Archive Afternoons at Traquair

Our first Archive’s Afternoon offered the chance to delve into some of Traquair’s most iconic documents from the archives including the Jacobite coded letter, royal documents, the raid of “popish trinkets” and some fascinating private correspondence. These original documents were available for view up close! Attendees could also hear about the work that goes on in the archives both cataloguing and exhibiting this extraordinary resource.

This event took place on 17th November 2022, and repeated on 4th March 2023.

This event focussed on the lives of servants at Traquair from the 1700’s to early 1900’s.
We heard stories about the wet nurses who nursed the 17 children of the 4th Countess to the Jacobite servitor of the 5th Earl who disarmed Government troops stationed in Peebles in 1745. We also heard tales from the 7th Countess’s gossipy companion and confidante; the 8th Earl’s butler who accompanied him on his travels and Lady Louisa’s devoted lady’s maid – not to mention the many others who carried out more mundane chores!

This event took place on 28th November 2024, and repeated on 1st March 2025.

This event took a slightly different approach, where participants received some hands on experience of deciphering some of the early documents at Traquair.
Archivist Margaret Fox and Catherine Maxwell Stuart delivered a short presentation on the various forms of handwriting found in the Traquair archives, and then passed the session over to the attendees. They discovered exactly what the gentlemen and ladies of the house were eating and drinking as they pored over their household accounts.

This event took place on 30th January 2026 and repeated 26th March 2026.