NLS Manuscripts Collection

About this Resource

The National Library of Scotland has a large and varied collection of manuscripts and archives, covering many aspects of the lives, activities and interests of Scots at home and abroad.

Dating from the 17th century to the present day, they include papers of major politicians, military leaders and other public figures of international significance, as well as large contemporary institutional archives from a wide range of modern Scottish cultural, political, scientific, sporting and trade union organisations.

Of particular interest to local and family history studies are the surviving records of many of the old Scottish trade incorporations, dating from the 15th to the 19th centuries, such as the records of The Perth Hammermen and The Edinburgh Candlemakers.

The Library has also acquired large estate collections of Scottish landowning families from throughout Scotland, including the Sutherland Papers (Sutherland) and the Minto Papers (Roxburghshire).

For further details of the Library’s Manuscript Collections see https://www.nls.uk/collections/manuscripts/collections

Organisation

This resource is held by:

Resource Details

Resource Type

Primary

Subject

Agriculture & Horticulture
Archaeology
Architecture, Surveying and Town Planning
Art
Business & Commerce
Crafts
Crofting
Ecclesiastical & Religious
Economic
Education
Emergency Services
Emigration
Fashion
Gaelic
Gender & Women
Genealogy
Gypsy/Travellers
Historic Buildings
Imperial & Colonial
Intellectual/Philosophical
Islands
Manufacturing
Maritime (navy, lighthouses, commercial shipping, and fisheries)
Medicine & Public Health
Military & War
Mining
Monument/Graves
Scots (Scottish dialects)
National Dress
Political & Diplomatic
Science & Technology
Social Movements
Social Work
Sports
Tartan
Television, Media & Film
Textiles
Transport
Urban History
Utilities
WWI
WWII

Geographical Coverage

Scotland

Era

1500 - 1599
1600 - 1699
1700 - 1799
1800 - 1899
1900 - 1945
1945 - 2000
2000 - present

Access

Open to public: see website for opening hours

Online Availability

Onsite access only

Official Records

Location

George IV Bridge
Edinburgh
EH1 1EW
Entry last updated: May 21st, 2018

Please note that links to websites and catalogues are provided by the Organisations listed and not maintained by Scottish Local History Forum.