Hugh Lyon Playfair

Hugh Lyon Playfair

Photography

Profession: Army officer: military leader Talents etc.: Campaigning, management Golfing Acting Fund-raising Private life/family life: Married Jane Dalgleish of Scotscraig in 1820: they had 6 sons and 5 daughters (Professional) Role in St Andrews: Provost 1842 – 1861 Years in St Andrews: Early life Bought house in 1820 Life after military career (from 1832 onwards)

history

1786

Francesco Alessandrini Lupia

Organisation

189

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Lyon_Playfair

TEXT

Q5931547

D.O.B: 1786 D.O.D: 1861 Family origins: Father: Dr James Playfair, principal of United college St Andrews Mother: Margaret Lyon Education: Grammar school of Dundee Classes in St Andrews

Involved in which fields of scholarship? Photography Urban planning Most famous contribution(s) to scholarship/inventions/… 1 (i.e. in photography): Connections to Antoine Claudet, a French photographer, who also introduced photographic improvements: pioneered photography in St Andrews Worked with David Brewster on the Calotype process Most famous contribution(s) to scholarship/inventions/… 2: Urban reform in St Andrews: streets straighter, new streets If you want to read one thing written by him/her, it should be: First Catechism of the Principles of Religion (1853)

1861

Any political involvement? East India Company’s Bengal army Any religious involvement? Deeply religious Other societies/groups in St Andrews? Royal and Ancient Golf Club (captain!) Other societies/groups elsewhere? Founder of Edinburgh Calotype Club (but not a member) Associated places in St Andrews: (e.g. home, lab, favourite spot) His large house, St Leonhard’s West (part of old St Leonhard’s college, St Andrews) Grave: Cathedral Possible human interest story 1: After having received leave from the army for health reasons, he traveled back to Scotland and met Napoleon on St Helena on the way Possible human interest story 2: The urban reform of St Andrews driven by Playfair caused the front stairs of most houses to be demolished, but also resulted in buildings like a new town hall. Possible human interest story 3: Playfair was a keen actor and played theatre in his house. Possible human interest story 4: His plans were often criticized, but he often convinced the people of them with his dry humour. Connected to other people in St Andrews or elsewhere?: David Brewster John Adamson Awards/Honours: 1856: knighted 1856: degree of LLD from St Andrews Any eye-witness testimony/stories: Nephew Lyon Playfair Biographical sources: (e.g. OxDNB, family memoir, other...) OxDNB Nephew Lyon Playfair Available images of the person: Several images in University Photographic Collections St Andrews In National Galleries of Scotland Available images of places/objects associated with the person: Charles Lees: The Golfers (painting with Playfair) Plenty of photographs of the Cathedral in St Andrews Photographic Collections Grave: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Lyon_Playfair