The contents are as follows.

(i) Letters of John Buchanan to Joseph Irving, author and journalist, 1856-1859, 1875 (folio 1);

(ii) Letters, 1852, 1855-1856, 1859-1863, 1865, of Robert Reid, 'Senex' of the Glasgow Herald, to Buchanan; and a copy of an autobiographical memoir of Reid, 1855, with comments by Buchanan (folio 47);

(iii) Letters, 1856, of Hugh James Rollo, Writer to the Signet, the Younger, to Buchanan, with genealogies of the family of Paterson of Bannockburn (folio 138);

(iv) Correspondence and notes on various Glasgow properties, nineteenth century, with some deeds, etc., 1796-1798, 1827, 1840; and 'Old Papers connected with The Glasgow Tanwork Company ... 1759 to 1796' (folio 146);

(v) A note-book of Buchanan entitled, 'No. 3. Notes from volume of manuscript deeds in scroll formerly belonging to Patrick Robertson, Writer, Glasgow, but now to Sheriff Strathem. 1866'. Most of the deeds concern inhabitants of Glasgow; one (folio 233 verso) supplies information about a residence of Walter Scott, Writer to the Signet (folio 230);

(vi) A few single letters and papers, nineteenth century (folio 272).