The file contains the diary of Wilder Penfield for July 23rd 1959 to April 24th 1960. The front cover is inscribed “1959 summer 1960 spring rosa interview”. The diary details Wilder Penfield’s travels in Edinburgh, New York and Big Sur, California. It includes discussions on a memorial for Alan Gregg, what he should do upon his retirement from the Institute, comments on what he thought was his last operation, and an account of meeting Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh. The back cover has a list of “Points” which potentially outlines the contents of the diary.

The file contains the diary of Wilder Penfield for June 30 1957 to July 31st 1957. The front cover is inscribed “1957 Neuropathology Lab McGill University”. The diary details Wilder Penfield’s travels in England and Ireland, mentioning attending conferences, visiting Trinity College, Dublin, and attending social engagements like plays.

The file contains the diary of Wilder Penfield for December 1967 to June 1968. The first 49 pages are numbered and Penfield has added in entries on extra paper. The diary documents Vanier Institute of the Family concerns; Penfield’s thoughts on the future, including ideas around second careers, possible future papers and projects, questions about his purpose, and what he would do if he was 30 years younger; accounts of his children and grandchildren; thoughts on Stanley Cobb’s death; account of Helen and Wilder’s travels to London, Berlin and Greece for a month and includes commentary on meeting friends and colleagues, history of the area and religions and the Gold Medal from the Royal Society of Medicine; his thoughts on stream of consciousness and neural processes; and a brief note of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King’s deaths. In addition, the diary includes a list of events for 1967, commentary on West and East Berlin, and an account of the 55th Princeton Reunion. Penfield has gone through and corrected his grammar and spelling or has expanded upon his initial thoughts, usually in pencil or pen.

The file contains the diary of Wilder Penfield for July 1968. The diary has been written in a ‘Walker’s “Year by Year” Books’ volume and Penfield has crossed out the original dates. The diary documents Vanier Institute of the Family business; the preparation for various papers, forwards and lectures; accounts of spending time with his children and their families; an account of the history of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival and his own experience in July 1968; and his learning of and reflections about the death of Henry Dale. Penfield has gone through and corrected his grammar and spelling or has expanded upon his initial thoughts, usually in pencil or pen.

The file contains the diary of Wilder Penfield for October 1968 to January 1969. The front cover is inscribed “Oct 1968 to Jan 21 1969 Japan + Reflections re mind + br”. The diary primarily contains Penfield’s trip to Japan for the Okayama Congress of Japanese Brain Chemists and Physiologists and includes commentary on the meeting, the Japanese, Japan, who he met, where they stayed and a full itinerary of their trip. In addition, there is a list of Japanese doctors he met, newspaper clippings showing the 1968 cultural medal winners and aerial view of the new imperial palace, an image of the Nara Daibutsu Shrine, and a Japanese maple leaf. Other topics included in the pages are a history of the Wright brothers activities, an account of the last days of Georges Vanier, Board of Governors news, the preparation of speeches and addresses and his work on preparing forwards and prefaces of volumes. Penfield has gone through and corrected his grammar and spelling or has expanded upon his initial thoughts, usually in pencil or pen.

The file contains the diary of Wilder Penfield for November 1969 to likely January 1971 (the last entry is labelled as January 15 1970, out of sync with previous entries). The diary documents Penfield’s award and work trips, including the Society of Neurological Surgeons award, the meeting of Humanism in Medicine and reunion with other last pupils of Osler, the honorary degree for Doctor of Law, Erb Medal of the Deutsche Gesellschaft, and the award dinner for the New York Association for Research in Nervous and Neural Disease; world and Canadian events, such as commentary on Separatism and the Front de Liberation du Quebec; construction plans for the summer house; Vanier Institute of the Family; beginning thoughts on the writing of a history of the Montreal Neurological Institute; religious expositions; Helen’s health; reflections on old age and Sir William Osler; and the discussion of a new Principal and Chancellor for McGill University and his last Board of Governors meeting. Penfield has gone through and corrected his grammar and spelling or has expanded upon his initial thoughts, usually in pencil or pen.

The file contains the diary of Wilder Penfield for January 1 1969 to November 15 1969. The diary contains additional entries on extra paper. The diary documents Penfield’s thoughts on his work, including consciousness and its connection to physical phenomena, and his writing; the idea of ‘worthwhile’ work and his future; Vanier Institute of the Family business; accounts of religious services and the connection of religion to his work; current events, and his travel to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival; and family events, such as the decision to stay at the house with assistance and the construction at the summer house. Throughout the diary are reminisces of the past. Penfield has gone through and corrected his grammar and spelling or has expanded upon his initial thoughts, usually in pencil or pen.

The file contains the diary of Wilder Penfield for 1952 to 1955. The diary details travels with Helen for leisure and for conferences and talks about the institute in relation to what he is doing and who he has met. In addition, it contains drawings with some of the entries, especially when botanical notes were taken. The first two pages of the diary are possibly legends for photographs taken or to be taken while on their trip and two entries are out of sync and placed at the back of the volume (June 1st 1955 and June 12th 1955).