This fonds contains records and supplementary material covering all three major aspects of the life of John Wilson McConnell: business and finance, social and philanthropic commitments, and family life. The records covering these subjects stem mainly from ca1898 to the time of McConnell’s death in 1963. Additional financial records exist past this date into the early 1970s due to the trusts administered by McConnell’s legacies. The nature of the records is reflected in the following series: 1) Correspondence; 2) Scrapbooks, Journals and Address books; 3) Personal and Family records; 4) Philanthropy; 5) High society; and 6) Business Commitments. The records in Series 4 and 5 are further subdivided into subseries: Philanthropy and Fundraising (Hospitals and Health Care; Higher Education; War Efforts); Business Commitments (Promotion; Commercial Trust Co.; Montreal Star; St. Lawrence Sugar Refineries; Property Holdings).

This series contains records related to the various business ventures of J.W. McConnell.

The records are broken down into five subseries according to function: Company Promotions, 1900-1930; Commercial Trust, 1936-1972; Montreal Star, 1925-1971; St. Lawrence Sugar Refineries, 1912-1977; and Property Holdings (St. Lawrence Sugar Refineries), 1917-1962. Material found in this series includes ledgers, financial statements and reports, tax documents, meeting minutes, memos and correspondence.

This series contains ephemera and related photographs reflecting the McConnells’ elevated status in society and the various persons of royalty and in government with whom they socialized. The ephemera in the series was collected by the McConnells, mainly by Lily, from events in London, Canada and the United States which they attended.

The material in the series is extensive and includes records with the McConnells’ names listed as well as souvenirs from royal functions such as coronations (King George VI and, later, Queen Elizabeth II) and official dinners and galas. The ephemera in this series includes: place cards from dinners and luncheons, invitations and calling cards for social engagements in London from the 1930s; souvenir booklets and programmes of the coronation and royal visit of King George VI, 1936-1939; souvenir booklets, menus, correspondence and programmes of the coronation and royal visits of Queen Elizabeth II, 1951-1959; and crests of families of the peerage, on envelopes.

This series contains records of J.W. McConnell, and in some instances additional members of his immediate family, documenting their involvement in numerous fundraising and philanthropic works.

The records were divided into specific subseries (Hospitals and Health Care; Higher Education; War Efforts) to reflect the work of McConnell to meet the different needs of Montreal and communities abroad. The records consist of fundraising correspondence and requests from McConnell, photographs, artefacts, financial reports and statements from the McGill campaign and ephemera related to fundraising including a set of index cards that McConnell used to organize the McGill fundraising campaign. Specific fundraising inititatives include: McGill $5,000,000 Campaign, 1943/1944; Montreal Joint Hospital Campaign, 1927; Victoria Order of Nurses Pension Fund, 1944/1945; Victory Loan Campaign, 1917-1918; ‘Wings for Britain’ Campaign; and McConnell’s personal donation of $1,000,000 to create the McConnell Squadron of Royal Air Force Spitfires, 1941-1946.

This series contains personal and family records of the McConnells from 1898-ca1970.

Included in the records are copies of the McConnell family tree, household and property expenses (e.g. receipts and bills from landscaping companies, clothing and household furnishings retailers, employee pay stubs, and lists of household costs), a guestbook from Saran Chai, photographs of family vacations at Saran Chai and the McConnells’ Golden Wedding anniversary, individual portraits or scenes of J.W. and Lily McConnell and friends, films of McConnell family vacations in Canada and trip to England in the late 1930s), material from special events such as the wedding of Kathleen McConnell to Peter Laing, additional personal mementos such as passports and McConnell’s Hymnary, and Christmas cards.

This series contains journals, scrapbooks and numerous agendas and address books belonging to both J.W. McConnell and his wife Lily. This series also includes an agenda used by Kathleen McConnell Laing. The material in this series dates between 1887 and 1960.

The journals written by J.W. McConnell and his wife were almost all started before a major trip (e.g. the Coronation trip taken in 1952) but do not contain detailed narratives and were never continued for any lengthy period. The notes and entries that were recorded discuss both business and personal/family observations. The many scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings and letters concerning J.W. McConnell’s business interests, accomplishments, the Montreal Star and family members. The McConnells also kept many articles and ephemera related to British Royal Family members and the McConnells’ involvement in Montreal society and fundraising efforts. There also exists a significant scrapbook compiled after J.W. McConnell’s death containing obituaries from Canadian and international newspapers.

This image consists of scenes of family gatherings (possibly Christmas) as well as summer vacation scenes. Includes scenes of a ship named Princess Helene and the wedding of Honore Mercier in 1935. Migrated from 16 mm. Film.

This film consists of scenes from a family vacation in the mountains, possibly on a ranch. Also includes scenes of horse races. Unknown persons.

This film consists of scenes of family gathering (possibly Christmas) as well as summer vacation scenes. Includes scenes of a ship named Princess Helene.

This image consists of scenes from a trip to England by the McConnells, possibly for the coronation of King George VI in 1939. Includes scenes of Lord Illife’s yacht and its crew, an unknown English manor and garden, Lily McConnell walking in garden with friends, a ceremonial changing of the guard, shots of an English village.