Photocopies of typed transrcripts of O'Brian's letters to his family during his years at McGill describe student life and amusements, as well as the perennial theme of lack of funds.
O'Brian, Robert Stuart Brock, approximately 1853-1907
Letters from Florence Nightingale to Maria Machin discuss her career, give advice about hospital conditions in Montréal and nurses suitable for work there, and expound Nightingale's ideals of nursing. The originals are at the Public Archives of Canada.
The D'Aigle papers fall into three series: diaries, correspondence and a scrapbook of photographs and memorabilia. The diaries (1912-1914, 1927, 1935-1952) are largely devoted to a day-by-day account of prospecting journeys. Correspondence with members of his family, partners, prospective financial backers and government mining bureaus covers the years 1900-1959. The scrapbook contains personal mementos, newsclippings about D'Aigle, photographs of his journeys, lists of supplies for prospecting trips, and maps, some drawn by D'Aigle himself.
The papers of "Jackrabbit" Johannsen reflect his personal, professional and recreational activities, mainly between 1934 and 1985. The largest part of the papers consists of correspondence with friends and organizations, particularly relating to skiing and outdoor life. Family relations are also covered. A series of brief journals provides a record of some of his daily activities, from 1948 to 1984. The remainder of the fonds include publications about Johannsen, photographs, maps and personal documents such as passports.
The fifty- seven cubic feet of records which comprise this accession come from the Staff Library of the Geology Department and the personal collections of Professors Peter Eakins and Thomas Clark.
The first 47 cubic foot boxes contain reprints of geological studies by members of the department, their colleagues, or students. The remaining 10 boxes contain reprints selected from the library collection for their particular historical interest as well as files on the research and business connections of the members of the department. Within this last category, material compiled under the direction or with the assistance of Dr . Clark includes the typescript of a 1932 Harvard PhD thesis by D. Fairbain; a field notebook by A.F. Banfield and correspondence between Clark and Wallace M. Cady concerning a thesis by A. Roth and a study to be prepared by Clark and Peter Eakins. The documents concerning Professor Eakins' activities concentrate on his work as a mining consultant, as director of the South Peru exploration in 1952-53, and on his involvement in exhibit planning for the 1972 Georama and Expo '67.
Spencer's file of printed testimonial letters, including some from Sir William Dawson and Thomas Sterry Hunt, curricula vitae, and lists of publications was probably prepared for a job application.
The collection has been attributed to John Ralph Murray, based on the clippings that were saved. It is not known if he also compiled them. An assumption has been made that the few earlier clippings from 1875 concerning Charles H. Murray (M.D. -1876) meant that he was a relative of J.Ralph Murray. All the rest of the clippings are from the years 1881-1886. They cover a variety of subjects including examination results, articles concerning the admission of women to the University, the transit of Venus in 1882, reports of societies at McGill or in Montreal and articles from the student newspapers of other universities .
The John Henry Rogers fonds contains 9 certificates awarded to John Henry Rogers between 1876 and 1887 by McGill University, Methodist Book and Publishing House, Model School Montreal, Academy School Montreal, Bar of the Province of Quebec, Pfficers teachers of St. James Afternoon Sabbath School and Lillic. In addition, the fonds contains a Prince of Wales Medal with Prince Albert's profile on the abverse and the McGill crest on the reverse.