This collection contains material obtained by the Committee on Historical Records, established at the University in the early 1940's to obtain historical documents and reminiscences from individuals throughout the province. Although many responses are brief and contain only suggested names of people to be contacted, some replies provide detailed accounts of early settlement and community development. The fonds also contains brief family histories from a class in 1943.

This fonds contains correspondence with family, friends and colleagues; biographical and research grant information; research and bibliographic files and notes; manuscripts and typescripts of published and unpublished scholarly articles, book reviews, addresses and books; lecture notes and course materials; as well as drafts and typescripts of plays, short stories and several books for youth. A large percentage of the research files contain photocopies of secondary and primary materials.

This fonds consists of Reid's research materials relating Isaac Barr and the Barr Colony. Materials include copies of documents on the Barr family and the Barr Colony, dating from 1883. The records have been sorted into three broad categories. New file titles have been created only when it was appropriate to do so.