This fonds consists of photocopies of 43 interview transcripts of residents of the Trent Valley area. The interviews were conducted by Daniel Francis under contract, in 1979, to Parks Canada and focus on such themes as transportation, commerce, settlement, tourism, and resource development. They relate to the section of the Trent-Severn waterway stretching from the mouth of the Otonabee River to Bobcaygeon.

Fonds consists of correspondence, manuscripts, published papers and booklets, and research materials relating to the many papers, articles, and books written by Jean Murray Cole

This fonds consists of the family and personal papers of William Hamilton Munro, his brothers Reid and Alan and his sister Effie. The materials in the fonds make reference to World War I; Peterborough County; hydro-electric companies in Canada and the third world; photographs, postcards, maps and plans of the Trent Canal; City of Peterborough; and locations in Bolivia, Europe and North America.

The fonds of the Choate family consist of day books, journals and accounts of the Choate family general merchandising business, 1850-1910, at Warsaw, Canada West and Ontario; records of the Warsaw Division of the Sons of Temperance Fraternal Society, 1849-1858; a general record of registered letters, Warsaw post office, 1884-1889; and a family day book, a scrapbook of clippings, and photographs.

This fonds consists of records encompasing three generations of the Boyd family of Bobcaygeon. The fonds has been divided into the following series: photographs and glass negatives; Reverend Henry C. Avant; Mossom Boyd; Mossom Martin Boyd (Mossie); Lillian de Grassi Boyd; the De Grassi papers which are records of Dr. Alex De Grassi, Lillian Boyd's father, a physician from Lindsay, Upper Canada; Gardiner Cust Boyd; Mildred Boyd; Winnett (Brownie) Boyd; Laurence Chadwick Boyd; Mossom de Grassi Boyd; A. Sheila Boyd; stamps; artifacts; business which deals with the Boyds interests in lumbering; agricultural papers which deal with the Boyd's farming interests in buffalo and cattle; and, estate papers. The strength of this fonds lies in its completeness. Nothing was thrown away and there are grocery lists, laundry lists, staff salary books, furniture receipts, party and wedding invitations, school report cards, ship and railway timetables, diaries and approximately 20,000 pieces of correspondence. This has resulted in a remarkable record of a large household from the 1880s to the 1980s and an invaluable source for social and business historians.

Fonds consists of research materials and notes, modern correspondence, photocopies of historical documentation, and genealogical resources for the Need family as well as other people living in both England and Newcastle District. The historical documentation includes wills, gravesite information, lot and concession records, military records, correspondence. As well as the Need family, there is also biographical information on other families, including the Dunsfords, Langtons, Campbells, and Sawers.

These research materials were accumulated by Dawn Bell Logan and used to write books, articles, and biographical entries about Thomas Need, including Thomas Need : settler in the backwoods of Upper Canada (self published, 2022), and the Dictionary of Canadian Biography entry for Thomas Need (V. 12). Photographs are of some sites in Lincolnshire, U.K, Peterborough, Canada, the Trent Severn Waterway, Thomas Need’s descendants, and gravestones of Need family members.

Fonds is organized into four series: Thomas Need journals and correspondence; Research materials and manuscripts; Dawn Logan correspondence; and Files on Dawn Logan’s publications.

Thomas Need Biography

Thomas Need (1808-1895) emigrated from Nottingham, England to Upper Canada in May 1832 and settled in Verulam Township in Victoria County in 1833 around Sturgeon Lake. He had graduated from University College, London, in 1830 and rejected the idea of becoming a member of the clergy. This contributed to his decision to leave England.

While in Upper Canada, Need was a member of the government commission that oversaw the construction of what became the first lock of the Trent-Severn Waterway, founded the Village of Bobcaygeon in 1834, and served as a magistrate for the Court of Requests from 1835 to 1837.

Need anonymously published his book Six years in the bush or extracts from the journal of a settler in Upper Canada (London, 1838) on his experiences in Upper Canada. The book was based on his journal entries he made in his personal journal which he called the “Woodhouse Journal.” Need returned to Nottingham, England permanently in 1847 and died in 1895. His authorship was confirmed with the publication of John Langton’s letters in 1926 and he was subsequently recognized as a contributor to early Canadian literature.

Source: Biography – NEED, THOMAS – Volume XII (1891-1900) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography. http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/need_thomas_12E.html. Accessed 11 Jan. 2024.

The fonds consists of family and related papers of Henry Fowlds and his family including James S. Fowlds and H.M. Fowlds. It also includes business correspondence, invoices, some journals and cashbooks, mortgages as well as deeds regarding the business of Henry Fowlds, Jas. S. Fowlds and Bros. and H.M. Fowlds. In December 2001, Trent University Archives launched an online exhibit which depicts Helen Fowld's experiences in World War I. All her letters and diaries are transcribed and are found at the following site: [Nursing Sister Helen L. Fowlds: A Canadian Nurse in World War I.]: http://digitalcollections.trentu.ca/exhibits/fowlds/

Fonds consists of Professor Alan Brunger's research material pertaining to the historical geography of Bon Echo Provincial Park and Algonquin Provincial Park. Included in the Algonquin materials are aerial photographs and photographs of the Dennison Farm property. Also included is historical geography research material and microfilm reels relating to the Peter Robinson Irish emigration to the Peterborough area.

This collection consists of a number of photographs which include John Butcher, sexton of St. John's Church in Peterborough. There is one photograph of his family outside their home as well as one photograph of John at age 34. There are also a number of photographs of the Hastings Lock, Healey's Falls and steam logging and boat with log boom. There is also one photograph of William Dawson's house in South Monaghan from 1910; a photograph of "Strathormond" in Peterborough and the Champion soccer team of Fairview School from around the 1970's.

The fonds consists of a photocopy of the Charter, 1889; a photocopy of the name change Order-in-Council, April 1922; original minute books from 1893 to 1918, plus excerpted items; and the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce bulletin on the Lift Lock post-1922.

This fonds consists of photocopies of: a) a minute book including the letters patent incorporating the company (19 October 1883) and minutes of a Director's meeting, 5 February 1900; b) by-laws of the company passed in Lindsay 26 January 1884; c) document headed "by-laws" repealing previous by-laws and a list of shareholders, 31 December 1884; and d) document with signatures of shareholders, 8 October 1883, minutes of a meeting 19 January 1884, and advertisements. The addition on 1 April 1977 consists of a photocopy of a brochure titled "Kawartha Lakes: The Bright Waters and Happy Land" with timetables for 1907. The fonds also includes some records pertaining to the Trent Valley Navigation Company.

This addition to the fonds consists of bird spotting forms for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas and Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas error forms. Also included in the fonds are numerous publications and newsletters from various naturalist clubs across Ontario.

This fonds consists of minutes and by-laws of the Proceedings of the Municipal Council of the United Counties of Peterborough & Victoria.

This fonds is comprised of typescripts of newspaper articles from the Peterborough Weekly Despatch, the Peterborough Review and the Peterborough Examiner. The articles have been arranged chronologically under a number of subject headings by the donor.

The fonds consists of records of several of the early Peterborough Unions. Included are: Moulders' Local 191, Journeymen Tailors 23, Bricklayers 17, Painters and Decorators 370 and 725, United Brotherhood of Carpenters 672, Barbers 402, Pattern Makers, Machinists 286 and Operating Engineers 690, the International Union of Steam and Operating Engineers and the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen," 1917 [in Polish]. Original correspondence from sister unions in Canada is included as well as large volumes of correspondence from the American headquarters of each local. In addition there are several original minute books, secretaries' books, and treasurer's reports for the locals. Published material includes circulars, by-laws, rules of order and constitutions. There are also records dealing with the Peterborough Trades and Labour Council (1902), the Labour Educational Association of Ontario, the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada and the American Federation of Labour, material from the latter two being mostly in the form of circular-type letters.