Most of the collection consists of Carpenter's notes and drawings of shells. There are printed catalogues of shell collections from the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean dating from 1857 to 1876. His incoming correspondence is mainly from collectors in the United States and deals with shells. It covers the period 1858-1876. The main letter writers are J.G. Cooper, a collector from San Francisco, William Dall of the Smithsonian, James Lewis of Albany, N.Y. and William Bairn of the British Museum. Some of the material deals with Carpenter's establishment of the shell collection at McGill in 1866. There are files of clippings dealing with the death of his aunt, Mary Carpenter (1787-1877) and that of his sister, also named Mary (1807-1877) who was involved in the establishment of reform schools for girls. Included are some of Carpenter's certificates and diplomas (1834-1843). As well there is a copy of a biography of Carpenter written by his brother, Russell, in 1880. The book quotes extensively from Carpenter's letters, covering not only his years in the ministry but also his travels in the United states prior to the Civil War. As well there are interesting details of life in Montreal from 1865-1877 .

Fonds consists of papers (originals and printed materials) that are largely the products of Nicholls research work; there are also some materials from his student years, and some files related to his teaching and administrative activities.

Student materials consist of notes for undergraduate and graduate courses (1931-1936) and of lectures attended during post-doctoral study at Brooklyn and Cambridge. Teaching files contain examinations and quizzes for courses taught by Nicholls (1936-1973), lecture notes for his course in organic chemistry (1952-1955), laboratory manuals, and correspondence with the Québec Ministry of Education regarding marking of High School Leaving Examinations in chemistry (1940-1949). Administrative responsibilities are documented by files of memoranda and minutes, on the business of Graduate Faculty (1960-1971), the Scholarships Committee (1967-1969), the Museums Committee (1965) and Civil Defence (1951).

Approximately half the records concern research, largely in two fields: war research, and the history of science. War research is covered by correspondence (1939-1951) with Otto Maass and other officers of the National Research Council, the Defence Department, private industry, and fellow chemists, such as Russell Smart, largely on RDX and chemical warfare. Chemical warfare is also the subject of some reading and lecture notes (1942). Drafts and published reports of Nicholls' research on RDX are supplemented by copies of other NRC and Defence Department reports on explosives research, mustard gas, and the work of the NRC Polymer Subcommittee (1942-1944). Nicholls' involvement with the Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy of Science is reflected in files of minutes, reports and correspondence (1974-1977). There are also completed questionnaires and correspondence concerning the survey of historical scientific instruments conducted by the Association on behalf of the Union internationale d'histoire et de philosophie des sciences. Files of correspondence with the Humanities Research Council largely deal with assessing grant applications for history of science projects. Other research materials include notes for a bibliography on plastics, soaps and synthetics, and a file of reading notes and correspondence with antiquarian booksellers regarding the history of espionage (ca 1930-1955). Nicholls' interest in the history of science at McGill is reflected in 1.8 m of notes and photocopies of material on individuals, faculties, and science buildings.

The fonds consists of photographs, documents, graphic materials, and moving images relevant to the Lemon, Scott and Philips families. The scope predominantly covers the personal and professional lives of the Philips and Scott families from 1905 to 1950s, their time at McGill University and the Scott’s Presbyterian Mission to China. The textual documents consist of travel diaries, biographical publications, genealogical research and evidence, personal ephemera often accompanied by relevant newspaper articles, and correspondence, much of which was during the periods of the Boer War, WWI and WWII. There is graphical content significant to McGill University Medical School and the University of Dalhousie. Similarly, the collection contains graphical, published material and objects related to McGill University, it’s Medical School for men, the School of Occupational Therapy, and McGill’s relation to women students in the 1900-1950s. The photographs, which include some by Notman, comprise the bulk of the collection have significant informational, evidential, associational and artefactual value. The photos span from the 1840s-1990s (predominantly between 1905 and 1940s) capturing the daily life of these families, their association with McGill and their travels across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

The Fond is comprised of three Sous Fonds: Lemon, Scott and Philips.

Philips (ca 1838-1960s)
This sous fonds predominantly covers the personal life of the Philips family after the marriage of Dorothy Anne Scott to JR Philips. Additionally it covers: the professional life of JR Philips at Philips Cables and OMEA, Nancy Philips’ school days and her time at McGill University, Jack Philips and his service in the Boer War and WWI, biographical texts both written and transcribed by Nancy Philips, and considerable genealogical research into the combined family histories of the Philips, Scott and Lemon families. This fonds consists primarily of photographic records.

Scott (ca 1850-1930)
This sous fond covers the personal and professional lives of the Scott family. A large portion covers the medical training of both Dr. William J. Scott’s and Alfreda Lee Jowsey, and their time as missionaries in China just after the Boxer Rebellion. Fred A. Scott is also heavily featured, mainly his time training with the R.C.A.F and while fighting in WWII. Records for Dorothy Anne Scott and her mother Alfreda are the predominant portion of the collection, displaying a vibrant picture of their lives in Montreal and of their travels.

Lemon (ca 1960-1990)
This sous fonds is primarily records of the family life of Nancy Philips and Robert Lemon. Also featured are numerous slides related to Robert’s work in ornithology. Most records related to Nancy Philips are in the Philips sous fonds.

A memorial, on parchment, records the laying of the cornerstone of the Royal Grammar School by Lord Metcalfe.

The bulk of the Hunt papers consists of scientific correspondence, with a fairly large component of notes on scientific subjects. Most of the material dates from after Hunt's departure for the United States. With the exception of a letter of appointment to the Geological Survey of Vermont in 1845, all Hunt's correspondence (incoming, with copies of some outgoing) dates from the period 1863-1891, with the majority of items from the 1880s. There are a few letters of a social or personal nature, but most concern scientific matters: geological and chemical research problems, exchange of specimens, Hunt's theories and the controversies they stirred, his publications, negotiations for patents on some of his discoveries, the business of various scientific societies, and in particular the organization of the Geological Congress. Amongst his correspondents were James D. Dana (with whom he engaged in a heated quarrel over scientific theory), James Hall, Persifor Frazer, J.W. Dawson, and various members of the Geological Survey of Canada, such as G.M. Dawson, Robert Bell, Henry Y. Hind, and George Iles. Hunt's scientific notes mostly deal with special topics in chemistry, geology, mineralogy, railways, coal products and the controversy with Dana. There are also reading notes for geological texts, lecture notes for courses in geology, 1876, and chemistry, and indexes, apparently for Hunt's books. A manuscript on "Benjamin Franklin's Autobiography: an episode in its history", notes for a lecture on "People I have met", and sketches of family history represent Hunt's wider interests. There are also clippings of reviews of books and lectures by Hunt, biographical notices, reports on scientific themes and institutions, and news of the Geological Survey.

The company's records contain administrative, financial and publicity material. The administrative series comprises the minutes of the directors from 1929 to 1955 and of the executive committee from 1949 to 1956. An engagement book records contracts between the company and its employees, 1902-1906. Henry Morgan's business correspondence covers the period 1847-1850, and includes a few personal letters to his brother James. Financial records cover both internal operations and stock transactions. The former are documented by an account book, 1845-1848; ledgers, 1870-1889; and diaries, 1884, 1936; the latter by lists of stock holders, 1954-1960; and records of transfers of Morgan's common stock, 1954-1961. Also included are files of invoices, receipts and cheques, 1846-1852. Publicity materials largely centre around anniversaries. Scrapbooks of newspaper clippings, other printed materials and photographs cover the years 1936-1945, culminating in the company's centennial, for which a typescript history was prepared.

Fonds consists of manuscript essays spanning the years 1847-1903. They comprise his inaugural lecture on pericarditis, reminiscences of early days of the Medical Faculty, several discussions of homoeopathy, and papers on vaccination, the registration of the causes of death and other topics. Eleven volumes of his manuscript lectures "On women's medical problems" are also included.

Livingston's commonplace-book contains poems (some it would appear, of his own composition) and prose passages on love and various philosophical topics. They include extracts from J.W. Dawson's Archaia. He also used the book for lecture notes for medical courses; surgery (Dr. G. Campbell), chemistry (Dr. M.O. Sutherland) and pathology (Dr. William Fraser).

Simpson's papers contain personal records, student materials, and lectures delivered by him. The personal materials consist of a file of letters of appointment to the Indian Commission, Bishop's University, the Montreal General Hospital, and various insurance companies, as well as testimonial letters from Robert Craik and G.W. Campbell. Simpson's outgoing letterbook contains copies of correspondence from his Indian Commission period concerning salary, accomodation, medical supplies and other aspects of his work. Included are two diaries. One describes his trip to Europe, 1857-1858, giving quite full descriptions of hospitals and clinics, as well as sight-seeing, in Paris and the British Isles. The second diary, from 1865 to 1903 is less detailed. Finally, there is a file of personal documents, e.g. his birth certificate and instructions concerning his funeral, 1897. Apart from lecture attendance cards, materials from Simpson's student days consist of a notebook for a number of medical courses, 1853-1854. Simpson's teaching career is documented by a lecture on phlebitis, ten lectures on veneral disease, 1878, five on syphilis, 1881 and a convocation address, 1884.

The fonds consists of correspondence, course material, research and interview notes, articles, speeches, transcripts, grant applications, and other records pertaining to Dale Thomson's activities as a researcher, professor, journalist and Liberal Party activist from the 1940s to 1999 in Canada, The United States and other parts of the world. There is also a considerable amount of original, primary source material collected by Dale Thomson for his books. The fonds is composed of the following series:

1. Research Activities
2. Teaching and Administrative Activities
3. Political Activities

Although there are three separate series, it must be noted that some information contained in series files is often relevant to more than that area of activity. This is especially true of correspondence files.