Fonds contains the personal and professional records of four generations of the Bigelow family of Nova Scotia. It includes correspondence, legal and financial documents, diaries and memoirs, and photographs that document primarily the family's shipbuilding activities as well as the genealogical interests of John Robert Bigelow.
Fonds contains architectural drawings created by Drew Sperry as a student at Nova Scotia Technical College and later as a certified architect. His student work comprises presentation drawings, while the designs for his own home in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and two other residential commissions include both presentation and construction drawings. There are two folders of textual records, which comprise a transcript of an interview with Drew and Sheila Sperry, real estate appraisals of their Dartmouth residence, and early budget breakdowns from Sperry's architectural practice.
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.
The fonds contains photographs of singers and musical groups, theatrical paraphernelia, and documents regarding the construction of Ward's home on Beaufort Avenue in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as well as other printed material.
