The Janet Berton fonds spans the years 1837-2013 with the majority of the records originating from 1950 to 2004. The fonds reflects the different roles that Janet played throughout her life as well as the various activities and functions she performed throughout the community. She was an avid historian with a strong sense of community and her interests were both varied and diverse. Arrangement thus reflects the organization and activities of Janet Berton and the various roles she played throughout her life, from mother of eight to cookbook publisher to president and active volunteer of various local organizations and charities. Thus, the fonds is arranged into five series and then various subseries, all of which reflect Janet’s diverse activities.
The majority of the records are textual (i.e. minutes, reports, correspondence, published material, newspapers, etc.) although there is also a sizable photograph collection as well as some maps and plans and even artwork.
Parts of the fonds were in poor physical condition upon arrival at the City Archives as they had been sitting in the Berton family’s cellar, garage, and basement. It is surmised that at some point a fire broke out (some records were burned) and that the boxes were subsequently dowsed with water. Mould thus formed and was found in great amounts especially on the Shaw ledgers which were thus segregated from the rest of the fonds. Some files and records had to be thrown out as mould was too widespread and rodents had eaten the files to point of illegibility. To that point, rodent droppings and seeds were found within the boxes and files. Thankfully, rehousing the records took care of most of the odour.
Very little original order remained upon arrival of the fonds at the City of Vaughan Archives. For the most part, files, books, and individual papers were piled in boxes in a very haphazard way. Thus, an order had to be imposed upon the fonds. However, every effort was made to respect provenance and to duplicate the creator’s original organization and thought patterns. In some cases, however, such as in the travel and magazine and daily planner subseries, only samples of material were selected and kept in order to conserve space.

Fonds consists of records relating to Hughes' academic and pastoral work, as well as to her interest in the changing place of women within the broader church. Fonds contains three record series: Lecture notes [ca. 1960]; Preaching and speaking notes (1940-1978); and Reference materials (1927-1947).

Fonds consists of the following record series: Presbytery and Executive meeting minutes (1925-2003); Secretary and Chair correspondence (1929-1978); Secretary and Chair subject files (1968-1976); and Committee records (1930-1935; 1954-1977).