The papers are mostly commemorative of the voyage of HMS INVESTIGATOR to the Arctic and McClure's completion of the North-West Passage, 1850-1854. There are a few papers relating to his other appointments, including memoranda relating to China and the East Indies, 1857-1860, and two letters from the King of Siam, 1858-1859. There are also papers relating to his honours and medals, and a record of the early part of his service, 1824-1842.

Administrative / biographical background
McClure was born at Wexford in Ireland in 1807 and entered the Navy in 1824. He was made a lieutenant in 1837 and had already taken part in two Arctic expeditions when, in 1850, he was appointed to command HMS INVESTIGATOR in the search expedition for Sir John Franklin via the Bering Strait, led by Captain Richard Collinson. McClure and the men of the INVESTIGATOR were the first to make the traverse of the North-West Passage, though they were forced to abandon their ship which was beset in the ice off Banks Island, arriving back home in 1854. They were awarded £10,000 by Parliament in 1855 and McClure was knighted. In 1856 he was appointed to command HMS ESK on the Pacific Station and the following year was ordered to China. In December 1857 he commanded a battalion of the Naval Brigade at the capture of Canton, for which he was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB). He was then appointed senior officer in the Straits of Malacca. He returned home in 1861 and had no further service, being promoted to rear-admiral in 1867 and vice-admiral in 1873 on the retired list. McClure died in London in 1873 and was buried at Kensal Green Cemetery.