The fonds consists of documents prepared after the abandonment of the Peruvian Congress in1882. There is a protest or formal written declaration by the crew reporting the circumstances of the incident and a copy of the transactions subsequent to registry for evidence. The declaration was received and signed by William Henry D'Arcy Porter, notary public at Rangoon, Burma (now Myanmar). The protest provides detailed information on the events of the voyage with some names of crew, their titles, and the type of cargo on board. These documents are probably the copies sent back to New Brunswick for the information of the ship's owners.

The fonds consists of diaries and a paybook. The diaries describe enlistment, training in barracks, shipping off to Europe from Halifax, and his experiences on the front line in France including at the battle of the Somme, and the armistice in 1918 then heading for home. The diaries are detailed and well written giving a vivid picture of life in the trenches. They also include his impressions of London, England, France and Belgium.

Some loose papers and ephemera related to his military service were filed in the paybook. There is also a card from the Grand Lodge of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen of Cleveland Ohio which exempts him from all dues and assessments during military service. Also included with the paybook is a newsclipping and a card from a Paris hotel.

The fonds includes mostly original photographs of various sizes and formats, including professional and amateur images. There are black and white copies and negatives for many pictures acquired before the mid 1990s; these were produced by the Heritage Branch, when funding for the duplication of photographs was readily available. These copies were used for displays in the Museum. More recently photographs have been digitally scanned and stored electronically – this is particularly the case for photographs which have been loaned to the museum for brief periods of time for exhibits or research.

The fonds consists of two freeman's certificates. One, dated 1846, belonged to Charles Pigeon, a ship's carpenter. The other, dated 1869, belonged to Charles T. or D. Pigeon, a dealer in provisions.

This fonds consists of correspondence between Samuel Mayes and George Botsford and their customers, 1884-1904.

This fonds consists of an account book for the Provincial Lunatic Asylum, 1890-1898

This fonds consists of minute books, 1921-1971, membership books, 1921-1959, and "A Brief History of the Loyalist Temple #13".

This fonds consists of the correspondence of Hazen in his role as mayor. Although there are some personal papers in this fonds, the bulk appears to have been created while carrying out the duties of the mayor between 1837 and 1840.

The subjects discussed in the letters include the construction of a breakwater in Saint John harbour, the Carleton ferry and records of the granting of Navy Island to the city in 1823. There are reports from the city inspectors about maintenance of roads and cleaning of the streets and records of licences to sell liquor. Information about the fire of 1839 and the Market House is included. There are also records of the Saint John Society library, the Madras school, and the Pest House. Some of the letters include references to Irish immigration.

The fonds consists of one account book for Robert Jones' general grocery store for 1881, 1884, 1891.

This account book includes entries on half-pay; business transactions in grain, lumber, foodstuffs, shoes and boots, rum, tobacco, and other goods; and exchanges of labour. It also includes receipts of payments made on accounts and brief entries relating to voyages of the trading vessel the "Mary Salter," specifically, the dates she left and returned to Nova Scotia and her ports of call. Entries are written in several hands other than Robert Salter's, one possibly being William W. Salter's.