The collection is comprised of biographical materials (mainly about or rembrances of Tansley), notes and notebooks used by Tansley for field notes, manuscripts and notes for Tansley's book and lectures and psychology, correspondence and other materials relate to publications, material related to lectures and broadcasts (the latter of which Tansley may not have been involved in), documentation of Tansley's involvement in various Societies and Organisations (he had key roles in several), material related to Tansley's visits and his participation in conferences, and a variety of correspondence that covers an extensive period of Tansley's life.