Lyon Playfair, 1st Baron Playfair (1818-1898)

He was born in Bengal, India, and took degrees from the University of St. Andrews, the University of Edinburgh and Glasgow University. He was appointed Professor of Chemistry at the Royal Manchester Institution; Professor in the new School of Mines; and Secretary of the Department of Science; President of the Chemical Society; and, Professor of Chemistry at Edinburgh University. He was Vice-President and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In 1868, he was elected to Parliament as the Liberal Member for the Universities of Edinburgh and St Andrews, before being elected to the Privy Council and made Postmaster-General in Gladstone's government in 1873. He was also Chairman of Ways and Means; Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons; President of the British Association; Vice-President of the Committee on Education under Gladstone; and, a Member of the Council of the Duchy of Cornwall. In 1851, he was appointed Gentleman Usher to Prince Albert and he was knighted for his services as tutor to the future King Edward VII. In 1892 he was elevated to the Peerage as the 1st Baron Playfair of St. Andrews in the County of Fife, serving as a Lord-in-Waiting (government whip in the House of Lords) under Prime Ministers Gladstone and Rosebery.

He was married three times. He had a son by his first marriage and two daughters by his second marriage (one died in infancy). His third wife was the American heiress Edith Russell, of Boston. They were responsible for launching the future Lady Mary Curzon into London society. He died at his home, 68 Onslow Gardens, South Kensington, London.