The fonds consists of photos of the Thomas Oswald Aked family and their home on Metcalfe Street in St. Thomas, Ontario (interior and exterior shots, c.1912) and an early photo of Thomas O. Aked, carte-de-visite, 1879; his military regiment, the V.B. Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment in 1903 and later portraits, ca. 1920s. Photos by John Cooper, London, Ont., F.J. Leatherdale, Toronto, Loft, Shepherd & Co.; mr. Aked oversaw the building of three knitting factories in Ontario including the Monarch Knitting Mills in St. Thomas, Ont. - interior and exterior views, various knitting equipment, workers (mostly women) of various knitting departments, ca. 1907, Aked & Co. at Dupont and Ossington in Toronto and Patons & Baldwins Woolen Mills, Ltd, Aked & Co's Branch, Toronto, Ont., 1931; panoramic photograph of Aked & Co. Ltd picnic to Port Dalhousie, July 2, 1924. Photo by Toronto Panoramic Photography Co.; ceremony of First Sod Cutting for New Plant, Paton & Baldwin's Woolen Mills, Roselawn-Avenue-Township-of-York, 14th May 1931; Monarch Football Team, Season 1912; Aked & Co. Worsted Spinners, corner Ossington & Dupont, Toronto; Bradford Exchange, 1904.
Textual material include letters of reference from England for Mr. Aked, info on Aked prior to coming to Canada, letters to his future wife, 1902; shots of mill in England, ordering books for Monarch Knitting Mill, Toronto,1883 to 1926; Cyclists Union Certificate; British Cyclist Company; publications on the woolen industry such as Monarch Knitting Book, 1914-1915 and 1925; Lady Fair Yarns published by T. Eaton Co, Canadian Textile Journal, 1919-1920; Wool Price Calculator, Tables for estimating the Scoured Value of Wool, Dept. of Agriculture, Ottawa, 1916; The Spinners and Weavers of Ontario, Toronto, 1947; patents for the flying doffer spinner machines (1912-1931); some correspondence (Nov. 14, 1940 to Dec 1st, 1941) from H. Willis-O'Connor, Principal Aide -de-Camp at Government House in Ottawa and from Canadian soldiers in England to Aleen Aked regarding her war-work (knitting for the troops, etc.) and press clipping which she forwarded from Florida (1940-1943). She sent socks, cigarettes, mitts, helmet, scarf, sweaters, etc. to the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry, which was the one Colonel Willis-O'Connor was attached to; there is a letter from the Wartime Prices and Trade Board/Ration Administration from Phyllis Taylor, For Ration Officer to Thomas Aked and a number of war ration coupon books; two letters from a family friend, Surgeon Lieutenant Ray Lane R.C.N.V.R. sent from the H.M.S. Cairo, including small black & white snapshots of the men on the boat; there is also a form which has not been filled out, which was to be sent to the Bank of England and reads "Exchange of 2 1/2 per Cent. NATIONAL WAR BONDS, 1945-1947 (To be redeemed on the 1st July, 1946) INTO 1 3/4 per Cent. EXCHEQUER BONDS, 1950; inventory books from Aked & Co. and various other items such as one book of wool samples; Canadian Wool Commission info in WW I and 1886 letter of agreement related to woolen industry; administrative papers for the Monarch Knitting Mills and Paton & Baldwin's Woolen Mills in toronto and personal finance papers of Thomas Oswald Aked (1918-1931).
