The papers in this series comprise those writings made by J.M. Keynes and/or his family for their personal use, such as diaries and correspondence, as well as those made in furtherance of personal interests. Many files are devoted, for instance, to correspondence and papers related to J.M. Keynes' passion for collecting rare books and manuscripts; in particular, those of Jeremy Bentham, David Hume, Isaac Newton and J.S. Mill. In other instances, the files contain documents written in a more public capacity as chairman, board member, etc., of an organization in which J.M. Keynes became involved out of personal interest, usually something pertaining to the arts, often in areas where he lived. For the most part, the personal papers span only the duration of Keynes' life, but sub-series containing drawings, cartoons and manuscripts collected by Keynes (PP/86-7) cover a considerably longer period, with the earliest items dating from the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
The personal papers have been arranged under the following sub-categories: personal and family records (PP/1-20A); school records (PP/21-26); juvenile writing (PP/27-33); diaries (PP/34-44); correspondence (PP/45); accounts (PP/46-52); records of subsidiary interests, including rare books and manuscripts (PP/53-68), works of art (PP/69-77); theatre (PP/78-83) and the Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts (PP/84); photographs (PP/85); drawings and cartoons (PP/86); manuscripts (PP/87) and posthumous biographical material (PP/88-93).