The fonds reflects Philip J. Thomas’ involvement with the folk song community. This includes his research into British Columbian folk songs and his publications on the subject. The fonds also reflects his role as an art teacher, including cards he received from his students and photographs of paintings created by his students. The fonds also contains evidence of his personal life and career, both prior to and during his involvement with the folk song community, and some evidence of his role as a musician, including records related to performances and musical composition.
Material includes articles, music sheets, correspondence, photographs, and a film reel. The first three accruals of the fonds were arranged into three series: Research, Publications, and Folk Song Societies and Festivals. Upon receiving the 2020 accrual, the archivist added the following three series: Music, Art, Personal and Career.