The collection consists of material relating to his career at sea including: a page from the log of the HEICS BRUNSWICK and the log of HMS ST ALBANS and HMS AFRICA; two signal books, signal logs and a watch and station bill of the ST ALBANS; and papers relating to his service in HMS EAGLE. Also included are Pocock's published work on ship design, his proposals relating to steam tugs, and autobiographical papers including his memoir. There are also papers relating to his uncle Captain William Pocock accompanying a convoy of merchant ships in the UNION ISLAND in 1798.

Administrative / biographical background
The naval officer and artist William Innes Pocock (1783-1836) was born in Bristol, the son of Nicholas Pocock (1740 - 1821), a marine painter, and his wife Ann. Pocock’s memoir records that he was first entered on the books of HMS FLORA by Sir Charles Middleton in 1795, but his first time at sea was aboard his Uncle William’s merchant ship the UNION ISLAND, which sailed to the West Indies in 1797. He was then appointed as a midshipman on the East India Company’s BRUNSWICK, in which he undertook three voyages to the East and West Indies. He rejoined the Royal navy in 1805, initially serving in HMS ASTRAEA and then joining HMS ST ALBANS in 1807. He made three voyages to the Cape of Good Hope, St Helena and China in the ST ALBANS from 1807 to 1810. The convoy suffered damage in the last of these voyages resulting in a stay at St Helena for a refit. Whilst there, Pocock made several sketches of the island. Between 1810 and 1811 he moved to HMS AFRICA, LAVINIA and SAN JOSEF, before being promoted to lieutenant of the EAGLE on 1 August 1811. Stationed in the Mediterranean, the EAGLE participated in attacks on Fiume (Rijeka), Venice, Rovigna (Rovinj) and Trieste, and Pocock commanded the ship’s boats in attacks on the Italian, Istrian and Dalmatian coasts and the Ionian Islands. He gained distinction and significant prize-money on his service in the Adriatic, and although he left the navy in 1814, he continued to take an interest in naval subjects. In 1811 his proposals to change the holds of ships were published (see POK/4/1) and in his last year had a model steam tug constructed to demonstrate his plan for using steam vessels in war (see POK/6/4). Pocock married twice: his first marriage to Anne Wilson produced three daughters, Anne (Annie), Mary Innes and Catherine Elizabeth, and his second to Elizabeth Anne Pearson a son, William Innes Moreton. In his later years Pocock wrote his memoirs, covering the years 1782 to 1799 (POK/5/1). After his death his daughter Annie added her own recollections to his autobiographical work.