James Playfair (minister)

Rev James Playfair DD FRSE (19 December 1738 - 26 May 1819) was an eminent figure in 18th century Scotland.

Life

He was born at West Bendochy in Perthshire where his father, George Playfair (d.1786), was a farmer. His mother was Jean Roger (d.1804).^[1]

He studied at St Andrews University and then became minister of Newtyle (1770-1777) and Meigle (1777-1800). He was then appointed Principal of St Andrews University in 1800. During this period he was also minister of St Leonard's Church in St Andrews.

He was the official histiographer of the then Prince of Wales.

He died at Dalmarnock near Glasgow.

Family

He married Margaret Lyon in 1773, and was the father of Sir Hugh Lyon Playfair.

Publications

• A System of Chronology (1782)
• A System of Geography Ancient and Modern (1810–14)
• General Atlas Ancient and Modern (1814)
• A Geographical and Statistical Description of Scotland (1819);

References

Sources

• Papers of Robert Lambert Playfair and other members of the Playfair family Catalogue record at archiveshub.ac.uk