The fonds consists of records which document the business activities and interests of Adams & Knickle Ltd. from 1897 until 1968. Information contained in this fonds provides insight into the company’s role as a major fishing and shipping partner in the fishing and shipping industry in Nova Scotia. Also included in this fonds is information about the company’s international relations with the various agents engaged in this industry; the types and amounts of fish landed, processed, shipped and sold by the company; the many transactions involved in operating vessels; and various events that impacted on the company’s operations. The types of documents include: affidavits, agent accounts, agreements, catch journals, correspondence, damage claims, deeds, employment records, financial statements, fish sales records, fishing contracts, ledgers, notices of protest, port documents, sailing journals, time journals, vessel accounts and journals, vessel certificates, and vessel shares.

The fonds consists of administrative files, community involvement details, contract records, correspondence, employee records, financial documents, job estimates and job files, legal documents, photographs, plans, printed material, notes on solar heating projects, sound recordings, and union/association documents, as well as a series with material from the Murphy and Wharton Company. This material spans over 100 years from 1858 to 1987, and illustrates how business was conducted (meetings, annual reports, accounting and financial statements) and the relationship with the community (both charitable and with other businesses). There are also very detailed accounts of the work done by the company, from initial quotes through to project planning, blueprints, product literature, and finishing. Together the items demonstrate the organizational structure, management, and operations of the Powers Brothers company. These items provide insight into business operations in Nova Scotia throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries.