The papers on loan include orders, 1795-1801; commissions of Sir Thomas Troubridge and his son Sir Edward; correspondence and orders, 1801-1807; correspondence relating to the Battle of Copenhagen, 1801, the court martial of Calder, 1801, and the HARRIER and GREYHOUND, 1806, re: destroying Dutch Company's brigs CHRISTIAN ELIZABETH and BELGICA. The collection also consists of 12 letters detailing prize money, 1798-1802, purchased in 1982. The family papers had been arranged by a hired researcher prior to being loaned to the museum in 1984.

Administrative / biographical background
Entering the navy as an able seaman on the SEAHORSE on 8 October 1773, he sailed to the East Indies being made midshipman on 21 March 1774 and master's mate 25 July 1776. He then joined the crew of the SUPERB in 1780, the flagship of Edward Hughes. After his heroic deeds during the capture of the French frigate SARTINE, Troubridge was promoted Lieutenant of the CHASER on 1 January 1781. Being present at the battle of Sadras 17 February and the battle of Trimcomalee on 12 April 1782, in the SEAHORSE, he returned later to the SUPERB as a junior Lieutenant. On 10 October 1782 he was promoted first lieutenant of the SUPERB and on the next day promoted commander of the sloop LIZARD. His next promotion was to be over two months later, being made post captain of the ACTIVE, 1 January 1783, taking part in Hughes's fifth action of Cuddalore. Troubridge was later appointed captain of the DEFENCE, 23 December 1783 and Captain in November 1784 of the SULTAN. During the Spanish armament of 1790 was appointed to the THAMES and served under Commodore Cornwallis in the East Indies. In 1792 he was appointed to the CASTOR and was captured on 10 May 1794 by part of the French Brest Fleet whilst conveying fourteen merchant vessels from the Channel Islands to Newfoundland. Troubridge was presented at the battle of Cape St Vincent, 14 February 1797 where the CULLODEN (appointed since February 1795) led the British line. In July 1797 the CULLODEN formed part of a small squadron detached under Nelson for an attack on Santa Cruz at Tenerife in the Canary Islands. In 1798 a French expedition from Toulon in early 1798 led to Troubridge sailing in the CULLODEN as one of a squadron of ten sail of the line, sent by Jervis to reinforce Nelson in the Mediterranean, who was already searching for the French fleet. The fleet was eventually discovered leading to the battle of the Nile, 1 August 1798. Troubridge however was forced to remain behind as the CULLODEN struck heavily on a shoal and had to witness the battle instead. Troubridge was made a baronetcy on 23 November 1799 as a reward for retaking Naples and awarded the newly created order of St Ferdinand and Merit by Ferdinand. Troubridge was made one of the Admiralty commissioners which he held from 19 February 1801 to 15 May 1804. On 23 April 1804 Troubridge was created rear-admiral of the blue just before Addington's government resigned and created rear-admiral of the white on 9 November 1805. On 23 April 1806 news is received that Troubridge is made commander-in-chief at the Cape of Good Hope, recently taken from the Dutch. On the 1 February 1807 Troubridge's ships the BLENHEIM and JAVA were caught in a cyclone near the south-east end of Madagascar. The HARRIER caught sight of their distress signals but she was also in danger and could do nothing. The HARRIER lost sight of them in a violent squall.