The papers are contained in twelve natural and artificial collections: the Bridport Collection, the Croker Collection (see CRK), the Girdlestone Collection, the Haslewood Collection, the Matcham Collection (see MAM), the Monsarrat Collection, the Nelson-Ward Collection, the Stewart Collection (see STW), the Sutcliffe-Smith Collection (see SUT), the Trafalgar House Collection, the Walter Collection and the Western Collection. It includes papers of Lady Hamilton, Lady Nelson, other members of the Nelson family as well as the large amount of 'Nelsoniana' collected by the Museum. Collections in which material relating to Nelson forms only a part are described in Volume II of this Guide, as are volumes or documents acquired singly by the Museum. Collections in other institutions include those at the Nelson Museum, Monmouth, Lloyd's of London and the McCarthy Collection at the Portsmouth Royal Naval Museum, while the bulk of his letter-books are in the British Library. Large number of Nelson letters have been printed and can be traced in Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas, 'The dispatches and letters of Vice-Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson', (7 vols, London, 1844-1846); Thomas Joseph Pettigrew, 'Memoirs of the life of Vice-Admiral Lord Viscount Nelson', (2 vols, London,1849); Alfred Morrison, 'The collection of autograph letters and historical documents formed by Alfred Morrison', (2 vols, privately printed, 1893-1894) and G.P.B. Naish, 'Nelson' letters to his wife and other documents, 1785-1831 (London, 1958). Notes on the provenance of some of the collections in the Museum are provided by Miss K.F. Lindsay-MacDougall, 'Nelson manuscripts at the National Maritime Museum' the Mariner's Mirror, vol. 41, 1955, pp. 227-232. The most comprehensive of many biographies is Carola Oman, 'Nelson' (London, 1947) The Bridport Collection consists principally of correspondence between Nelson's brother, William Nelson, (later first Earl Nelson), his wife and his children between 1783 and 1794, but there are seventeen letters from Nelson to his brother, 1783 to 1804, as well as a copy of his will and draft codicils. There are letters from Lady Hamilton to William Nelson, 1801 to 1814, and receipts by Lady Hamilton for the pension left her under Nelson's will. The papers are concerned with domestic matters, 1797 to 1805, and honours conferred upon Nelson. (2 boxes, 1 vol). The Girdlestone Collection was purchased from Miss Girdlestone in 1935 and 1939 by Sir James Caird. It was originally collected by Nelson's elder sister, Susanna Bolton, and was handed down through the family to Miss Girdlestone. It consists of letters, 1789 to 1805, written by Nelson to his brother-in-law, Thomas Bolton. There are also a number of memoranda and instructions, 1796 to 1805, as well as family papers, 1731 to 1846 (1 box).

Administrative / biographical background
Nelson entered the Navy in 1770. His early service included a period in the East Indies and an expedition to the Arctic He was made a lieutenant in 1777, received his first command in 1778 in the West Indies and was made post captain in the following year. After a year's illness in 1780 he served in the North Sea, America and the West Indies. Following a period on half-pay he was appointed in 1784 to the Boreas and served in the West Indies until 1787; in this year he married Frances Herbert Nesbit. In 1793 Nelson was appointed to the Agamemnon and took part in the reduction of Toulon and in the next year he lost the sight of his right eye in Corsica. Under Sir John Jervis (later Earl St. Vincent, q.v.) he played a decisive part in the Battle of Cape St. Vincent, 1797, and was promoted to rear-admiral. Later in the year he lost his right arm in an unsuccessful attack on Santa Cruz. After a period of recuperation in England he was given the command of a powerful squadron ordered to find the French Mediterranean and expeditionary force which he pursued to Egypt and finally destroyed at Aboukir Bay, generally known as the battle of the Nile. For this victory Nelson was created Baron Nelson of the Nile and Burnham Thorpe. During the next year and a half Nelson was involved in the defence of the Kingdom of Naples and preoccupied with his relationship with Emma Hamilton (1761-1815), wife of Sir William Hamilton (q.v.), British Minister to Naples. He was created Duke of Bronte in 1799, returned to England the following year and was appointed vice-admiral. In April, he went with the Baltic Fleet under Sir Hyde Parker and led the attacking squadron at Copenhagen in the Elephant. He was made Viscount for his services during this campaign. On the resumption of war in 1803 Nelson was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean, and for the next two years with his flag in the Victory he blockaded the French fleet. In January 1805, Napoleon ordered the various French fleets to rendezvous at Martinique as part of his scheme for the invasion of England. The French Mediterranean fleet escaped and was chased by Nelson to the West Indies but he failed to bring it to action. After a brief respite in England, news came that the combined French and Spanish fleets were at Cadiz. Nelson blockaded them there and, when they came out, met them off Cape Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. He was killed as victory was assured.