Record

CollectionGB 0231 University of Aberdeen, Special Collections
LevelFonds
Ref NoMS 997
TitlePapers relating to Duff family of Duff House, William Rose of Montcoffer, factor and Hay of Rannes (Lumley-Smith papers)
Date1568 - 1951
Extent3 boxes (0.99 linear metres)
Creator NameDuff family, of Duff House (fl 16th-20th century)
William Rose (fl late 18th-early 19th century), of Montcoffer, factor
Tayler; Henrietta (1869-1951); family historian
Administrative HistoryJames Duff, 2nd Earl of Fife, succeeded his father in the Irish peerage in 1763. He served as MP for Banff and Elgin at intervals between 1754 and 1784, and for Morayshire from 1784 until 1790, when he was created a peer of the United Kingdom and took his seat in the House of Lords. There were no children from his marriage in 1759 to Lady Dorothea Sinclair and he was succeeded by his brother, Alexander (1731-1811), two of whose sons he educated.

William Rose was given employment by the first Earl and became factor to the second. His interests spread beyond the management of the Duff estates to local affairs and county politics.

Born in 1869, Henrietta Tayler was a granddaughter of Lady Jane Duff (1780-1850), eldest daughter of the 3rd Earl Fife. With her brother Alastair, she carried out extensive research into the Duff family history and also published frequent articles and notes in periodicals such as 'Scottish Historical Review'. She died on 10 April 1951.
SourcePresented to the library in the 1960s by Helen, Lady Lumley-Smith, who was the second wife of Major Sir Thomas Lumley-Smith (1879-1961) and the daughter of Hubert B. Coulson and Constance J. D. Tayler. The collection had been acquired by Henrietta Tayler (1869-1951), Lady Lumley-Smith's aunt.
DescriptionThe collection includes manuscripts relating to the family of Duff, and especially to William Duff, 1st Earl Fife; his son, James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife; the latter’s factor, William Rose, and Rose’s sons, Patrick and James (later James Rose-Innes of Netherdale). These papers (MS 997/1-3) had become detached from the collection of Duff and Rose manuscripts acquired by Miss Tayler and presented by her to the University (MS 2226/1-351).

Another section consists of original letters and papers by, or relating to, the family of Hay of Rannes (MS 997/4/1-3), some of which were used by Miss Tayler in her book on Andrew Hay of Rannes, 'A Jacobite Exile' (1937). Other more miscellaneous collections include manuscripts relating to the younger members of the Duff family, or of Jacobite interest (MS 997/5); copies of pamphlets and genealogical material, both manuscript and printed (MS 997/7); and photographic reproductions of Stuart or Jacobite manuscripts collected by Miss Taylor, with her notes and comments (MS 997/8).

Two manuscripts (MS 997/6/1-2) contain typescript material apparently intended for publication in the 'Book of the Duffs' (1914) or 'Lord Fife and His Factor' (1925) [also see 'Arrangement' field below].
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MS 997/1: Original letters and papers, mainly relating to the Duff family or persons connected with it, up to the death of William Duff, 1st Lord Fife, 1568-1757.

MS 997/2: Letters and papers, by, or concerning, James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife, William Rose, his factor, and others, 1763-1804.

MS 997/3: Letters and papers concerning Patrick Rose, sheriff clerk, Banff, and James Rose Innes, sons of William Rose, 1804-1807, 1824 and 1828.

MS 997/4: Papers and correspondence relating to Andrew Hay of Rannes, Miss Jean Hay, his sister, and their family, addressed mainly to William Rose or Lord Fife, with genealogical notes, 1771-1828.

MS 997/5: Collection of miscellaneous papers and copies of manuscripts, some relating to younger branches of the Duff family, 1797-c.1887.

MS 997/6: Typescript of commencement of work by A. and H. or H. Tayler on the family of Duff, with transcripts of letters from various sources, including material once at Duff House, undated.

MS 997/7: Collection of genealogical papers and charts, printed pamphlets and printed legal correspondence, 1782-1871 and 1890.

MS 997/8: Collection of photographic reproductions of manuscripts relating to the House of Stuart and Jacobite affairs, with notes made by Henrietta Tayler and a correspondent in 1951.
AppraisalThis material has been appraised in line with normal procedures.
AccrualsNone expected.
ArrangementMS 997/6/1-2: Included are transcripts or extracts from original material, linked to the letters and papers in MS 2226 and other sources. As much survived in duplicate, only the clearest copy or that containing manuscript additions or corrections by Miss Taylor was retained. The typescript containing linking material has been arranged as far as possible in chronological order and foliated. Typescript copies of letters from other sources have been left in the order in which found. Some, according to the 'Book of the Duffs', were in the Duff House manuscripts but their locations have not been individually checked: in these cases, the only details given are the date and names of writer and recipient.
Access StatusOpen
Access ConditionsThe records are available subject to the signed acceptance of the Department's access conditions.
LanguageEnglish
Physical DescriptionNo physical conditions affecting use of collection.
Related MaterialThe University holds a number of other collections that are closely linked in provenance and interest with MS 997:

MS 2226: 'Tayler Genealogical Collection/Papers of the Duff family of Duff House, and William Rose of Montcoffer, their factor', 18th-19th century.

The papers of William Duff of Braco, 1st Earl of Fife, are complementary, and the introduction to their listing (MS 2727) should be consulted.

Other collections of relevance include the Hatton manuscripts (MS 2778) and some of the Spalding Club manuscripts (MS 2264). Most recently, in 1984, the Duff House archive/Montcoffer papers was deposited (MS 3175). This very large collection (1300 volumes; 1500 boxes; 533 plans) covers the period 1500-1960 and contains the estate records dating from William Rose's factor-ship.

The identification of different elements in the collection has required consultation of other Duff material used by Miss Tayler and now found in MS 2226: 'Genealogical Collections of A. and H. Tayler', and MS 2727: 'Letters and Papers of William Duff of Braco'. Quotations from original material made in the 'Book of the Duffs' and other associated publications sometimes draw together different sources. It is, therefore, advisable for anybody using either this manuscript or the published researches of the Taylers to be aware of MS 2226 and MS 2727. In particular, the introductions to their descriptive lists should be consulted for relevant biographical details.
Publication NoteThe papers were used by Henrietta Tayler in the course of her research and writings, which include 'The Book of the Duffs', Edinburgh, 1914; 'Lord Fife and his Factor', London, 1925; and 'The Domestic Papers of the Rose Family', Aberdeen, 1926, all edited by A. and H. Tayler.
Related RecordMS 2727
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