The papers consist of logs, 1750 to 1753, and two combined letter and order books, 1761 to 1766. There are also copies, made by Abdy in his retirement, of despatches describing actions, 1778 to 1782 and 1793 to 1797, and of the Agamemnon's log, 1782 to 1783.

Administrative / biographical background
Abdy began his career by serving in the East India Company's ships True Briton, 1750 to 1752, on a voyage to China and Stafford,1753, to India. He then entered the Navy and was commissioned as lieutenant in 1758. He was promoted to commander in 1761 and served in the Beaver, 1761 to 1766, in home waters and then in the West Indies. In 1766 he was promoted to Captain of the Actaeon in the West Indies, but he returned home before the end of the year and did not serve again because of ill-health.