The bulk of the collection consists of the papers of Lord Hailes as Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of the Federation of the West Indies, 1958-1962, showing, in fascinating detail, the working out of this experiment in federation. There are numerous papers relating to Lord Hailes's long tenure of office as Assistant, Deputy Chief, and finally Chief, Whip and these include many letters from his fellow Conservatives showing the high esteem in which they held him.

Amongst the more personal correspondence are letters from Sir Winston Churchill whom Hailes served for a time as private secretary before he entered Parliament and then, later, with whom Hailes had a close relationship as Chief Whip during Churchill's last period as Prime Minister.

Lord Hailes's work as a Member of Parliament is reflected in constituency correspondence and papers concerned with East Toxteth (Liverpool) and Beckenham whose MP. he was from 1931 to 1950 and from 1950 to 1957 respectively.

Amongst the miscellaneous items at the end of the collection are some interesting papers and letters relating to the situation in Germany in the years leading up to the Second World War including Brendan Bracken's account of his discussion with Von Ribbentrop on international affairs in July 1939.