George Mercer Dawson's papers comprise professional, scientific and family correspondence, some scientific manuscripts, drawings and photographs of Western exploration, juvenalia, student materials, and poetry. His scientific correspondence (boxes 54-55) commences in 1872, but drops off sharply after the early 1880s. The letters, and his occasional draft replies, document the political and administrative fortunes of the Geological Survey, the North American Boundary Commission, and various learned societies. As well, they report on field research, particularly on mineral deposits, arrangements for equipment and assistants for expeditions, and the exchange of specimens. The correspondents include other members of the Survey, government officials, and business concerns, especially railways and mines. Dawson's scientific manuscripts fall into two groups: notes and reports on Western exploration, geology, mining, and Indigenous communities, 1870-1875, and 5 cm of general lectures on physical geography delivered to the Montreal Ladies' Educational Association, 1880. Closely allied to his scientific and exploratory work are an album of photographs taken in western Canada in 1894-95 (box 70), and about 10 cm of pencil sketches, sepias and watercolors of landscapes, many produced during exploratory trips in 1873-1874, and 1881 (box 59). Materials of a more personal nature include juvenalia (short essays, drawings, and two diaries from 1861 and 1865) and 16 lecture and laboratory notebooks from his student years at the Royal School of Mines, 1869-1872, together with pocket diaries, memorandum books, and notes of geological field trips during the same period (boxes 57-59). Dawson also wrote poetry, of which 10 cm of manuscript is extant (box 56), mostly reflections on states of mind, the Canadian landscape and seasons, and the vanity of human society, endeavour and love. There is also a small notebook of poems and reflections during an European trip in 1882 (box 58). Family correspondence includes 22 letters from his grandfather James Dawson, 1856-1857; 5 cm of letters from J.W. Dawson, 1856-1899; 15 cm from Margaret Mercer Dawson, 1865-1901; 3 cm from Anna Dawson Harrington, 1869-1901; 3 cm from William Bell Dawson, 1865-1899; 2 cm from Rankine Dawson, 1870-1900; and a handful of items from other members of the family.

Other papers primarily concern Dawson's geological interests, and consist of a diaries and general notebooks, 1873-1899; miscellaneous articles on geological subjects, 1887-1894; papers connected with explorations in the Yukon and with the Boundary Question between Alaska and British Territory and with sealing regulations in the Bering Sea, 1887-1897; correspondence, 1883-1898; and poems.

This series contains graphic materials depicting McGill students, staff, and buildings, created between 1857 and 1993. Also includes some photos of views of Montreal.

This series is described at the file level. Graphic materials include photographs, prints of lithographs and engravings, slides, stereoscopic photos, cartes-de visite, architectural drawings, original sketches, and some printing plates and blocks.

The series consists chiefly of the personal and professional correspondence of Bernard J. Harrington. Family correspondence covers the period from 1862-1907. Professional correspondence and records stem largely from Harrington's scientific and university work and covers the period from 1871 to 1903. The majority of the letters fall between 1878 and 1884. The professional letters chiefly concern mining questions, and there are numerous requests for Harrington to analyse mineral samples. The correspondents include mining companies and private individuals, technical schools, and officers of the Geological Survey, particularly its Director, George Selwyn. There are also numerous letters from Harrington's closest student, Frank Dawson Adams, concerning his studies and subsequent work for the Geological Survey. Some of Harrington's geological work is presented in publications and reprints in files 45-64. Harrington's role as university teacher is represented by a small collection of printed ephemera from university festivals, sports days and Glee Club concerts. The series also contains some family documents such as deeds. Biographical information prepared by Lois Winslow-Spragge about the Harrington family is found in file 065.

The series consists of printed materials and newsclippings from the Globe and The Gazette, between 1881 and 1889; short professional biography of Rankine Dawson; City of Winnipeg tax receipt for 1884; correspondence from George Mercer Dawson, 1869, 1876; E. Stacey, 1877; Percy H. Selwyn, 1880; John William Dawson, between 1881 and 1899; George Mercer Dawson, between 1881 and 1884, 1890, 1892, 1898, 1899; Margaret Mercer Dawson, 1881, 1882, 1885, 1886, 1890, 1893, 1894, 1898; Eva Dawson, 1882, 1883, 1888, 1896; Hugh A.J. Macdougall, 1882; Anna Dawson Harrington, between 1884 and 1886, 1888, 1894, 1898, 1899; Chas. Gibb, 1884; D. Muller, 1884; Edith Harrington, 1888; Clare Harrington, 1888; Ms. Cheadle, 1901; Sybil Wilson, 1901; Argyll, 1901; William C. Macdonald, 1901; Sam Finley, 1901; W. Peterson, 1901; Adelaide Campbell, 1901; J.S. Archibald, 1901; Henry Coates, 1901; and W. Gardner, 1901.

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 is comprised of autobiographical manuscripts, personal correspondence, letters to the editor, notes and photographs, as well as various clippings, and pamphlets reflecting Edwards' interest in politics and social issues (1965-1998 Box 6 files 104-110 - Box 7 file 1). In addition there is a large compilation of personal research on the Logan family and the Logan land holdings in 19th century Quebec and Ontario (1998-2000, Box 2). Included in the Logan papers are records of land cessions/transfers and Montreal notaries (Box 2 files 9, 13, 16, 17) as well as genealogical records (throughout Box 2) and drafts of biographical manuscripts on members of the Logan family (Box 2 file 18).

The autobiographical manuscripts concentrate on Edwards' life and political experiences from 1929-1949, his involvement with sports prior to 1945, and the beginning of his research interests in the Logan family (Box 6,m file 110). The correspondence includes drafts and final versions of letters written to Dean Hall of the Education Faculty regarding Edwards' position at McGill (1961-1967 Box 6 files 104, 105) and a 1998 letter to his grandson, Joe Friesen (Box 6 file 110) describing the circumstances surrounding the writing of four of Edwards' papers (his first published, a Presidential address to the Comparative and International Education Society, and two others - no titles provided). Other letters include a letter of support to Audrey McLaughlin, dated 1993, and two letters to Charles Taylor expressing his desire for the acceptance of the Meech Lake Accord (1990), and his agreement with Taylor's support for Canada's adoption of asymmetrical federalism (1992) (all Box 6, file 107). Letters to the editor date from 1989-1998 (Box 6 file 107), are mostly addressed to the Montreal Gazette, and address a variety of topics mainly in Quebec politics, including support of the Meech Lake proposal and condemnation of Quebec Bill 101.

Among the personal notes is a draft "Manitoba, Meech Lake and Bill 178" (Box 6 file 107) as well as lengthy comments on Quebec Bills 62 and 22, and an item titled "Government and Politics" (Box 6 file 106). Notes on Communism in the Soviet Union (ca. 1960) are in Box 7 (File 1). Many individuals of interest to Edwards are listed in Box 1, which holds a binder containing nearly 200 biographical clippings.

Photographs include those taken at sites visited during research trips (Box 2 files 4, 10), those taken with family and friends Boxes 3 (file 41, 5 (file 77) and 6 (file 109) and pictures taken of McGill archival photos (Box 6, file 109).

Most of James' research papers stem from his Philadelphia period. The bulk of this material is research files. Approximately 7.5 m of general research files contain notes, extracts, printed materials, correspondence and some teaching materials, largely on economic history with special emphasis on banks, but also including some papers from the 1940s on education and war-time problems. A second category (approximately 1 m) is devoted to the history of banking. Again, these consist largely of notes and extracts, including extensive typed extracts from the business papers of Chicago banker James B. Forgan (active 1900-1917), but there is a component portion of original materials, for example, office correspondence of Pinkerton's Detective Agency (1870s-1880s) and essays and addresses by consulting economist William Wallace Goforth (approximately 1930s). A third category comprises about 15 cm of notes on research methods. Finally, James created three large card-files: one a bibliography-index on economic topics, history and institutions, the second a chronology of 18th and 19th century economic history, and finally a series of larger, more discursive note cards on economic history. There are manuscripts and typescripts of the various drafts and revisions of many of James' publications, particularly The Economics of Money, Credit and Banking, Growth of Chicago Banks, England Today and The Road to Revival. There are also copies of his M.A. and Ph.D. theses, as well as drafts of about half a dozen articles, largely on shipping, from ca 1925 to ca 1933.

Most of the materials pertaining to James' work as an economic consultant are from the post-war period. These include 12 cm of speeches, correspondence and reports on post-war economic issues, 5 cm of draft reports and briefs for the Tremblay Commission (1953), 30 cm of correspondence, notes and reports pertaining to the Conseil d'Orientation Economique du Québec (1961-1962), and documentation illustrating James' involvement in the appraisal and re-organization of the Wharton School (1956-1957).