The fonds comprises of records generated by John Herd Thompson during his years as a Professor at McGill University in the History Department. It consists mainly of correspondence with students and other professors, departmental memoranda, notes, committee minutes and reports.

The John Howard Toynbee Falk fonds was created during Falk's time in Montreal, including papers and addresses on the themes of social work including the role of the church in social services. They document the ideas of a leader and educator in the field of social work. In this vein there is, for example, a letter written by William Lyon Mackenzie King to Falk as the Director of the McGill School of Social Workers. These records also complement other holdings of t he McGill University Archives, including the official records of the School of Social Work and the private fonds of the Montreal Council of Social Agencies. The fonds also documents Falk's family life and his work with refugees during the 1905 Russian Revolution.

Cooper's papers fall into two almost equal categories: teaching materials and research materials. The teaching materials are largely files of examination questions, with Cooper's notes and drafts and occasionally some worked answers by students. These cover undergraduate courses at McGill and Sir George (1936-1969), special subjects, Ph.D. comprehensives, graduate and honours papers (1937-1967), historical method and philosophy of history (1937-1961), and McGill and Sir George courses in Latin American history (1937-1961). Course materials include an outline for an extension course in Canadian history (ca 1950), and notes for a course in 18th century diplomacy. A file of correspondence on History Department business (1952) largely concerns a doctoral thesis for which Cooper was external examiner. Other files contain lists of graduate student papers (1964-1966). Cooper's research files contain his notes, and occasionally some correspondence, on Latin American and West Indian history, early American historiography, banking and shipping in Québec and the history of higher education in the United States and Québec. His notes on historiography and 18th century diplomacy were probably gathered for the courses he taught in those subjects, and there are about 20 cm of index cards on mercenary regiments in the Crimea. There is a file of correspondence with the British Museum concerning Colonial maps, and one of correspondence and memoranda on Cooper's proposal for a history of McGill (1949). As well, there is a file of correspondence relating to the Klieforth Prize and the publication of Cooper's winning manuscript (1947-1949). Finally, a copy of Cooper's draft article for the Dictionary of Canadian Biography on James and Andrew McGill reflects his interest in Montréal and McGill history.

The fonds contains Dr. Ormrod's note books while an undergraduate and medical student at McGill.

This manuscript recounts the captivity of John Knubley, Master of the Mountezumar and Alexander Scott among the Moroccans after a ship wreck in 1810.

Longstaffe's papers consist of his typescript, with manuscript corrections, of a novel entitled The Twin Sisters: a Poem in Prose.

The fonds consists of a single 3-page manuscript letter document. Original laid paper watermarked '1805'. Letter is from John MacKellar, dated 16 June 1807. The letter is addressed to the Hon. George Cranfield Berkeley (1753-1818). MacKellar explains his strong reservations about establishing a prison hospital for sick prisoners of war. He warns of high expenses and inconvenience, using the Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, hospital as an example of the expenses required.

Melville Island, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, was formerly known as Kavanagh's Island and used to house French prisoners of war after 1793. The Chesapeake Affair happened six days after this letter was written in 1807 under the command of Admiral G. C. Berkeley.

The fonds documents John Mappin’s occupation as an independent antiquarian book seller, his personal interest in the history of print and Canadian politics, and his personal achievements as an author. The wide variety of subject files found in this collection are almost entirely North American based and span from 1733-2004. These records reflect Mappin’s particular focus on Canadian authors and Canadiana in general.

McDonald's correspondence, 1791-1860, mostly concerns business and property matters, but also includes personal correspondence. There are statements of account with McTavish, Frobisher & Co., 1799; with McTavish, Fraser & Co., 1803-1804; with McTavish, McGillivray & Co., 1808-1809. There are two volumes of autobiographical notes assembled in 1859 and covering the period 1791-1816.

There is a second copy of the autobiography, probably transcribed in the late 19th century. Written on the front fly leaf is the name: A.E. MacDonald. It has 63 leaves, and there are minor textual variants.

Fonds shows John McNaughton's activities as a medical student. It contains 3 lecture cards signed by or printed for the teachers. Among them are John Stephenson and W. Robertson.