The collection consists of 80 letters from Dugald Dawson (dated 1823-1840) and 64 letters from William Dawson (dated 1828-1843). Also included are 38 letters (including two private journals) from Captain William Dawson, addressed to his wife Barbara (dated 1849-1858), and a number of other letters and papers, chiefly of William's family.

Administrative / biographical background
The majority of the correspondence and papers is formed of letters addressed to William Dawson (1779-1844), a merchant from Tarbert, Argyllshire, from his two sons, Dugald and William. Dugald Dawson (1805-1841) was an overseer of a sugar plantation in Trinidad, during which time he witnessed poor harvests due to bad weather and changes brought about by the efforts of Missionaries to free the slaves: he died at sea in March 1841, aged 36 years. William Dawson Jnr (1810-1858) was an Argyllshire merchant sea captain who sailed all over the world, including California, New Zealand, Africa and Madras, in the barque "Cornwall": he died in Singapore on 27 Jul 1858, aged 48.