Collection contains several thousand items, including correspondence, photographs, personnel records, financial records, subscription books, lease agreements, maps, plans and drawings from a number of railway companies that operated in Elgin County. This includes the Michigan Central Railroad, the London & Port Stanley Railway, the Pere Marquette Railway Company, the Grand Trunk Railway, the Wabash Railroad Company, Canada Southern, the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company, the Canadian National Railways, the Canadian Pacific Railway, and the Consolidated Rail Company (Conrail), as well as many of their subsidiary companies. There is a strong emphasis on the Michigan Central Railroad and the London and Port Stanley Railway.

The collection provides insight into the day-to-day interactions between local businesses, residents and the railway companies that were operating in Elgin County and increases our understanding of the county’s economic development over time. The collection documents changes in the county’s built environment as a result of the development of railway in the area, and illustrates the evolution of railway technology from early steam engines to electrified and high-speed rail.

The collection also includes personal records belonging to Ken Verrell, reflecting his role in various local organizations and his interest in railway history.

The collection is arranged into the following series:
-Photographs series
-Postcards series
-Michigan Central Railroad Records series
-Canada Southern Railway Records series
-Pere Marquette Railway Records series
-Chesapeake and Ohio Railway Records series
-London and Port Stanley Railway Records series
-Grand Trunk Railway Records series
-Wabash Railroad Records series
-Canadian Pacific Railway Records series
-Canadian National Railways Records series
-Conrail Records series
-Miscellaneous Railways Records series
-General Railway History series
-St. Thomas Railway History series
-Labour Unions Records series
-Elgin Photographic Heritage Society Records series
-Elgin County History series
-St. Thomas History series
-Personal Records and Memberships series
-Miscellaneous Records series
-Newspaper Clippings series
-Audio-Visual series

Series contains miscellaneous records created collected by Ken Verrell regarding general history of St. Thomas, Ontario.

The fonds reflects the history of Archibald McLachlin and his family from 1859-1926. The textual records consist of his correspondence, financial records, business records, documents related to his duties as returning Officer for West and East Elgin, and minutes and reports for Alma College. Also included are financial and business receipts pertaining to Walter McBrien, a family relative, and various discrete items retained by McLachlin and his family. The fonds is arranged into the following series:
-Personal papers series
-Business records series
-Returning Officer for West Elgin and East Elgin series
-Alma College series
-Walter McBrien series

This fonds contains records pertaining to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) St. Thomas Lodge #32 (Elgin Lodge). Records include membership and financial records, historical documents, meeting minutes, bylaws, and facility records.

Records are organized into the following series:

1.Meeting Minutes, 1949-1993

2. By-Laws, 1922-1952
3. Membership Records, 1854-2000
4. Officers’ Roll Book 1926-2000
5. Financial Records, 1854-1997
6. Historical Documents, 1854-1878, 1978, 2000
7. Facility, 1951-1953
8. Cemetery, 1951-1979

Series contains miscellaneous material related to the history of St. Thomas, including Jumbo memorabilia, a list of St. Thomas photographers, St. Thomas Centennial artistic prints, a St. Thomas Transporation planning study, records related to the history of Wellington Street Public School and St. Thomas voters lists.

Fonds contains letters, notes and other documents collected by William Murch in his personal life and career as a bookseller and is arranged into the following series:
-Personal Records series
-Business Records series
-Publications series

This fonds consists of the records generated by Ned Sparks and his family ([18--?]-1969), detailing his family history, life, and professional career. The majority of the records pertain to his childhood and family in St. Thomas, Ontario, as well as to his later professional career as a film star, comedian, and performer. Much of the records are believe to have been compiled by his sister, Gladys Sparkman.

The fonds is arranged into four series, including: postcards, publications, correspondence, and newspaper clippings.
-Photographs, ca. 1860-ca. 1975
-Correspondence, 1904-1998
-Postcards, 1905-1928
-Newspaper clippings, 1936-1938

This series contains personal records collected or produced by William Murch, including letters, invitations, notes, a photograph and other documents.

Fonds consists of a photograph album, possibly kept by Mrs. George Wegg Sr. or Mr. George Wegg Jr., both of St. Thomas. The album contains 95 photos, predominantly featuring members of the Wegg and Marlatt families as well as friends and others.

This series contains those minutes, reports, financial records, and correspondence retained by Archibald McLachlin pertaining to Alma College. Records include letters from visitors, solicitations, meeting minutes, an annual report, tuition statements, and lists of boarders.

Fonds consists of two photograph albums and three photographs once belonging to Ruby Coleman. She is pictured in a few of the photographs. The remainder of the photographs are unidentified, but are likely members of the Copeman family. Many of the photographs were taken by early St. Thomas and Aylmer photographers. Also included is a 1971 newspaper clipping. Fonds is divided into the following series:
-Photographs, ca. 1865-1910.
-General History, 1971.

Fonds contains research files compiled by local historian Paul Baldwin relating to architecture and architects in St. Thomas and Elgin County, principally related to the work of John T. Findlay and Neil R. Darrach with an emphasis on Darrach. Also includes information on David Kilpatrick, Elgin County's first architect, as well as research notes that informed Baldwin's "Legacy" column published in "Community News". Finally, fonds contains original architectural plans created in circa 1903 by Neil Darrach for the St. Thomas Public Library building, as well as a photocopy of a plan for the residence of R.A. Cook.

Series contains photographs of trains, steam engines, train stations and workshops. There is an emphasis on the Michigan Central Railroad Company and its subsidiary, New York Central Lines, however the series contains photographs that highlight a number of different railway lines that operated throughout Elgin County and Canada, including the London & Port Stanley Railway, the Pere Marquette Railway Company, the Grand Trunk Railway, the Wabash Railroad Company, Canada Southern, the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway Company, the Canadian National Railways, the Canadian Pacific Railway, and the Consolidated Rail Company (Conrail), as well as many of their subsidiary companies. Also contains photographs with scenic views of Elgin County, featuring many iconic bridges, beaches and landmarks, as well as streetscapes of downtown St. Thomas. Series also includes photographs of railway employees and personal photographs belonging to Ken Verrell, many highlighting his work on the local railways. Finally, series includes photographic negatives and a collection of photographic slides, with a significant emphasis on images of locomotives and trains, particularly belonging to the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway, and mostly taken in St. Thomas, Ontario. Slides also contain images of fire trucks, buses, classic cars and some personal photographs, as well as some Scott Studio duplicates.

Fonds consists of various records created and maintained by the Michigan Central Railway. Fonds includes:
•Record of locomotives through St. Thomas shops for classified and unclassified repairs, with history of individual rail motor cars, 1936-1959 (R6 S1 Sh3 B7)
•Locomotives repair/ maintenance logbook, with index, 1902-1936 (also contains a colour depiction of a standard type Grant locomotive, 1873 and a certificate dated November 13, 1962 attesting that R.G. Ray is a life member of Charity Lodge No. 5, B. of L.F. and E. (Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen) (R6 S1 Sh3 B7)
•Index of railway engines acquired and disposed of, 1880-1907 (R6 S1 Sh3 B7)
•In volume with running head "Record of Traveling Auditor's Reports and Bond of Agent", records of the certification/ qualification, discipline and dismissal etc. for Michigan Central Railway engineers and firemen, 1872-1909. Not indexed. (R6 S1 Sh1 B3)
•Records of the certification/ qualification, discipline and dismissal etc. for Michigan Central Railway engineers and firemen, 1872-1931. Indexed. (R6 S1 Sh1 B3)
•Record of enginemen, 1903-1930. Not indexed. (R6 S1 Sh3 B3)

This fonds consists of five legal documents. Four are "release to executor" documents drawn up and signed upon payment of legacies from the will of the late Archibald Love of Dunwich Township, Elgin County, Ontario, 1872-1876. There is also a document indicating the payment of money to various recipients by Catherine Love and Mary Love in 1876 and relinquishing any further claims by the recipients. Each indicates the amount of money received, familial relationships, and locations of the recipients. Some occupations are also noted.

For full archival description please see: https://uwinarchives.accesstomemory.org/archibald-love-fonds

This series contains publications collected by William Murch, including:

• Summer Resorts: Tourists Routes and Rates by the Grand Trunk Railway.
• Tourist's Guide: Lehigh Valley and Erie Railways to Summer Resorts, 1876.
• The Canadian Methodist Quarterly, January 1889.

This series contains records relating to William Murch's business as a bookseller, including:

• A notebook containing records of transactions.
• A card advertising Murch's American suppliers.
• A passbook containing records of transactions and a list of advertisers.
• Notes from John Coyne, secretary, regarding payments received.
• A memorandum regarding a loan to the Methodist Church Sunday School.

Records relating to George Gray's life and career in St. Thomas. Fonds includes the following series:
-St. Thomas Collegiate Institute
-Parkside Collegiate Institute

The Rev. Robert Warner fonds contains records created, collected and maintained by Rev. Dr. Robert Ironsides Warner during his tenure at Alma College in St. Thomas, Ontario, from 1881-1924. The fonds is arranged into the following series:

Sermons, Essays and Speeches series
Publications series
Notebooks series
Scrapbooks series
Miscellaneous Records series

Series contains miscellaneous letterhead invoices, receipts and cheques, principally associated with Edward Frost, St. Thomas via Ed Frost Cartage, Draying and Teamining, as well as the St. Thomas Wheel Car Company. Also includes a scrapbook with postcards collected by the Frost family. The Frost family lived at 33 Erie Street in St. Thomas, Ontario.