The great majority of the papers relate to Sir Alexander Murray, the 3rd Baronet (died 1743), and to his brother Charles, Collector of Customs at Bo`ness and de jure 5th Baronet (died 1770), although there are a few of their brother James, of Sir William, the 1st Baronet (died 1689), and of Sir David, the 2nd Baronet (died 1729).

The family were Jacobites, and there is some correspondence of Sir Alexander with other participants in the rising of 1715. Apart from this, and from internal family correspondence, the subjects are almost exclusively financial - the brothers` frequent embarrassments, and the management, in which Charles took a large share, of their estates in Peeblesshire, in Ardnamurchan (bought in 1726 from Sir Duncan Campbell of Lochnell, in order to develop the lead-mines at Strontian) and in Islay (leased from Daniel Campbell of Shawfield, again for the sake of the mineral wealth). The family estates, both in Peeblesshire and in Argyllshire, were forfeited in 1767.

The letters are mostly arranged by correspondents.