This fonds principally contains records connected with the Congregation of St. Basil (Basilian Fathers) whose members administered Assumption College and Assumption University from 1870 onward. Secondarily, it contains varied records that document the history of Assumption and its evolution over time. Included are legal documents, memos, correspondence, ephemera, constitutions and rules, historical narratives and memoirs, reports, and a variety of Basilian publications and formal histories of Assumption. Some items pertain to Catholic education broadly, or to the history of the Catholic Church in Southwestern Ontario. Of special note are Assumption fight songs and a victory song, and the Second World War war diary of Rev. Mike Dalton, a military chaplain.

This bilingual (French/English) fonds contains financial records, daily journals, and a short family history created by Jules Robinet over more than six decades of business, family, and community life in Sandwich and Tecumseh. Since Robinet employed and/or entered business partnerships with many family members and neighbours, the records document intertwined elements of both his personal and professional activities. The journals in particular capture elements of daily life within a large Franco-Ontarian family during an eventful half-century of war and economic depression. Also included is a book of biographies about notable men in Essex County, inscribed by the author to Robinet, and a modern article about Robinet’s local significance as a winemaker and Francophone community figure.

This fonds consists of photocopies of the papers of Paul Martin Sr., one original manuscript letter, and cartoons depicting him. Martin’s papers encompass daily diaries, draft memoirs, interviews, speeches and broadcasts, news coverage, and a small amount of correspondence, notes, and ephemera. These cover his political and diplomatic career as a Member of Parliament, Cabinet minister for health and welfare and external affairs, and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. The records thus reflect his direct experiences of public life as well as (in his memoir drafts and interviews) his reflections on these experiences.

Series 1: THE HON. PAUL MARTIN PAPERS contains records of the public service career and retirement projects of Paul Martin Sr. (1949-1980s). Subseries include:
A. The Diaries, 1974-1979;
B. A Carbon-Copy Transcript of the Norah Story (and Josephine Phelan) Interview of the Hon. Paul Martin, ca. 1968-1973;
C. The Member for Essex-East: A Study of the Career of Paul Martin, by Norah Story, 1975;
D. Different Edited Versions of A Very Public Life, vol. I, Far From Home, 1982-1983;
E. Different Edited Versions of A Very Public Life, vol. II, So Many Worlds, 1984-1985;
F. On Becoming Canada’s Foreign Minister (unpublished mss.), date unknown;
G. Speeches, Addresses, Broadcasts, Magazine Articles, Interviews, 1949-1974;
H. Newspaper Articles, 1928, 1957-1958, 1962, 1964, 1968-1971, 1973-1974, and 1983;
I. Selections from the Memoirs of Brooke Claxton; The Making of the United Nations, 1945-1946: A Memoir, by Escott Reid, 1947, 1958, 1970-1982, and undated;
J. Miscellaneous, various dates.

Series 2: CARTOONS contains 197 editorial cartoons featuring Paul Martin Sr. or issues in which he was involved, collected by him during the course of his career.

This fonds primarily contains personal papers, publications, and oral histories (ca. 1870-1984) relating to the Basilian Fathers who served as teaching staff for Assumption College and Assumption University. Included are diaries, notebooks, correspondence, memoirs, recorded interviews, memorials, manuscripts and published works. Of special note are the extensive papers of Bishop Leo C. Nelligan, records of O’Connor House, and a few records from Rev. Pierre Tourvieille. Secondarily, this fonds contains extensive administrative records documenting the history of Essex College, found in the papers of professor W.H. Arison.