Papers of Sir Charles Lyell

Scope and Content

  • 10 boxes of correspondence
  • 2 boxes of miscellaneous papers and lecture notes
  • 24 boxes of offprints of papers
  • 294 notebooks

Access Information

Access should be unrestricted but please check in advance of any consultation.

Acquisition Information

    First tranche 
  • Transfered from the Grant Institute of Geology, 1960 (catalogued, Coll-203/1-10). Accession E60/3
  •  Second tranche 
  • Transfered from the Grant Institute of Geology, 1975 (uncatalogued, Gen.1999). Accession E75/45.
  •  Third tranche 
  • Purchased from Sotheby's, November 2019

Custodial History

The first two tranches were presented by Lady Lyell of Kinnordy to the University of Edinburgh in 1927 (see University Court minutes, 14 Nov 1927). Transferred from the Grant Institute of Geology, 1960 and 1975. The third tranche was in the custody of the Lyell family at Kinnordy until the sale at Sotheby's was initiated.