The collection consists of the following four categories: biographical, obituary, pictorial, and memorial. Apart from copies of two addresses delivered from England by radio to the meeting of the Royal Society of Canada at McGill (1930), and an extensive collection of off-prints, the biographical documentation is about, not by, Rutherford. It comprises newsclippings about Rutherford's work and awards (1909), a curriculum vitae to 1907, a copy of Shaw's article on Rutherford's departure from McGill (1907) and E.R. Terroux's catalogue of Rutherford's McGill laboratory.

Photographic materials include five individual portraits of Rutherford (1905-1937) and a group portrait of Rutherford with other members of the Macdonald Physics Laboratory (1904-1905). There are also two views of the Macdonald Physics Building lecture theatre and the Physics Department staff taken at the Rutherford Memorial Lecture, 1937.

Obituary materials largely consist of newsclippings about Rutherford's death and copies of commemorative articles. Also included are two drafts of A.N. Shaw's essay Rutherford at McGill (1938), as well as correspondence concerning this article. There is also a copy of McGill's telegram of sympathy to Lady Rutherford, her reply, and some correspondence concerning the disposal of Rutherford's desk.

Various memorial projects in Rutherford's name are documented by A.N. Shaw's correspondence files (1939-1957). These include incoming and copies of outgoing correspondence about the Rutherford Plaque, the Rutherford Museum (with E.R. Terroux), and the joint Royal Society-Royal Society of Canada Rutherford Memorial Scholarships. This last file largely concerns subscriptions to the fund, but also contains campaign literature and reports. Furthermore, copies of correspondence (1896-1937, 35 cm (Large MSS), the originals of which are at the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University are located in the Archives.

The fonds comprises of a typed draft of an autobiography covering his professional career (1916-1970), as well as a typed draft and notes with accompanying pen-and-ink sketches for his proposed book, The Story of the Lake of Two Mountains Country. There are also geological notes and a topographic map of Vaudreuil of 1962. Included in the collection is a reprint of an article written by Max Dunbar and Michael Keen (1990).

Martin's papers consist of her diaries, written from 1924 to 1925 and from 1939 until her death, an address book, and a notebook recording donations made by her between 1973 and 1985. Her diaries document mainly her leisure activities, the many churches she attended, and her travels, but also refer to major world political events, the activities of the Royal Family, and anecdotes concerning her work. Inserted in the diaries are photographs of Martin and her friends, postage stamps, pamphlets, newspaper clippings and other memorabilia.

The fonds consists of Ethel M. Doull's three Normal School certificates; the First Book of Reading Lessons Part I and Part II; tickets of admission to the library, museum and gym; grades for Normal School courses; letters of reference; pamphlets for school children to celebrate Empire Day; and 4 photographs, depicting Doull and the Normal School classes.

The fonds consists of a Protestant Board of School Commissioners Senior School report card, 1891-1893; Normal School mark report, 1894; Teachers' certificate and marks in French phonetics, 1907-1908; and summer school certificate in teaching of art, 1912.

Fonds comprises research materials, manuscript essays, teaching materials, and some private correspondence and obituary materials. Research materials largely stem from Bieler's period as a graduate student at McGill and Cambridge. These consist of solutions to mechanics problems (1919), lecture notes for a course on tenser calculus by Prof. Gillson of Cambridge (1922-1923) and five notebooks containing experimental observations at the Cavendish Laboratory and reading notes concerning atomic physics (1919-1925). Amongst a large collection of Bieler's off-print articles are two manuscripts for papers on "Fermi-Dirac Statistical Mechanics and some applications" and "A new method for the detection and investigation of ore deposit by means of electric currents" (ca 1928). Bieler's lecture notes are available for a university course in statics (1926-27) and for a course on telegraphy he gave to the McGill C.O.T.C. (1920).

Apart from a memo on differential calculus from L.V. King (1926), Bieler's private correspondence consists of seven letters written by Bieler to Prof. A.S. Eve from Australia, describing his work on the mining expedition. These letters form part of a file of letters of tribute to Bieler and other obituary materials assembled by A.S. Eve. (1919-31). As well, there are a few letters to and from Bieler's family concerning the donation of his library to McGill.

Fonds concerns Forsey's activities as a student, and later as a teacher at McGill. Included are his fourth-year essay on Chaucer's Summoner's Tale, and his valedictory address (1925). His teaching career at McGill is documented by a file of correspondence, memoranda, and examination papers relating to one of Forsey's students in 1939, and files of correspondence concerning Forsey's reappointment in 1940 in the light of accusations, from various quarters, of Communist sympathies. Two letters from Forsey (1973, 1980) illustrate his later perspective on these events.

Fonds documents Eugene P. Link's work for his publication T.B.'s Progress : Norman Bethune as Artist, published in 1991. The fonds contains research materials, correspondence and photographs.

These papers consist of four copies of a 1928 McGill sociology examination with two notes from Hughes (1972) suggesting that the examination was set by C.A. Dawson and discussing the influence of the Chicago School on the content of the questions.

The collection consists of ephemera, artifacts, and publications related chiefly to the Expo 67 World Fair in Montreal and some documents relating to its continuation, Man and His World (Terre des Hommes), an exhibition that was the successor to Expo 67. Many of the records and artifacts were produced by participant countries and sponsors or by the Canadian Corporation for the 1967 World Exhibition. Ephemera includes postcards, visitor passports, and ticket stubs, while other textual documents include guidebooks, magazines, catalogues, books, clippings, information manuals, and some unpublished planning documents. Artifacts include license plates, vinyl records, letter opener, bottle caps, shopping bags, and pins. The collection features pamphlets and brochures for numerous pavilions, events, services, and countries featured, as well as many maps for the Expo 67 grounds and documents related to subsequent seasons of Man and His World.