The collection consists of the following four categories: biographical, obituary, pictorial, and memorial. Apart from copies of two addresses delivered from England by radio to the meeting of the Royal Society of Canada at McGill (1930), and an extensive collection of off-prints, the biographical documentation is about, not by, Rutherford. It comprises newsclippings about Rutherford's work and awards (1909), a curriculum vitae to 1907, a copy of Shaw's article on Rutherford's departure from McGill (1907) and E.R. Terroux's catalogue of Rutherford's McGill laboratory.

Photographic materials include five individual portraits of Rutherford (1905-1937) and a group portrait of Rutherford with other members of the Macdonald Physics Laboratory (1904-1905). There are also two views of the Macdonald Physics Building lecture theatre and the Physics Department staff taken at the Rutherford Memorial Lecture, 1937.

Obituary materials largely consist of newsclippings about Rutherford's death and copies of commemorative articles. Also included are two drafts of A.N. Shaw's essay Rutherford at McGill (1938), as well as correspondence concerning this article. There is also a copy of McGill's telegram of sympathy to Lady Rutherford, her reply, and some correspondence concerning the disposal of Rutherford's desk.

Various memorial projects in Rutherford's name are documented by A.N. Shaw's correspondence files (1939-1957). These include incoming and copies of outgoing correspondence about the Rutherford Plaque, the Rutherford Museum (with E.R. Terroux), and the joint Royal Society-Royal Society of Canada Rutherford Memorial Scholarships. This last file largely concerns subscriptions to the fund, but also contains campaign literature and reports. Furthermore, copies of correspondence (1896-1937, 35 cm (Large MSS), the originals of which are at the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University are located in the Archives.

The fonds contains correspondence concerning a dinner in honour of Sir William Osler at the University Club, New York, organized by Beverly Chew, M. Taylor Pyne, Edward G. Kennedy, William Augustus White, Frederick R. Halsey and Ernest Dressel North in 1913. The fonds includes 74 original letters. E.D. North managed the correspondence for the event, which included numerous bibliophiles.

Eric Aloys Sprenger's papers comprise course materials, and items reflecting sports and social activities at McGill in the 1930s. Apart from an annotated high-school geometry text, Sprenger's course materials are from his years at McGill. They comprise class and tutorial notes from each of the four years of the Engineering course. Also included in this series are exercises in freehand and mechanical drawing, 1930, and the outlines, drafts, and typed copies of summer essays for 1934, 1937, and 1939, on paper-making machines. Other reflections of student life are provided by copies of the McGill Daily for 21 November 1938 and November 29 1940 (the latter reporting the death of William Sprenger) and a song-sheet for an Engineering 'Smoker', 1935. A large scrapbook of newspaper clippings and programmes for swimming meets at McGill and the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association gives particular attention to William Sprenger's participation, 1926-1935.

A series has been dedicated to William Paterson Sprenger, Eric’s brother and the textual and photographic records concern his school and college record, and his death and subsequent memorials.

The fonds consists of literary works composed by Farkas, including scripts, manuscripts, poems, and plays. The records reflect Farkas’ involvement within the arts community, as well as many works relating to Canadian culture, specifically in Quebec. Farkas’ records span from 1952 until 2016. Locations that are reflected in Farkas’ works are Canada and Hungary.

No discernable order has been detected except for boxes 7 and 8 where poems are sorted alphabetically. The records have been filed into series which are detailed below. There are photographs, personal correspondence, translations of other poems and audiovisual materials (cassettes, CDs and DVDs). There are large amounts of correspondence with other artists and performers in both Canada and Europe, another reflection of his involvement within the community. The series listing is as follows: 1) Correspondence, 2) Manuscripts, 3) Poems & Poetry, 4) Reviews, 5) Scripts & Performance Pieces, 6) Translations, 7) Vehicule, 8) Works by other authors, 9) Mixed media, 10) An Evening in the Muses’ Company and 11) Photographs and visual materials.

The fonds contains professional and private correspondence from Emma Albani, the first Canadian-born singer of international fame, to Parisian publisher Henri Heugel.

The fonds consists of Emanuel Orlick’s bound student notebook from the Department of Psychology.

Two letters to Rexford from S.P. Robins, Secretary and Superintendent for the Protestant School Commissioners of Montreal, discuss the affairs of the McGill Normal School, 1883.

Rexford's papers comprise manuscript and typescript drafts of his High School of Montreal: the development of Secondary Education 1800-1932, ca 1932. For Rexford's collection of background material, see the Special Collection: Protestant Education in Québec.

R.M. Elliott's papers comprise notebooks for general science and agriculture courses, 1915-1916. His sister Elsie is represented by photographs, approximately 1948-1956, and a Macdonald College School for Teachers examination, 1911.

The Elizabeth Shapiro fonds consists of correspondence, diaries, course notes and personal papers created and accumulated between 1925 and 2003. The correspondence between Shapiro and her mother detail her time as a student at McGill University between 1938 and 1941. The accession also includes course materials related to Shapiro’s studies in biology and classics, as well as selected materials from her childhood.

Finding Aid is only paper