The bulk of the fonds consists of correspondence and other documents relating to Edward Blake's personal and family matters, law practice, educational and business concerns, and to his political career in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and the Canadian and British Parliaments. There are incoming letters, as well as drafts or copies (including ten letter books) of outgoing correspondence. The collection also includes scrap books of newspaper clippings dealing mainly with politics and speeches. Major topics within the Edward Blake correspondence include the North West Territories, the Kiel Rebellion, railways (particularly the Canadian Pacific Railway), election results, extradition of criminals to the United States, the Jesuit Estates Act, Irish nationalism and politics. The portion of the collection documents the lives of other Blake family members including Edward's father (William Hume Blake), mother (Catherine Hume), grandmother (Anne Margaret Hume Blake), and his youngest son (Samuel Verschoyle Blake). These records consist primarily of correspondence to and from each individual, but commonly contain other materials such as manuscript histories on various topics and genealogical data. Published materials and an "Original Catalogue of the Papers as Found in Edward Blake's Home" form the remainder of the holdings. Several early attempts were made to organize the fonds - notably that of Edward Blake in 1906 and his literary executor and son-in-law, Professor George Wrong. Following receipt, the collection was arranged into the following series: Series A - Edward Blake's Relatives Series B - Edward Blake's papers Series C - Miscellaneous Published materials Series D - "Original Catalogue of the Papers as Found in Edward Blake's Home" An additional accrual of papers received in 1979 is described as Series E - Blake Papers (Additional)
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Blake, Edward, 1833-1912