The Moodie Family originated from Melsetter House, Orkney Islands

Letters between members of the family on personal and family affairs, the efforts to establish themselves at the Cape of Captain Benjamin Moodie (1789-1856), Lt. Donald Moodie (1794-1861) and J.W.D. Moodie (1797-1869), and of the difficulties experienced by Donald Moodie in publishing a series of early Cape Archives called The Record (Cape Town, Robertson, 1838-1841). Includes a letter from Thomas Moodie to C.A. Fairbridge commenting on Lord Carnarvon's proposed scheme of confederation for Southern Africa.

Also notes from the Dictionary of National Biography on various members of the Moodie family, an Ms on Donald Moodie and Ms on the family tree of Johannes Smuts, into whose family Donald Moodie's son married.