Fonds represents over seven decades of photography by the owners and staff of Abbass Studios Ltd.. The studio operated a portrait studio, as well as accepted contracts from newspapers and covered local events. The photographs in the fonds reflect the diverse economic, political and cultural heritage of Cape Breton.

The negatives are organized into seven series: A,B,C,D,N, DOSCO, and Portraiture (P). The N series includes the earliest images including the nitrate film negatives. The A,B,C, and D series continue chronologically until 2001 with the Portraiture ending in 2004. The DOSCO series includes photographs taken of the Dominion Steel and Coal Company during the 1950s.

Fonds consists of a poem written by Charles MacLean titled "Do You Remember?"

Fonds consists of a notebook kept by Hill while completing training for the Canadian Engineers unit.

Fonds consists of a speech that was delivered by Mary Belle MacNeil concerning her nursing career, with particular attention to her time spent nursing during war years.

Fonds consists of a letter book, legal documents, correspondence, and a report.

Fonds consists of letters from Gordon H. Harrington, clippings, deed, and genealogical notes regarding the Campbell and Curry families, and five scrapbooks related to politics, world events, Nova Scotian sports, and one related to the career of Campbell.

Fonds consists of correspondence of Archibald Beaton, Donald MacDonald and Rev. Ronald Beaton in Rome. Letters deal with the opening of the coal mines at Broad Cove in the late 1890s, a description of Rome, and the ordering of a set of bagpipes as a gift. Interspersed there is also bagpipe music, written by Archibald Beaton.

Fonds consists of correspondence, papers, scrapbooks referring to ships, shipping, sailing, and items that were of interest to Captain John Parker. Included is a scrapbook that includes information about "Gaelic speaking Blacks" and photographs from a sailing trip to the West Indies.

Fonds consists of papers and medals concerning enlistment and service in World War I, including award of the Military Medal, 1915-1921; appointment as Commissioner of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, 1931; and clippings of obituaries of Allan and Frances Ridgway, 1970-1973.

Fonds consists of correspondence, writings and maps pertaining to the history of coal mining in Cape Breton and Canada, Provincial Workmen's Association, United Mine Workers of America, mine disasters and John L. Lewis (an American labour leader in the 1930s to 1950s who called coal miners out to strike during WWII).