The papers consist of a collection of letters and orders received, mainly from Lieutenant William Parry, 1819 to 1821, together with a number of drafts of letters written by Liddon to Parry.

Administrative / biographical background
Liddon entered the Navy in 1804 and after service in the West Indies, South America and the Mediterranean, was promoted to lieutenant in 1811. In January 1819 he commanded the Griper, which accompanied an expedition to the Arctic under Lieutenant (later Rear-Admiral Sir) William Edward Parry (1790-1855), the object of which was to discover the North-West Passage. He paid off the Griper in December 1820 and saw no further active service, although he was promoted to captain on the retired list.