This fonds consists of five legal documents. Four are “release to executor” documents drawn up and signed upon payment of legacies from the will of the late Archibald Love of Dunwich Township, Elgin County, Ontario, 1872-1876. There is also a document indicating the payment of money to various recipients by Catherine Love and Mary Love, in 1876 and relinquishing any further claims by the recipients. Each indicates the amount of money received, familial relationships, and locations of the recipients. Some occupations are also noted.

This fonds consists of a printed petition to the Legislative Assembly of the United Province of Canada, dated 24 April 1857 (and containing a notice of intent to apply to the legislature, dated 8 November 1856) from the Erie and Ontario Railroad Company. The petitioners protest the “deception” of J.W. Keating and others who improperly applied to the legislature to incorporate the Great Southern Railway Company, The E&O company had already noted its intent to apply for a similar charter to extend their line as far as the Detroit River at Windsor or Amherstburg. This copy of the petition is signed “R. Bell,” for Robert Bell, a Carleton Place printer, entrepreneur, justice of the peace, militia officer, and Reform member of the legislature (1847-1851 and 1854 - ca.1867).

This fonds consists primarily of historic postcards depicting landscapes, buildings, attractions, infrastructure, and vehicles in the region of Southwestern Ontario, with a particular focus on Windsor and Essex County. Many of the postcards are undated, but formats include hand-tinted Early Twentieth Century (ca. 1900-1914) and White Border (ca.1914-1932) styles, as well as Linen (ca.1933-early 1950s), Standard/Chrome (ca. mid-1950s-1970s), and Continental/Modern (ca. 1970s - present) styles. Also included are a small number of photographs and ephemera items including arrest warrants, tokens, medallions, patches, maps, brochures, tickets, and advertisements, all relating to local people, businesses, events, or locations.

The years 1900 to 1914 were a so-called Golden Age for postcards in North America, thanks to the popularity of photography and mass production techniques that made them an affordable collectible item. Views of all kinds were produced, including residential neighbourhoods, churches and civic buildings, commercial districts, industrial plants, bridges, and landscapes. From 1900 into the 1930s, many postcards were black-and-white photographs with colour added. In subsequent decades glossy colour photographs became the norm, and a narrower range of views were produced (often depicting popular tourist sites, where they were sold as souvenirs). By the 1970s most North American postcards shifted from the traditional small size (8.5 x 14cm) to the larger European (“Continental”) size (10 x 15.5cm) and continued to feature a small range of local tourist attractions. All of these trends are reflected in the postcards contained in this fonds.