Fonds consists of the textual records, n.d., 1857-1991, in the following series: Mail and Empire and the Globe, Maclean's Magazine, the National Film Board, the Department of External Affairs, Victoria Daily Times, Personal and Memoirs. The order of these series chronologically parallels the pattern of Irwin's life and career, except for the Personal series, which encompasses his entire life. Various sub-series indicate major activities, interest or stages in Irwin's career. The material in this fonds has been arranged alphabetically, retaining as closely as possible the original order. It should be noted that the date range for each series is quite broad, reflecting the fact that Irwin added research notes to many of the existing files.
Fonds also contains graphic material, ca. 1866-1988. Photographs are portraits of William Arthur Irwin, ca. 1920, 1935, 1943; Irwin as Chairman of the National Film Board, with Board members Stuart Keate, Jessie Caldwell, Gratien Gelinas, Bud Trueman, and Charles Beard, ca. 1950; other photographs relate to Irwin's career as Commissioner of the National Film Board in various diplomatic postings to Australia, Mexico, Guatemala and Brazil; various subjects such as World War I (from Albert Colby Cooke, ca. 1919), Saskatchewan Wheat Pool (ca. 1926), an ice-skating ballet called "The Machine" produced by Irwin in 1938, Maclean's Magazine (ca. 1930-1945), Irwin's birthplace and his namesake, Arthur P. Coleman, Welland Ship Canal (ca. 1929-1930), his retirement in 1971 from Victoria Daily Times; his honorary degree in 1977 from the University of Victoria. The photographs are by Michael Burns, Capital Press, Turofsky, James Lewcun, NFB, Guy Blouin, Austin Photos, J.A. MacDonald, Dept. of Railways and Canals, Welland Ship Canal, Randolph Macdonald, H. Grant Collingwood, Allan Walker.
The art material consists of prints including a poster advertising Maclean's Magazine entitled "Why More Canadians Read Maclean's Than Any Other Canadian Magazine", ca. 1948; Japanese harbour scenes, bird studies, art critic, guard-house in Cairo, street scene in Europe, and country house in snow in Canada. The drawings consist of an illustrated script for an ice ballet entitled The Machine, written by William Arthur Irwin in 1938, when he was with the Toronto Skating Club, with drawings by Harold E. Eldridge.
Fonds also contains sound recordings, 1966-1984, of a speech by Irwin to the Canadian Club, Victoria; interviews by David Bairstow of Irwin on the National Film Board; interviews by Glen Allen of Irwin about his memoirs; and interviews by Peter Desbarats of Irwin about his memoirs. Transcripts of the Glen Allen interviews can be found in Vols. 41-42.
Fonds also contains a technical drawing and maps, 1914-1959, that consist of a deck plan of the SS Brasil - SS Argentina, and maps of Canada, the United States, Germany and Guatemala; and topographical maps of Europe relating to World War I.
