The fonds consists of manuscript travel journals, engravings, and letters of naturalist, artist, and author James Forbes. The fonds containsa five-volume fair copy of a manuscript travel journal prepared by Forbes describing his travels and stays in Germany, Italy, and Switzerland during 1796 and 1797. Entries describe the climates, cultures, art, monuments, and historical sites of the places he visited. Some entries also reflect current events, such as the French Revolution, and comparison between the places he visited and his native England. The journals were prepared by Forbes ostensibly for his daughter, to whom the first volume contains a dedication. The fifth volume contains an addendum dated 1799. The The fonds also contains two letters, one a letter to Forbes from his grandson, the Count of Montalembert, and one a letter from Forbes to his sister, Eliza Fothergill, dated 1788. The final materials in the fonds are two hand-coloured engravings of illustrations created by Forbes in 1771 and 1783, and published by Richard Bentley (London, 1834).

The collection consists of a manuscript account of the uprising Racconto della sollevazione di Napoli accaduta nell'anno 1647, written in 1740. Beginning in 1503, Naples was ruled by Spain through a viceroy. There was also a seggi or municipal administration which was dominated by the aristocracy, but did have a small popular representation. The uprising of July 1647 was provoked by the high cost of living and by taxes, and had as its figurehead a fisherman named Masaniello. It was in fact organized by Giulio Genoino, a lawyer who wanted the people's voice on the seggi to be equal to the patricians. The rebels attacked prisons and armories, looted the houses of the nobility, and lynched several people. After a few days, a settlement was negotiated by the Cardinal Archbishop

Fonds contains of a typescript of Return to Sea, an autobiography of a former naval man.

This collection consists of Lemon's accounts as agent to the Royal Exchange Assurance Office, 1804-1831. Also included are miscellanies of verse, 1788-1789 and a translation of the works of Virgil.

Fonds consists of a notebook kept by Seymour when he served as mate on the H.M.S. Imperieuse during service on a China station. The notes give details about crew, sales, accommodations and watches, 1861-1862. Also included is a journal which Seymour kept on the Orontes during cruises in the Mediterranean and to Bermuda, Halifax and the West Indies, 1878-1879.

Collection includes account book for the London Grand Junction Railway, London Dock Company and other engineering projects in England.

The minutes of the Club are accompanied by a letter from the Secretary, George Murray, to Wilfrid Skaife. Skaife notes in the minute book that "no further meetings of the Society were held".

Hardinge's papers are divided into two series: manuscripts and correspondence. The manuscripts comprise about 550 documents, reports, memoranda, etc. relating to Hardinge's work as a career soldier and administrator. The Indian phase of his career is the least well covered. Many of these documents were written by others, such as the Duke of Wellington or Lord John Russell, though they contain Hardinge's marginal notes. Papers on the British Army cover such topics as religious services for soldiers, 1823-1844; the organization and reform of military supply departments, 1822-1830; an inquiry into British military education, 1822-1829; and the organization of the Medical Department, 1812-1828. Material on the Home Army covers the period 1814-1850 while material on Ireland, 1816-1843, concern not only the militia, but also more wide ranging economic, social and political issues, such as the commutation of tithes. Papers on British North America, 1815-1844, concentrate on defence of the St. Lawrence Valley and the Maritimes, with special emphasis on canals (Rideau, Lachine, Welland). The strength, distribution, health problems and pay of troops in India, 1846-1847; the fortification of Aden, 1825-1847; and military matters pertaining to the West Indies, Bermuda, Australasia, South Africa, Mauritius, China, the Iberian peninsula and the Crimea are also discussed. It should be noted that the Australian papers also contain a considerable body of civilian population statistics. Hardinge's files also contain materials on military finance, particularly army estimates, 1826-1844; half-pay and pensions, 1812-1832; pay and allowances, 1827-1841; and the finances of the War Office, 1803-1847. Finally, a section of miscellaneous papers includes addresses by Hardinge, memorials of civil and military officers, cases of military discipline, proposals for new weaponry, and some documents on the reorganization of the government in 1827. The only items of personal interest concern the duel between Wellington and Lord Winchelsea, in which Hardinge was Wellington's second. The Hardinge correspondence is of much the same character as the manuscripts. It comprises over 2,000 letters, the largest blocks falling in the periods 1828-1831, 1842-1844, and 1852. There is a particularly substantial body of letters from Wellington and Lord Londonderry. Supplementing these papers is a microfilm of Hardinge materials in Cambridge University Library. These place more stress on the Indian period, with a large number of letters from Sir Robert Peel.