Alastair Gillespie fonds [textual record, graphic material, cartographic material]

These records were acquired from Alastair Gillespie and consist of records on deposit with the National Archives since 1979 and from his Toronto home and office.

The records in this fonds are arranged into 24 series, many of them with several sub-series. Only the approximately 300 or 310 volumes of Gillespie's work as a Cabinet Minister were created and maintained as large series. The other records, approximately 136 volumes documenting his educational, personal, political, business, and Scotia Synfuels Limited activities during 54 years, were created and maintained by him or by his immediate assistants; the series descriptions reflect the diversity of record keeping practice. The records in these 136 boxes are often rich in marginalia, notes, correspondence and "memoranda to self." Gillespie retained many of his records, and often consulted, even re-used, them; this pattern of retention and use and reuse often reorganized, or even disorganized, the records. The arrangement of these home records into about 18 series, many with sub-series, flows from this use.