The archive is comprised of a scrapbook of fixed items (GBR/0012/MS Add.10497/1-46), mainly relating to the military career of George Turnour Horton Atchison (1833-1861), compiled after his death in China by his sister, Anne Beatrix Granville Atchison, together with loose items interleaved in the scrapbook, which have been housed in a separate folder (GBR/0012/MS Add.10479/47-90). The loose items’ previous location in the scrapbook (which has been... foliated 1-44 by the archivists) has been recorded in the catalogue. Cross-references between material in the scrapbook and loose items have been added where appropriate.

The bulk of the archive consists of topographical watercolour drawings and pencil sketches by Captain Atchison whilst on overseas duty with his regiment, the 67th (South Hampshire) Foot, in Gibraltar, the West Indies, India and China, covering the period 1851-1861. These include descriptive ink captions made by him up to his death in 1861 and pencil notes added later by his sister. Of particular significance are his drawings relating to the Second Opium War, 1860-61. This material also includes a set of photographs of the siege and successful storming of the Upper Taku forts. These images were taken by Felice Beato (1832-1909), the Italian-British photographer who accompanied the expeditionary force. They include handwritten captions by Atchison, indicating the prints were made in China just after the events they record.

There is also material relating to Atchison’s burial in China, an obituary of his life and career from the Army and Navy Gazette and a copy of a printed memorial recording his military career, published by his father.

Other family papers were interleaved loosely in the scrapbook including drawings by Charles H. Atchison, sent to his sister Anne Beatrix, relating to places Charles visited and buildings which were formerly family homes. Also, a series of prints of churches and buildings in England and on the continent sent by family members. There are a few drawings relating to their father Captain Henry Arthur Atchison’s career with the Ceylon Rifles.