In order to support a wider range of enquiries into McGill University’s institutional history, archivists based in ROAAr have begun to develop a series of research guides aimed at simplifying access to primary source material relevant to the University's early history and establishment. Additional guides will be added over time. Researchers are encouraged to contact the library for additional support in locating primary source material.
Archives guide to institutional history : James McGill
This aim of this guide is to expand access to archival, primary source material directly related to James McGill.
Archival material created by or relating to James McGill is distributed across several collections held by the McGill Library and the McGill University Archives. This guide identifies and provides an overview of each of these collections, as well as information about how to access them. There is also a list of other institutions that hold archival material relating to McGill.
James McGill material at McGill University
Access: this fonds is catalogued at file-level and has been partially digitized. Digital access is available via the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this collection is catalogued at file-level on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Business associates and related material at McGill University
The collections listed here relate to people and organisations who were directly connected to James McGill during his lifetime, including business associates and members of his social network, as well as business entities in which McGill was involved.
Access: this collection is catalogued at item level and fully digitized. Digital access is available via the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this collection is catalogued at item level and fully digitized. Digital access is available via the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this collection is catalogued at file level and has been partially digitized. Digital access is available via the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this collection is catalogued at file level and has been partially digitized. Digital access is available via the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this fonds is catalogued at item level and fully digitized. Digital access is available via the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this collection is catalogued on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue and has been partially digitized and transcribed. Please contact the Library for access to digitized material and transcriptions.
Access: this fonds is catalogued at file level and fully digitized. Digital access is available via the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this fonds is catalogued at item level and fully digitized. Digital access is available via the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this fonds is catalogued at item level and fully digitized. Digital access is available via the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Other institutions holding James McGill material
Please note that this list may not be completely exhaustive, but will be updated periodically. Researchers are also encouraged to contact the Library for support in finding further primary sources.
Archives guide to institutional history : early donors
The aim of this guide is to expand access to primary source material directly relating to major donors to McGill University, as well as the institutional administration of donations, during its first 100 years. Please note that the information provided in this guide is not exhaustive. Researchers are encouraged to contact the Library for support in finding further primary sources.
Major McGill University donors are represented within several different archival repositories, including administrative records held by the McGill University Archives, as well as personal and corporate archives held at Rare Books and Special Collections and elsewhere.
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Administrative records relating to donations
For information relating to the nature and extent of specific donations, researchers are advised to consult the University’s administrative records, including:
Access: this record group is described in A Guide to Archival Resources at McGill University (1985). Individual file titles can be found by searching the Record Group Database. Please contact the Library for additional support in searching the database.
Access: this record group is described in A Guide to Archival Resources at McGill University (1985). Individual file titles can be found by searching the Record Group Database. Please contact the Library for additional support in searching the database. The collection of papers related to Arthur Currie’s tenure as principal is fully digitized and accessible via the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue. Note: the private papers of past principals may also contain material relating to major donations, as detailed below.
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Personal and corporate archives relating to donors
The following list details primary source material relating to early major donors, held at both the McGill University Library and elsewhere. This list is not exhaustive and researchers are encouraged to contact the Library for support in finding additional material. Donors are arranged chronologically.
Molson family : various members, including Anne (1824 – 1899), John (1763 -1836), Thomas (1791 – 1863), William (1793 – 1875)
Molson family donations included endowment of a chair in English, funding for an arts building and extension to the medical building, contributions to the library book fund, the establishment of scholarships, and the purchasing of land on the University’s behalf.
Holdings at McGill University include:
Access: this fonds is partially described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue. Digitization is in progress.
Access: housed in the Dawson-Harrington Families Fonds (MG 1022), fully described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
External repositories holding material:
William Edmond Logan (1798 - 1875)
William Logan endowed a chair in geology.
Holdings at McGill University include:
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: housed in the Dawson-Harrington Families Fonds (MG 1022), fully described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
External repositories holding material:
Frederick Griffin (1798 - 1879)
Frederick Griffin acted as the University’s legal counsel and donated an extensive personal library and collected papers.
Holdings at McGill University include:
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
External repositories holding material:
Donald A. Smith, Lord Strathcona (1820 – 1914)
Donald Smith’s donations included endowment funds in medicine and education for women, funding of a pension program, and funding for the Royal Victoria Hospital. Smith was also University chancellor from 1889 - 1914.
Holdings at McGill University include:
Access: housed in the Dawson-Harrington Families Fonds (MG 1022), fully described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: all works are catalogued on the McGill Library Catalogue, some digitized and accessible via the catalogue.
External repositories holding material:
Redpath family : various members, including Peter (1821 – 1894), Amy (later Roddick, 1869 – 1954), Grace (née Wood, 1816 – 1907)
Redpath family donations included endowment of a chair in pure mathematics; funding for the construction and maintenance of the Redpath Museum of Natural History and the Redpath Library (now Redpath Hall), as well as construction of the Roddick Gates; the donation of many rare books now housed within the Rare Books and Special Collections unit of the Library, as well as endowments for the purchasing of additional rare books; and the endowment of several student bursaries.
Holdings at McGill University include:
Access: description on the McGill Archival Collections is underway. Please contact the Library for more information.
Access: housed in the Dawson-Harrington Families Fonds (MG 1022), fully described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: description on the McGill Archival Collections is underway. Please contact the Library for more information.
External repositories holding material:
William Osler (1849 - 1919)
William Osler donated an extensive personal library and collected papers to the University.
Holdings at McGill University include:
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue. An inventory list is also available via the archival catalogue.
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
External repositories holding material:
Note: numerous other repositories hold limited collections or items relating to William Osler; findable by searching ArchiveGrid for “William Osler.”
Casey Wood (1856 - 1942)
Casey Wood’s donations included a large collection of books, as well as the establishment of the Blacker Library of Zoology and endowment of the Emma Shearer Wood Library of Ornithology.. These two libraries were later amalgamated to form the Blacker-Wood Collection.
Holdings at McGill University include:
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue. An inventory list is also available via the archival catalogue.
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue.
Access: this fonds is described on the McGill Archival Collections Catalogue. An inventory list is also available via the archival catalogue.
Access: This collection is uncatalogued. Please contact the Library for more information, and to access to this collection.
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