Fonds consists of records relating to his career as a journalist and to his family life in Victoria. It has been arranged in two series, Autobiography and Writing. The Autobiography series consists of Archies autobiographical works, which document his service in World War I and his family life and career. It has been arranged into three sub-series: All in A Lifetime, My Life in the Army, and Travel. The Writing series consists of his published and unpublished work, and background material for it. The series shows his interest in making new generations of Victoria residents aware of their citys history and aware of World War I history. It has been arranged into two sub-series: Articles and Stories, and Broadcasts. Records include typed manuscripts, clippings of Archies published articles, photographs including photograph albums, diaries, scrapbooks, war medals, and ephemera.

Fonds consists of 6 series: correspondence, 1961-1987, primarily Earle Birney; literary manuscripts, ca. 1954-1957, including fiction and plays; research, ca. 1962-1987; printed materials, ca. 1954-1988, primarily journal offprints and copies; indices, ca. 1962-1987. The indices consist of research card groups including: animals; slang dictionaries; women in medieval medicine; medieval medical books; symbolism; The Canterbury Tales, and miscellaneous subjects.

The fonds consists primarily of drafts and research materials used to write his book "Frontier Theatre: A History of Nineteenth Century Theatrical Entertainment in the Canadian Far West and Alaska", published in 1982. Fonds includes musical scores and librettos, programs, photographs, scrapbook and four unpublished plays: "Murder Pattern," 1936; "Ascend as the Sun"; "Earth Song", by Herman Voaden; and "The Dragon", by Bertram Brooker.

Fonds consists of lists of Chinese deceased in Canada, 1937; leave permits issued to the Chinese Hospital in Vancouver, Victoria, and other areas of B.C., 1908-1909; donation and fundraising records, subscription booklets, records of income and expenditures, receipts, Free Miners Certificates, national bonds, 1884-1912; population data; correspondence from the Commander in Shanghai, 1932; minutes of the Chinese Public School; correspondence regarding donations for victims of famines, droughts, and floods in China, and booklets recording donations; records of the Chinese Hospital, including report books on patients, doctor order books and consultation forms, 1956-1976. Fonds also includes death and burial records series, 1902-1923, consisting of: medical certificates of death for Chinese persons in Victoria, BC; and burial permits for Chinese persons in Victoria, BC, including permits issued by the Chinese Benevolent Cemetery Company.

Fonds consists of research data collected for three book projects on music history in Canada, B.C., and Victoria, including photocopies or slides of 1850-1950 newspaper articles, reviews, retrospective articles, and biographical data. Also included are some original programs from the period.

Fonds consists of promissory notes to David Mcrae (1783-1786); land titles (1781-1782); Account of Antoine Plant, nd; and inventories of goods, property and debts due to the estate of David Mcrae (1800).

Fonds consists of research material and correspondence relating to Williams' books on legal history. The files are arranged in 11 series: "Matthew Baille Begbie" series, "Duff: a life in the law" series, William Gosse on "Duff" series, "Just lawyers: seven portraits" series, "With malice aforethought" series, "Mayor Gerry: the remarkable Gerald Grattan McGeer" series, "100 Years at St. Peter's Quamichan" series, "A history of Vancouver's Terminal City Club series, "Trapline outlaw: Simon Peter Gunanoot" series, Correspondence, and Miscellaneous transcripts.

Fonds consists of 4 series: the Frank Sylvester series, ca. 1862-1908; the Cecelia Davies Sylvester series, ca. 1854-1928; Family ephemera series, 1867-1918, and Photographs, ca. 1870-1950. The Frank Sylvester series includes: cannery contracts, legal invoices, lecture manuscripts, and a diary. The Cecelia Davies Sylvester series includes: an autograph book, and scrapbooks containing clippings, photographs and ephemera. The Family ephemera series includes: biographical information, documents, pamphlets and publications. The Photographs series includes: photographs, negatives, and glass plate negatives.