The collection contains a wide range of material from throughout Porter's career. The largest body of papers are copies of scripts for B.B.C. Radio, written mostly by Porter, but including some by other authors. There are many letters, many of them concerning the activity of the Computing Section of the B.A.A., particularly the preparation of ephemerides for its Handbook, but also including correspondence with mathematical astronomers, much of it reflecting Porter's interest in meteor and comet orbit calculations. There is also a wide selection of Porter's published and unpublished papers, as well as published papers he received from colleagues and other workers in his field. The collection includes discussion documents and other papers relating to the changes to computational methods at the N.A.O. and B.A.A. There are also a few items from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California (which Porter visited during 1962), concerning comets and meteors.

RGO 45/1-81: Correspondence

RGO 45/82-136: Printed and published papers, with related material

Printed and published papers by Porter (82-116); Reviews from journals and periodicals of Porter's 'Comets and Meteor Streams' (117-121); Printed and published papers of colleagues and correspondents containing a dedication to Porter (124-135); Published papers by colleagues containing a foreword by Porter (136).

RGO 45/137-157: B.A.A. and other drafts

Draft papers by Porter for the B.A.A. Computing Section (137-140); Draft papers by Porter, probably for the B.A.A. Computing Section (141-143); Miscellaneous draft papers by Porter (144-157).

RGO 45/158-174: Material relating to H.M.N.A.O.

Papers regarding methods of comet orbit calculation (158-163); Notes from Porter to D.H. Sadler (164-174).

RGO 45/175-178: Material relating to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena

Technical memoranda for internal distribution at the J.L.P. (175-177); Computer printout (178).

RGO 45/179-190: Notes

Manuscripts lecture notes by Porter (179-188); Manuscript notes by Porter (189-190).

RGO 45/191: Miscellaneous papers

RGO 45/192-194: Draft papers by colleagues

RGO 45/195-232: Numbers unassigned

RGO 45/233-431: Scripts for B.B.C. Radio broadcasts

'The Night Sky' (233-385); 'General Science' (386-404); 'Citizenship' (405); 'For Country Schools' (406); 'Science and the Community' (407-409); 'Talks for Sixth Forms' (410); Untitled scripts for B.B.C. Schools Radio (411-412); 'Talks for Sixth Forms' (413-415); 'Science and Everyday Life' (416-418); 'Science Survey' (419-420); 'Thursday Roundabout' (421); 'Woman's Hour' (422); 'Calling West Africa' (423-426); B.B.C. Radio talk (427); Various parts of scripts (428-431).

RGO 45/432-447: Other material relating to B.B.C. broadcasts

Question and answer papers (432-438); Newspaper cuttings (439-440); 'Radio Times' extracts (441-447).

RGO 45/448-451: Miscellaneous