Basic Biographical Details Name: | William Henry Playfair | Designation: | | Born: | 15 July 1790 | Died: | 19 March 1857 | Bio Notes: | William Henry Playfair was born in London on 15 July 1790, a younger son of the architect James Playfair. He was baptised in the Fitzroy Chapel. When he was fourteen in 1804 he went to Edinburgh to live with his uncle, Professor John Playfair and completed his education there. He was articled to William Stark. Stark died in 1813 and Playfair moved to London where he worked in the offices of James Wyatt and Robert Smirke. In 1816 he visited France with his uncle but returned later in the year to Edinburgh.
In 1816 he entered and won the competition for the completion of Robert Adam’s University building. In 1818 he secured the commission for the planning of the area to the north of Calton Hill. The fact that he had been given these jobs suggests that he was an architectural heir to William Stark. In the Calton Hill scheme he follows closely the principles laid down by Stark.
Playfair’s practice grew to rival those of William Burn and James Gillespie Graham in fame if not in the number of his commissions for country houses and churches then at least in the realm of public buildings. He designed some of Edinburgh’s most prominent public buildings, including The Royal Institution (later the Royal Scottish Academy), the Surgeon’s Hall, the National Gallery, Donaldson’s Hospital and the Free Church College. The first three were classical in style following the pattern laid down in Edinburgh by some of his predecessors. However he was also adept in Gothic, for example in the Free Church College and in Jacobethan in Donaldson’s Hospital. His early houses used a picturesque style loosely based on Italian villas. However by 1830 like his contemporaries Burn and Blore he was experimenting with Scots and English vernacular styles. The remodelling work at Floors Castle was the largest commission he executed in this style though this was not entirely a success with coarse and over-crowded details. At Lurgan, Bonaly and Islay he was more successful and went some way to recapture the Elizabethan and Stuart past.
Playfair was painstaking and meticulous. All his designs were worked out with great care. He wrote: ‘Nothing good in Architecture can be affected without a monstrous expenditure of patience and India Rubber’. He was a perfectionist and expected the same from those who worked for him such as his builders. He was just as demanding with his pupils and staff. David Cousin who was a pupil ‘used to tell with great glee many stories of the strictness and rigour of Mr Playfair’s rule, and the devices to which his assistants had to resort to escape detection if at fault’.
Playfair made one trip to France but never visited Greece or Rome. In 1842 he went to Florence to try to improve his health. His older brother James practised medicine there. However the experience had little or no effect on his architecture as he found little to admire in the city. He returned to Edinburgh where his health continued to deteriorate with deafness, crippling rheumatism and chronic bronchitis. He continued to practice but had to decline some work because of his health.
He died on 19 March 1857. He was buried in Dean Cemetery adjacent to his friends Andrew and Sophia Rutherford. He was unmarried.
Playfair’s papers and drawings are preserved in various places. There are drawings in the RIAS collection at RCAHMS. Edinburgh University Library holds drawings and a diary for 1817 with accounts for 1817-22 and town surviving volumes of an elaborated series of letter-books (volume 4 covering 1830-33 and volume 7 covering 1840-45). A brief journal describing a trip to Arran in 1811 is located in Cambridge University Library while many letters to Andrew Rutherford and his family are held in the National Library of Scotland. The sale catalogue of his library is also in the National Library of Scotland. It shows he owned a large number of views of Athens by his friend Hugh W ‘Grecian’ Williams.
| Private and Business AddressesThe following private or business addresses are associated with this : | | Address | Type | Date from | Date to | Notes | ![Item 1 of 4](images/table_item.gif) | Edinburgh, Scotland | Business | | | | ![Item 2 of 4](images/table_item.gif) | 79, Queen Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business(?) | c. 1820 | | | ![Item 3 of 4](images/table_item.gif) | 43, Heriot Row, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business(?) | c. 1824 | c. 1825 | | ![Item 4 of 4](images/table_item.gif) | 17, Great Stuart Street, Edinburgh, Scotland | Private/business(?) | c. 1830 | 1857 | |
Employment and TrainingEmployees or Pupils* earliest date known from documented sources.
Buildings and DesignsThis was involved with the following buildings or structures from the date specified (click on an item to view details): | | Date started | Building name | Town, district or village | Island | City or county | Country | Notes | ![Item 1 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | | Monument to Mrs Reid | | | Edinburgh? | Scotland | Date unknown | ![Item 2 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1817 | University of Edinburgh, Old College | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Modified the designs and completed the Adam work. | ![Item 3 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1818 | Calton Hill, area to north, inc. Blenheim Pl, Brunswick St, Brunton Pl, Carlton Ter, Elm Row | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Appointed architect for the development of the area to north of Calton Hill. In 1819 he produced a printed 'Report to the Lord Provost, Magistrates and Council fo the City of Edinburgh on a Plan for laying out the New Town between Edinburgh and Leith.' | ![Item 4 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1818 | City Observatory, boundary wall and Playfair Monument, Calton Hill | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Original building. Also boundary wall and Playfair Monument. | ![Item 5 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1819 | Signet Library | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Staircase for the Faculty of Advocates (to upper floor) | ![Item 6 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1820 | Houses, Royal Circus, Circus Place and Circus Gardens | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 7 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | c. 1820 | Houses, Academy Place | Dollar | | Clackmannanshire | Scotland | | ![Item 8 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1821 | The Glen | Innerleithen | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | Additions to original house on site. | ![Item 9 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1822 | Royal Institution | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Original building | ![Item 10 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1822 | St Quivox Parish Churchyard, Campbells of Craigie Mausoleum | St Quivox | | Ayrshire | Scotland | | ![Item 11 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1823 | Duddingston Manse, curling house and studio | Duddingston | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 12 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1823 | Premises for the Highland Society | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 13 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1823 | Thomson Tower | Duddingston | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 14 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1824 | Heriot's Hospital, monument to James Denholm | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 15 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1824 | House, 8 Inverleith Row | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 16 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1824 | National Monument | Calton Hill | | Edinburgh | Scotland | In collaboration with C R Cockerell | ![Item 17 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | c. 1824 | Edinburgh Waterworks, Crawley Cistern | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | With James Jardine, engineer for Edinburgh Corporation waterworks | ![Item 18 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1825 | City Observatory, boundary wall and Playfair Monument, Calton Hill | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Boudary wall and Playfair Monument. | ![Item 19 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1825 | House, Inverleith Place | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 20 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1825 | Monument to Professor John Playfair | Calton Hill | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 21 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1826 | Pump-room | Innerleithen | | Peesbleshire | Scotland | | ![Item 22 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1826 | St Ronan's Wells | Innerleithen | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | | ![Item 23 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1827 | Minto Manse | Minto | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | ![Item 24 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1827 | St Stephen's Church | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Original church | ![Item 25 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | Before 1827 | Abdie Parish Church | Abdie | | Fife | Scotland | Playfair withdrew from commission and Burn built present church | ![Item 26 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1828 | Belmont House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 27 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1828 | Dunphail House | | | Morayshire | Scotland | | ![Item 28 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1828 | George Heriot's Hospital | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Gatehouse and terraces | ![Item 29 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1829 | Advocates' Library | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Overall design (for stair see separate entry under Advocates' Library) | ![Item 30 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1829 | Drumbanagher House | | | County Armagh | Northern Ireland | | ![Item 31 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1829 | Surgeons' Hall | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Original building | ![Item 32 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1830 | Grange House | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations | ![Item 33 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1830 | Minto Church | Minto | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | | ![Item 34 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1830 | Prestongrange House | Prestonpans | | East Lothian | Scotland | Alterations and additions | ![Item 35 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1831 | Monument to Dugald Stewart, Calton Hill | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 36 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1832 | Dalcrue Bridge | Redgorton | | Perthshire | Scotland | | ![Item 37 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1832 | Dalcrue Farmhouse, Lynedoch Estate | | | Perthshire | Scotland | | ![Item 38 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1832 | Lynedoch | | | Perthshire | Scotland | Drawing room for Thomas Graham, Lord Lynedoch | ![Item 39 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1832 | Royal Institution | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Enlargement and alterations | ![Item 40 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | After 1832 | 105 George Street | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 41 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1833 | Lurgan House | | | County Armagh | Northern Ireland | | ![Item 42 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1834 | Spottiswoode House | Westruther | | Berwickshire | Scotland | May have completed job - see Notes | ![Item 43 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1835 | Craigcrook Castle | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Additions for Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey | ![Item 44 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1835 | Meadowbank House | Kirknewton | | West Lothian | Scotland | | ![Item 45 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1836 | Barmore House | Stonefield | | Argyll | Scotland | | ![Item 46 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1836 | Bonaly Tower | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 47 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1836 | Stonefield Castle Hotel, Loch Fyne | Tarbert | | Argyll | Scotland | | ![Item 48 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1837 | Duthil, mausoleum to the Seafield family | | | Inverness-shire | Scotland | | ![Item 49 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1837 | Floors Castle | Kelso | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Remodelling for 6th Duke of Roxburghe; also west lodge | ![Item 50 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1837 | Minto House and stables | Minto | | Roxburghshire | Scotland | Alterations | ![Item 51 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1838 | Craigie House | Ayr | | Ayrshire | Scotland | Central porch added | ![Item 52 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1838 | Murrayfield Cottage | Murrayfield | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 53 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1839 | Whytope Farm Farmhouse, Byre, Etc | Glen Estate | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | Corrections in his hand | ![Item 54 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1840 | Colinton House | Colinton | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Kitchen offices | ![Item 55 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1840 | Traquair Parish Church | Traquair | | Peeblesshire | Scotland | Alterations | ![Item 56 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1841 | Islay House | | Islay | Argyll | Scotland | Offices etc | ![Item 57 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1842 | Donaldson's Hospital | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 58 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1842 | Kensal Green Cemetery, monument to Robert Ferguson of Raith | Kensal Green | | Middlesex | England | | ![Item 59 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1843 | Hangingshaw House | Yarrow (near) | | Selkirkshire | Scotland | | ![Item 60 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1845 | Free High Church and Free Church College | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Did not win compeition but was awarded the job for Free High Church and Free Church College - date of construction. | ![Item 61 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1845 | Lauriston Castle | Cramond | | Edinburgh | Scotland | Alterations and additions including staircase and two porches | ![Item 62 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1850 | National Gallery of Scotland | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 63 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | 1851 | Dean Cemetery, Monument to Francis Jeffrey, Lord Jeffrey | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | | ![Item 64 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | c. 1852 | Dean Cemetery, Monument to Sophia Rutherford (d.1852) | | | | | | ![Item 65 of 65](images/table_item.gif) | Before 1857 | Dean Cenetery, monument to William Henry Playfair | | | Edinburgh | Scotland | He died in 1857. |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this : | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | ![Item 1 of 5](images/table_item.gif) | APSD | | The Dictionary of Architecture | ed Wyatt Papworth | The Architectural Publication Society (8v 1852-1892) | | ![Item 2 of 5](images/table_item.gif) | Colvin, H M | 1995 | A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 | 3rd edition | New Haven and London: Yale University Press | | ![Item 3 of 5](images/table_item.gif) | DNB | | Dictionary of National Biography | | | Article by Charles McKean | ![Item 4 of 5](images/table_item.gif) | Graham, J M | 1861 | Notice of the Life and Works of W H Playfair | v, part iv | Transactions of the Architectural institute of Scotland, 1859-61 | | ![Item 5 of 5](images/table_item.gif) | Pride, Glen L | 1999 | The Kingdom of Fife | 2nd Edition | The Rutland Press | p194 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this : | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | ![Item 1 of 6](images/table_item.gif) | Builder | 1857 | XV | | p208 | ![Item 2 of 6](images/table_item.gif) | Builder | 10 June 1882 | | | p717 for Cousin's recollections of the Playfair office. | ![Item 3 of 6](images/table_item.gif) | Builder | 1960 | xviii | | p140 | ![Item 4 of 6](images/table_item.gif) | Building Chronicle | 1857 | ii | | pp181-2 | ![Item 5 of 6](images/table_item.gif) | Building News | 10 April 1857 | | | pp359-60 | ![Item 6 of 6](images/table_item.gif) | RIBA Journal | May 1990 | | London: Royal Institute of British Architects | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this : | | Source | Archive Name | Source Catalogue No. | Notes | ![Item 1 of 1](images/table_item.gif) | LMA | Register of Fitzroy Chapel | | |
|