McLennan's manuscripts of his literary works include drafts of Old Canadian Songs, 1885, Eighteen Poems, 1885-1898, The Indiscretion of Grosse Boule, ca 1890, Une soeur, ca 1890, As Told to His Grace, 1891, Mon compère Melchior and an early version of A King for a Week, 1892, John McDonnell of Scotus, 1896; probably an early version of Spanish John, A Question of Courage, 1896?, The Span o' Life, 1897, translations of 8 poems from Henri Murger's La Vie de Bohème, 1885, the outline of a projected novel, The Losing Side, and his Notes pour servir à l'histoire de la ville de Montréal, 1880-1888.

Typed copies of the official and private correspondence, 1814-1821, held in the McCord Museum in the William MacKay Papers. They consist mainly consist of military records such as commissions, 1813-1814, correspondence between members of the British Indian Department, including Lt. Col. Robert McDouall and his description of the siege of Prairie du Chien, with reference to the Omaeqnomenew (Menominee), Hocak (Winnebago), and Meskwaki (Fox) warriors who fought alongside British forces, as well as to the Potawatomi leader Main Poc (referred to as Marpock), 1814-1815 and copies of correspondence of Capt. Thomas Anderson with Lt Col. Robert McDouall on military actions, supplies and Indian relations, 1814-1815. There is also a newspaper clipping about Alexander MacKay and the partnership agreement admitting William MacKay and David Mackenzie into the North West Company in 1796.

This collection includes the original manuscript for his History of Canada as well as a large quantity of notes collected for the history.

Fonds contains of a typescript of Return to Sea, an autobiography of a former naval man.

The collection contains business correspondence, including letters to William Grant and Grant, Campion & Co. from Brickwood, Pattle, & Co., 1792-1793, and letters from Brickwood & Daniell, John Blackwood, and McTavish, Fraser and Co., 1799-1800. There is also a bound letter book for Grant and Laframboise, Montreal, 1800-1801 with additional loose leaves of letter copies dating between 1798 and 1800.

Most of Lighthall's varied interests and activities are represented in his papers which fall into a number of series. There is a general series of letters and papers 1875-1954 which includes much but not all of the correspondence. There are letters from many Canadian literary figures (before ca 1940) including Duncan Campbell Scott, Charles Sangster, Charles G.D. Roberts, W.W. Campbell and Stephen Leacock. Others represented in this series include Sir Wilfrid Laurier and Sir William Van Horne (about his and Lighthall's collections of pictures). Among the subjects covered are the McCord Museum, the Chateau de Ramezay, the McGill University Library, the Manitoba School question, conscription and imperial government. There are series for the Canadian Author's Association, the Canadian Union of Municipalities, the Metropolitain Parks Commission, the Great War Veterans Association and the Royal Society of Canada. The papers of the Montreal Armenian Relief Committee (1920s) are included, as are Captain MacKenzie Forbes' files from the Military Hospitals Commission, 1917. There is some material on various legal cases in which Lighthall was involved including some Indian land claims. There is a series of personal financial records and some material on Church Union (ca 1910). There is a large series of documents, both originals and copies dealing the region of Huntingdon, Chateauguay and Beauharnois. Most of Lighthall's literary works are represented in draft and/or annotated form including The False Chevalier (1898) and The Master of Life (1908). There is as well Lighthall's index of Canadian author's pseudonyms (ca 1880-ca 1900). In addition to this manuscript material, there is the Lighthall collection of books which contains some three hundred volumes of metaphysics, history and poetry many of which are either inscribed to W.D.L. or contain his annotations.

Shaw's papers include memoranda, notebooks and letters mainly on natural history. There are also annual reports of the Montréal chapter of the Nicholas Agassiz Association.

This collection consists of legal documents concerning the settlements of the estates of Sir W. Chester, 1728-1730.

This consists of a diary of William Bastard.