
Papers relating to orders and decorations, 1851-1898, notably Order of the Bath, Order of the Legion of Honour and Jubilee Medal.
Playfair , Lyon , 1818-1898 , 1st Baron Playfair , chemist