The papers include autobiographical material, notebooks, transcipts of talks, correspondence, certificates, ephemera and printed books.
A large part of the material consists of documents and notes gathered in preparation for the article published in the Mariner's Mirror. The article, "From wooden walls to dreadnaughts in a lifetime" was based on Yates' "Memories" and other manuscripts, which his daughter, found among his papers.

Administrative / biographical background
Yates entered the Royal School of Naval Architecture, South Kensington in 1871. His first appointment was as draughtsman and assistant foreman at HM Dockyard Portsmouth. In 1875 he was appointed supernumerary draughtsman at the Admiraly. Yates was then appointed foreman of Pembroke Dockyard 1878-1884. During this time, he was involved in the building of the turret battleship HMS EDINBURGH. In 1884 Yates became Principal Admiralty Overseer for the building of HMS BENBOW. On appointment to the rank of Constructor, Yates was appointed to Chatham Dockyard, where he remained until 1888, when he was transferred to Devonport Dockyard, being made Chief Constructor there in 1892. In 1892-93 he served as Admiralty Inspecting Officer, for the ships being fitted out for the "Special Service Squadron", under the Northbrook promramme. In 1893 he was appointed Chief Constructor, Chatham Dockyard and then transferred to Portsmouth in 1895. During these years Yates launched 11 important vessels, including some built under the Fisher programme. In 1902 he was appointed Civil Assistant at Chatham and in 1906 he went to Glasgow as Senior Constructive Officer for the Clyde and Barrow districts. He retired in 1912, but was recalled to the Admiralty, 1916-1918, for special duties in connection with shipbuilding for World War I.