The collection contains letter-books, with copies of correspondence and notes, and 5 loose letters, on the education of slaves, paper currency, William Parker's party of 1820 settlers, the 1825 Commission of Enquiry into the offices of Chief and Deputy Secretaries and Bird's removal from office.

Correspondents include Earl Bathurst, Earl of Caledon, Sir R. Donkin, Col. J. Graham, Rev. M. Hough, W. Parker, T. Seton and Lord C.H. Somerset. Also 5 notebooks, mainly on religious topics, manuscripts, a printed obituary of Bird and 'A concise narrative or memoir to serve to discriminate the principal occurrences which have brought the Cape of Good Hope into notice from the year 1820 to 1827 by an observer' by C.C. Bird, transcribed by Iris Bird, 1970 (100l.)