The fonds consists of records related to British Columbia politician and judge Alexander Malcolm Manson's life. The records in this fonds encompass all aspects of Manson's life and were produced both through his career and in his personal life. Notably, the fonds contains extensive records from Manson's political career, his judicial career, and the investments and trusts he managed. Many areas of Manson's life overlapped considerably, including overlapping careers, and records related to one area of his life may be found among records related to another area.

The contents of this fonds consist predominantly of correspondence, including carbon copies of correspondence sent by Manson. This correspondence pertains both to Manson's career as well as to various parts of his personal life and has been arranged according to the file names used by Manson wherever possible; correspondence that has not otherwise been sorted by Manson has been sorted as "general correspondence," a designation which also includes personal correspondence. Other types of records in this fonds include meeting minutes, court proceedings, financial statements, newspaper clippings, governmental reports, shareholder reports, certificates, invitations and event programmes, and photographs.

The fonds has been arranged into eight series: legal career; political career; judicial career; finances; personal life; Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; general correspondence; and photographs, scrapbooks, and ephemera.

Fonds consists of legal documents, reports, publications, speeches, newspaper clippings and other material related to Evans’ labour activities, including the On-to-Ottawa Trek and resulting Regina Riot Commission, and the defence of Trek members arrested in the Regina Riot. There is also material related to the Canadian Labour Defence League, the Communist Party of Canada, and material in support of the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War.

The collection consists of exhibits, videotapes and documents collected for the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), correspondence and legal documents related to both the PCC and related legal actions, APEC Alert posters, information, pamphlets and ephemera, other material collected and created by Oppenheim with regard to the events surrounding APEC and the RCMP PCC, transcripts of the PCC proceedings, and a number of photographs.

The fonds consists of incoming letters to Constable A. Forsythe regarding fishing licences and other matters as well as his report on the spawning grounds at Babine Lake and other locations.

The fonds consists of correspondence and legal documentation sent between Ben Alexander and the office of Indian Agent, later the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs. The fonds reflects official business such as land claims, financial transactions, and grievances and also deals with Alexander's personal business with the tribe.

The fonds consists of a copy of Pell's last will and testament, as well as one album containing photographs, prints, and crests collected by Pell documenting his travels in the 1870s. Many of the photographs are labelled by location, and place names include Aden, Alexandria, Batavia, Isle of Wight, Cairo, Hong Kong, Java, Marseilles, Naples, Rangoon, Singapore, and Suez. Also included in the collection is a page of crests of nobility, and two print portraits, one of Christine Nilsson and the other of Adelina Patti.

The majority of the collection relates to mining in the Sandon, B.C. community and surrounding areas. Documents relating to mining claims and claim disputes are prevalent. Other records include financial books and receipts, business and personal correspondence, newspaper clippings, other legal records and court rulings, leases, payroll records, numerous receipts and invoices and various corporate documents.
Each of Harris’ businesses, Hotel Reco, Reco Mining and Milling Company, Sandon Water Works and Light Company, Star Mining and Milling Company, Slocan Power Company, and Wonderful Mines are represented in this collection. In addition there are records from the British Columbia Mining Association and the Silver-Lead Miners Association of British Columbia.

The W.B. Bailey series and the Clarence Cunningham series are relatively small. The Cunningham records include only financial records ca. 1916 to 1919, and newspaper clippings from 1939. The Bailey records are a grouping of telegrams from 1901 to 1902 with a complete inventory of each supplied by Mr. Barlee.

The fonds consists of exhibits and submissions from assorted counsel, as well as notes relating to the BCCLA and their role in the APEC Inquiry.