The papers contain material relating to most aspects of Admiral McGrigor's naval career, often accompanied by several photographs. Present in the collection are orders, letters, newspaper cuttings, etc, relating to his early eduction at Osborne and Dartmouth naval colleges, his service during First World War, the non-intervention patrol during the Spanish Civil War, his service in various theatres during Second World War, and his post-war service with the Admiralty.

Administrative / biographical background
Rhoderick Robert McGrigor was the son of Major-General Charles R.R. McGrigor, 60th Rifles, and his wife Ada Rosamond McGrigor née Bower. He spent his early childhood in South Africa, before training as a cadet at Osborne and Dartmouth Royal Naval Colleges, passing out as top of his form in 1909. During the First World War, he served as a junior officer on the destroyer HMS FOXHOUND off the Dardanelles, then on the battleship HMS MALAYA with the Grand Fleet at the Battle of Jutland. He was promoted to captain in 1933 and his early commands included the destroyer HMS KEMPENFELT, taking part in the Nyon non-intervention patrol during the Spanish Civil War and the rescue of crew from the sinking Spanish Government cruiser BALEARES. At the outbreak of the Second World War, McGrigor was chief-of-staff to Admiral Sir Percy L.H. Noble, commander-in-chief on the China station. Between 1940 and 1941 he commanded the battlecruiser HMS RENOWN, taking part in the BISMARCK action and the bombardment of the coast of Genoa. Following an early promotion to the rank of rear-admiral, he then joined the Board of Admiralty as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Weapons). Shortly after, he returned to an active post as a naval force commander during the capture of Pantellaria and the invasion of Sicily. In 1944 he returned home to take command of the First Cruiser Squadron and aircraft carriers of the Home Fleet. During the last year of the war, McGrigor led attacks on the coast of enemy-occupied Norway and took several convoys to and from north Russia. Between 1948 and 1951 he was promoted to admiral and had appointments as commander-in-chief of the Home Fleet, then commander-in-chief at Plymouth. He was later First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, eventually retiring in 1955. He died at Aberdeen in 1959.