The Harold Spence-Sales fonds at McGill’s Canadian Architecture Collection primarily contains project records related to Harold Spence-Sales' career as an architect and urban planner. The bulk of the records pertain to projects that Harold Spence-Sales worked on as well as corresponding financial, administrative and office records.

The fond heavily documents projects that Harold Spence-Sales worked on during the 1970s-1980s in British Columbia and in Quebec during the 1940s-1960s. Other projects that Harold Spence-Sales worked on across Canada and internationally appear intermittently throughout the fonds. The Oromocto community planning project that Harold Spence-Sales worked on from 1955-1958 in New Brunswick is particularly well documented. Harold Spence-Sales designed Oromocto to be a military town. Before He transformed Oromocto into a military town it was a defunct 19th century shipbuilding town. The Oromocto project is considered one of Harold Spence-Sales most important urban-town planning projects.

Apart from administrative, office and project records, the fonds also contains records that relate to Harold Spence-Sales professional activities outside of his work as an architect and urban planner. For example, awards and honors that he received and records related to his involvement in architectural and urban planning associations. Additional professional activities include: his involvement in creating exhibitions, curating architectural-themed magazines and periodicals as well as copies of publications that he worked on solo and in collaboration with John Bland.

The fonds also contains fourteen boxes of Harold Spence-Sales personal records. The personal records primarily cover Harold Spence-Sales interest in art, creative pursuits, family activities, family genealogy, personal finances, last will and testaments as well as his decline in health and his death. Within the fourteen boxes that have been cataloged as personal records, there are also materials related to Harold Spence-Sales professional activities. For example, awards that Harold Spence-Sales received and records related to exhibitions and artistic projects that he worked on.

Fonds contains Dr. M.H.F. Friedman's personal papers and files relating to Dr. Boris P. Babkin and also correspondence with the editor of Babkin's biography of I.P. Pavlov.

Fonds consists of the personal and professional papers of Louis and Irene Kon including extensive correspondence between the Kon family. Included are materials relating to the founding of the Norman Bethune Foundation and Bethune memorials; the making of Ted Allan's movie, "Making of a Hero", including the conflict with Syd Gordon regarding creative differences; a manuscript draft and notes on Larry Stephenson's manuscript 'Two Petrals.'

"Professional Papers, 1964-7, 3 cm." Correspondence, specifications, notes and clippings relating to the design of the Manoir Comeau in Baie Comeau, PQ (1966-7) and alterations to the Canadian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Montreal (1964-5), comprise the archive's holdings of this architectural firm.

"Documents professionnels, 1964-1967, 3 cm." De la correspondance, des cahiers des charges, des notes et des coupures de presse se rapportant aux projets du Manoir Comeau à Baie-Comeau (Québec) (1966-1967) et des modifications à l'immeuble de la SPCA à Montréal (1964-1965).

The archives contains at this time an estimated 20 000 plans and drawings, 600 presentation boards, 500 loose sketches, 60 sketchbooks, 600 boxes of projects and office files, 80 models, 200 computer diskettes, and a representative collection of slides, photographic prints, audio-visual material, as well as a bibliographic file of primary and secondary literature. Materials are in the process of being accessioned and described.

Le fonds contient présentement environ 20 000 plans et dessins, 600 panneaux de présentation, 500 croquis, 60 carnets de croquis, 600 boîtes de dossiers de projets et de bureau, 80 maquettes, 200 disquettes d'ordinateur, une collection de diapositives représentative de son oeuvre, des photographies, du matériel audio-visuel et des dossiers bibliographiques de sources primaires et secondaires. Le matériel est en train d'être dépouillé mais n'a pas encore été décrit.

Fonds contains 198 drawings (1938-1940) documenting the early development of the Mont Tremblant ski area for Mr. Joseph Ryan in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec. A wide variety of buildings including the lodge, a church, staff house as well as a series of cabins, cottages and out buildings are documented through watercolour and original tracings which are standard sets of plans, sections, elevations and details. There are also various site development drawings showing the topography as well as the layout of buildings, the water, sewers, and electrical systems. Blueprints by G. Lorne Wiggs represent the electrical, plumbing and mechanical layouts for many of the buildings within the development. The fonds also contains other material related to Mont Tremblant including, specifications for the General Contract of a Development for Joseph B. Ryan, Esq. at Mont Tremblant, Quebec 1939, a record of drawings and distribution of prints, and one printed volume (John and Frankie O'Rear, "The Mont Tremblant Story Including Skiing the Mont Tremblant Way", A.S. Barnes and Company: New York, 1954).

"Architectural Drawings, 1961-5, 311 drawings." Twelve projects contain drawings, among them the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (1962-5), a shopping centre in Kingston, ON (n.d.), a pharmaceutical centre and research laboratory for the Smith, Mine and French company in Senneville, PQ (n.d.), and the design of two residential houses in Montreal.
"Photographs, 1961-5, 84 photographs." A proposal for a master plan and municipal building in Baie d'Urfé, PQ (1962/3), a site planning study for McGill University (1961), a redevelopment scheme for Westmount (n.d.), and the Kingston shopping centre are among the six projects documented by photographs.
"Professional papers, 1960-3, 24 cm." The archive contains papers, primarily reports and specifications, for six projects, including the proposed master plan and municipal building for Baie d'Urfé, the development study for McGill University and a maintenance building for Les Habitations Jeanne-Mance in Montreal (1963).

"Dessins architecturaux, 1961-1965, 311 dessins." Douze projets sont documentés par des dessins, notamment le musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal (1962-1965), un centre commercial de Kingston (Ontario, s.d.), un centre pharmaceutique et un laboratoire de recherche pour la société Smith, Kline et French à Senneville (Québec, s.d.) et le dessin de deux résidences de Montréal.
"Photographies, 1961-1965, 8.4 photos." Une proposition de plan d'urbanisation et d'hôtel de ville pour Baie d'Urfé (Québec) (1962-1963), un plan de développement pour l'Université McGill (1961), un programme de redéveloppement pour la ville de Westmount (s.d.) et le centre commercial de Kingston sont au nombre des six projets documentés par des photos.
"Documents professionnels, 1960-1963, 24 cm." Le fonds contient des documents, surtout des rapports et des cahiers des charges, pour six projets, notamment la proposition de plan d'urbanisation et d'hôtel de ville pour la municipalité de Baie d'Urfé, l'étude de développement commandée par l'Université McGill et un immeuble d'entretien attenant aux Habitations Jeanne-Mance de Montréal (1963).

Included is the constitution, by-laws, and minute books covering 1922-1940. Approximately one half of this material consists of membership cards recording the name, rank, degrees, and publications of members from 1920 until ca 1970. There are also membership lists for various periods including the founding members and lecture lists, ca 1930s. The secretary's files, covering the period 1963-1969, contain files on dues collected, expenditures, membership (nominations, transfers, correspondence with members), the national convention, and chapter meetings. Financial transactions from 1939 to 1946 are recorded in the treasurer's account book.

"Architectural Drawings, 1934-40, 109 drawings." The thirteen projects documented by drawings include a house for T. Ross in Montreal, the Penguin Ski Club in St. Sauveur, PQ, a White Circle Market store on Decarie Blvd. in Montreal and a barn for A. D. Durnford in Nantel, PQ.
"Photographs, 1934-8, 18 photographs." Photographs of finished interiors and exteriors for ten projects, including the Ross house in Montreal, the Sir Arthur Currie Memorial Cross in Mount Royal Cemetery and Douglas Hall men's residence at McGill University, are found in the archive.
"Professional Papers, 1934-7, 8 cm." Correspondence, notes, specifications, clippings and contracts relating to the Penguin Ski Club, the Ross house, the Sir Arthur Currie Memorial Cross and three other projects are included in the archive.

"Dessins architecturaux, 1934-1940, 190 dessins." Les treize projets documentés par des dessins comprennent notamment la maison de T. Ross à Montréal, le Club de ski Penguin de Saint-Sauveur (Québec), un marché White Circle sur le boulevard Décarie à Montréal et une étable pour A. D. Durnford à Nantel (Québec).
"Photographies, 1934-1938, 18 photos." Photographies des finitions intérieure et extérieure de dix projets, notamment la maison Ross à Montréal, le monument à la mémoire de Sir Arthur Currie au cimetière du Mont-Royal et la résidence Douglas des étudiants de l'Université McGill.
"Documents professionnels, 1934-1937, 8 cm." De la correspondance, des notes, des cahiers des charges, des coupures de presse et des contrats se rapportant aux projets du Club de ski Penguin, à la maison Ross, au monument de Sir Arthur Currie et à trois autres projets.

"Architectural Drawings, 1955-69, 219 drawings." Architectural drawings documenting eleven projects are found in the CAC. The majority of the drawings are designs for a residential dwelling for J. A. Laing on lie Bizard, PQ (1961-2); other Montreal projects represented in the archives include additions and alterations to the house of N. L. C. Mather in Westmount (1959-60), an addition to the Canadian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals building on Jean Talon (1962-64), alterations to St. George's Church and a number of alterations to the Sommer Building on Mayor Street (1955-69).
"Photograph, 1959-60." A photograph of a finished exterior of the Mather house in Westmount, with alterations and an addition, is found in the archive.
"Professional Papers, 1958-69, 13 cm." Correspondence, specifications, notes, and statements relating to five projects, including an addition and alterations to the Mather house, alterations to St. George's Church and alterations to the Sommer Building.

"Dessins architecturaux, 1955-1969, 219 dessins." La CAC réunit des dessins architecturaux reliés à onze projets. La plupart des dessins se rapportent à la résidence de J. A. Laing à l'île Bizard (Québec) (1961-1962); au nombre des autres projets montréalais représentés dans le fonds,
signalons les annexes et modifications à la maison de N. L. C. Mather à Westmount (1959-1960), une annexe à l'immeuble de la SPCA, rue Jean-Talon (1962-1964), des modifications apportées à l'église St. George ainsi que des modifications apportées à l'immeuble Sommer, rue Mayor (1955-1969).
"Photographies, 1959-1960." Une photographie de la finition extérieure de la maison Mather à Westmount, avec modifications et annexes.
"Documents professionnels, 1958-1969, 13 cm." De la correspondance, des cahiers des charges, des notes et des relevés se rapportant à cinq projets, notamment à une annexe et des modifications à la maison Mather, ainsi qu'à des modifications à l'église St. George et à l'immeuble Sommer.