The papers consist of official service documents, details of ships on the Pacific Station 1854 to 1860, an autobiographical outline of his career, 1810 to 1857, invitations to social events, and other personal papers.

Administrative / biographical background
Baynes entered the Navy in 1810, serving in the Blake under Sir Edward Codrington (q.v.) and in the Tonnant and Tartar in North America. He was commissioned as lieutenant in 1818, serving as First Lieutenant in the Vigo in South America until 1826 when he joined the Asia, flagship of Admiral Sir Edward Codrington (q.v.). It was in the Asia that he was present at the Battle of Navarino. In 1828 he was promoted to captain. After ten years on half-pay he joined the Andromache in Nova Scotia during the rebellion in Canada, after which he commanded he on the Cape Station, 1840 to 1841. In 1847 he was in the Bellerophon off the coast of Tuscany, when Leghorn was taken by the Austrians, and in 1855 was on Particular Service with the blockading fleet in the Baltic. He became Commander-in-Chief in the Pacific in 1857, remaining there until 1860 and was promoted to admiral in 1865.