The papers are part of the family collection and relate only to his period as Surveyor of the Navy. This includes private correspondence, 1848 to 1860, and draft replies; returns and reports from various dockyards, 1852 to 1859; memoranda and other papers about the problems of ship construction, 1851 to 1860, and printed papers on parliamentary and naval affairs, 1847 to 1859.

Administrative / biographical background
Walker entered the Navy in 1812, became a lieutenant in 1820, a commander in 1834 and a captain in 1838. With Admiralty permission he entered the Turkish navy in 1838, returning to England in 1845. He was appointed Surveyor of the Navy in 1848 and held this office for twelve years, during which time the change from sail to steam was largely effected. He had become a rear-admiral in 1858 and on leaving the Admiralty was appointed, in 1861, Commander-in-Chief at the Cape of Good Hope. In 1865 he was promoted to vice-admiral but had no further employment and became an admiral in 1870.