Fonds consists of material that documents William Gillies Ross' private interest in sports, the Empire and philanthropy, as well as the social and family side of a significant figure in the Montreal business community. Much of the material consists of nine scrapbooks that contains a variety of souvenir items collected by Ross such as: the White Star and Cunard Line passenger lists, the official programs for the Canadian Wheelsman Association's meetings, the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911, pamphlets and brochures relating to the Navy League, the Montreal Harbour Commission, the illustrated menus of the Windsor Hotel Co., and of various sporting material. Two of these scrapbooks contains more traditional archival documentation; one holds his speeches (1913-1926) pertaining to the Montreal Harbour, trade and commerce, shipbuilding and the Navy League, as well as after dinner addresses to the St. Andrew Society; the other contains family related material including correspondence to and from his children.
Fonds also includes a diary (1883-1929) kept by Ross; personal letters sent to his sister Daisy in Berthier, Province of Québec (1882 or 1883); official letters pertaining to fund raising such as for the British Sailors Relief Fund of Canada, the Boy Scouts Association of Canada, the Patriotic Fund and the Red Cross (1914-1918); a private letterbook (1882-1889) that contains letters pertaining to various types of financial and legal transaction matters; and a Memoriam to W.G. Ross from Asbestos Corporation Limited (1929).
The fonds also contains a 19th century album of photographic material that depicts Ross' childhood, family members, acquaintances and friends, and social activities. Included are images of Ross from the 1860s to the 1890s, of his wife Ida E.M. Ross, and his son Phillip c. 1900, (photographers are all from Montreal, and include Notman, Field, Inglis, Dagenais, Martin, Kellie & Co., Joseph Rivet). A small paperbound album of photographs shows the exterior and interior views of Ross' country home 'Woodlands' evidently taken during a meeting of business partners (photographer unknown). A leather bound album contains photographs and letterpress commentary about his sailing trip with friends on his yacht the 'Nahma' from Montreal to Quebec in July 1908 for the Tricentenary of Quebec. Included are views such as the St. Lawrence shore as seen from the river, activities at the Tricentenary, views of the ruined Quebec bridge, Trois Rivières after the fire of 1908, and some of the 'Nahma's crew (photographs taken by one or several hands, but possibly primarily by William C. Finley).
