The fonds documents Judith Fitzgerald’s personal and professional activities as a journalist, poet, and country music enthusiast, put together by Fitzgerald herself, documenting her work from the years 1965 to 1995. The majority of the records consists of research about individuals and musical acts, as well as other work-related projects that Fitzgerald was involved in. These include notes, drafts, and published work written by Fitzgerald, as well as various publications that she collected about the subjects and projects she worked on. The fonds also notably includes Fitzgerald’s creative work, including notes, drafts, manuscripts, and copies of her published books of poetry. Other materials include correspondence between Fitzgerald and friends, publishers, and individuals and institutions that she covered in her research. In addition, the fonds includes some financial records and personal records relating to Fitzgerald’s day-to-day activities and significant events in her life. These records include her marriage certificate, scrapbooks containing collected publications on herself, and notes on her autobiography.

The fonds documents Dorothy Duncan’s personal and professional activities as an American-born Canadian writer and painter, primarily between 1930 and her death in 1957. Duncan’s career as a writer is represented by scrapbooks, clippings, and photographs related to her published works, two unpublished manuscripts, and contracts and correspondence with publishers and her literary agent in New York. Her activities as a painter are documented in clippings, lists of paintings, and contracts with art galleries. The fonds also contains personal correspondence, including letters from friends, family, fans, and a significant number of letters from her husband, Hugh MacLennan. Duncan’s notebooks and diaries also attest to her personal and professional activities. They document her early adulthood in Illinois and her later life in Montreal, and include notes, agendas, and a ledger. The fonds also contains two albums of personal photographs.

Correspondence 1921-1931 concerning Simon McTavish; official copies of legal documents including estate inventories, lawsuits over the McTavish estate, and Simon McTavish’s will; notes for Baylis’ study of McTavish; numerous petitions and newspaper clippings on the state of the McTavish monument and tomb (Peel St., Montreal), and a typescript of his text concerning Simon McTavish. Also two letters from Ignatius Donnelly, 1899, and a letter 1895, from J. Middleton to John Doyle about 19th century gardening in Montreal and the funeral of Judge James Reid.

These papers contain Forbes' personal files of correspondence and clippings, some design materials and films of McGill football games. The personal files contain biographical materials such as his birth certificate, military commission and service records, and letters concerning his employment at McGill. Other files concern Forbes' designs for decorations for the 1951 Royal Visit, the McGill C.O.T.C., the Forbes Trophy for athletics, Forbes' involvement with McGill athletics and museums, and the career of his brother Kenneth Forbes, a painter. A number of diplomas and certificates awarded Forbes, as well as a photograph album, complete this series. Materials for designs include files on heraldry, a collection of illustrations from 19th century periodicals, designs for the Royal Visit decorations (a few, by Percy Nobbs, were used for the 1939 visit), maps, linocuts, bookplates, and programmes designed by Forbes for McGill events, ca 1925-1950. Thirty-four reels of motion picture film record McGill extramural football games (1947-1951). Films with sound track show the construction of the Currie gymnasium (1939-1940), and demonstrate the swimming techniques of Matt Mann. Additional biographical material is provided by obituary notices and letters of condolence to Mrs. Forbes, and by clippings of articles about Forbes.

Madame Fischer's papers are evenly divided between records of her own career as a performer and material on the Sarah Fischer Concerts. Her performing career is documented by newsclippings, tributes and programmes, reports from the Royal College of Music, and publicity photographs in opera costume. Most of the approximately 50 items of correspondence date from the last five years of her life and concern the disposal of her papers. Taped interviews, in which she discusses her career, include recordings from 1918 and 1925. Material connected with the Sarah Fischer Concerts comprises 143 programmes (1941-1975), press notices, announcements, and a report for 1973-1974. Photographs from this period show Fischer with government and musical celebrities.

Lewis' papers consist of a few scattered items apparently assembled as part of his research for Royal Victoria Hospital 1887-1949, Montreal, McGill University Press, 1969. Newspaper clippings, 1932-1964, deal with Montréal and R.V.H. history. Lewis' correspondence, 1965-1971, with the Dominion Archivist, the McGill Archives, Dr. John Cleland, Mrs. Ellen Scrimger and others discusses various historical materials connected with the hospital. Also includes notes on material in the R.V.H. archives, some hospital newsletters and photographs, and a few reprints and addresses.

This material features a small amount of medical papers: a manuscript of Bell's address on the subject of nursing training to the Alumnae Association of the R.V.H. School for Nurses, 1910; a letter introducing Bell to Dr. Viktor Hueter of Marburg, Germany, from Francis Shepherd, 1891; and a laboratory report to Bell from R.F. Ruttan, on kidney stones, 1900. Bell's map of the Riel Rebellion, 1885, is also included. A series of five lectures and papers on intestinal ailments, syphilis, rodent ulcer of the face, cancer of the larynx and kidney disease is supplemented by 19 case reports, 1896-1907, 7 of patients whose primary symptom was abdominal pain, and 12 suffering from sore or swollen throat. The remainder of the papers consist almost entirely of obituary notices, newsclippings and resolutions in memory of Bell and about half a dozen lettes of sympathy, including one from Sir William Osler.

This archive contains letters and copies of letters, from the Wisdom sisters to one another, describing their experiences at Royal Victoria College, 1900-1908. There is also a letter from Stephen Leacock, accepting an invitation to deliver an address, and two from Hilda Oakeley to Mrs. Wisdom. Programmes (particularly of R.V.C. plays and sports events), clippings, and photographs are also included. There are also course notes for C.W. Colby's Renaissance history and William Caldwell's history of modern philosophy.

Snell's research files for his history of Macdonald College contain drafts of the book, and files of notes, extracts and clippings collected as background material. Included are two volumes of an attendance register from an unidentified Québec public school, 1857-1869.