The Archdeacon W.H. Collison fonds consists of textual materials, maps, published materials and photographs all documenting Collison’s life and work with North Coastal First Nations communities in British Columbia. Types of records found within this fonds include manuscripts, sermon notes, correspondence, oral history summaries, monographs, cartographic items, photographs and postcards. The Collison fonds also includes some records created by his children and grandchildren as well as a family tree created in 1986. The Collison fonds has been divided into four series.

Series contains publications on the following subjects: linguistics, First Nations studies, anthropology, museum studies, the Missionary Society of the Church of England, the Metlakatla Inquiry, material culture and Canadian geography. It is believed that items published prior to 1922 had been collected by the Archdeacon W.H. Collison, while those published post 1922 (the year W.H. Collison passed away) were collected by both his son W.E. Collison and then his grandaughter Joyce Collison.

Handwritten annotation on verso of photograph reads: "W.E. Collison Masset. Interior of Chief [Weah's?] house".

Caption under printed version of photo in W.H. Collison's book 'In the Wake of the War Canoe': "The house is about 40 feet square, forming one large room. The upper cubicles are on a level with the ground, which in front of them is excavated so that the fireplace in the centre is twelve feet below the surface. A ledge, for the use of slaves and dependents, is left half-way down."

Handwritten annotation on verso of photograph reads: "No. 54. Old tombs & totems. / to Haida graves Massett".

Two tombs stand in foreground, each consisting of a horizontal box held by two hollow posts sunk in the ground.

Three unidentified men stand by poles in foreground, wood houses and crest poles visible in background.

Printed below image: "Totem Poles, Massett, Q.C. Island, B.C. "; "T.N. Hibbon & Co., Victoria, B.C. [crossed through with ink]"; handwritten below: "The old style giving way to the new."

Photograph depicts large church in fenced area, mission house visible behind trees in background.

Printed on image: "The Church. Old Massett. Q.C.I. / J.D. Allen. Photo. C."

Totem poles (crest poles?) stand in front of forest trees, fallen logs on beach in foreground.

Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Indian Totems along beach on Q.C. Islands"

Totem poles (crest poles?) stand in front of remains of wood structures, forest visible in background.

Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "A deserted Village, Q.C. Islands [...]" (various notes crossed through on verso).

Totem poles (crest poles?) stand in front of remains of wood structures built along sandy shore. View from above, forest on hill in background.

Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "[? illegible] Deserted village West Coast QCIs."

Photograph depicts narrow valley between steep cliffs.

Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "on left Vertical side of old Indian fort at Nagas W. Coast Q.C.I".

Photograph depicts many crest poles in front of wooden homes. An unidentified family can be seen sitting by house in centre. Wood pile and path in foreground.

Handwritten annotation on image reads: "Masset Queen Charlotte's Islands, Crest Poles / Masset with Totems."; on verso: "Chap. XIII. No. 1 This photo to be copied as an illustration on 1st page or I Chapt. 'Section of Massett, Haida Encampment showing Totems. Queen Charlotte's Islands.' For heading of page 2 of Trophies."

The couple walks arm in arm along dirt path in grass, buildings visible in background.

Handwritten annotation on verso of photograph reads: "Joshua [Moody?] & Wife / ? Masset B.C."

Totem poles (crest poles?) stand in front of a line of houses. Blanketed canoes sit on beach in right foreground; forest in background.

Handwritten annotations on verso read: “skidegate village Queen Charlotte Islands as it appeared forty years ago"; "Rev W.E. Collison Prince Rupert"; "Hughes"; "1".

Carvings sit among bushes in front of what appears to be a totem pole.

Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Eagle & whale Monument Tanu".

Totem poles (crest poles?) stand in front of a line of houses. Sandy beach in foreground, forest on hill in background.

Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Kai sun W. Coast Q.C.I."

Totem poles (crest poles?) stand in front of a line of houses. Blanketed canoes sit on beach in right foreground; forest in background.

Handwritten annotations on verso read: “Haida Encampment [crossed through with line]"; "Skidegate Queen Charlottes Islands / To illustrate Introduction / Introduction Trophies from a Song [Trail?] Page 1 Heading."

Totem poles (crest poles?) stand in front of wood building, hills visible in background.

Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Poles on QC Isl."

Handwritten annotation on verso of photograph reads: "Tombs. ? Massett".

Caption under printed version of photo in W.H. Collison's book 'In the Wake of the War Canoe': "At Masset, Queen Charlotte Islands, B.C. The side-posts are solid and sunk in the ground. The horizontal piece is hollow, and contains the corpse. These tombs are now falling through decay." (see page 216).

Photographs depict large building in fenced area, trees in yard and in background.

Handwritten annotations on verso read: "Mission House at Massett QCIs"; "Mission House at Massett - Mother & Dad lived there."

Maps within this series document the placer streams, islands and harbours of the Queen Charlotte Islands; as well as the mining properties located within the vicinity of Stewart, BC.

Totem poles (crest poles?) stand in front of wooden houses on right. Hills on shoreline visible in background.

Handwritten annotations on verso read: "West Coast QCIs."; "[Old?] Kassan Alaska."

Young boy stands among bushes in snow, totel pole in background.

Handwritten annotation on verso reads: “WE Collison Totem on QCIsl."

Photograph depicts an unidentified individual leaning against a large overturned dugout canoe; barrel, bucket, and wood planks in foreground. Houses and other buildings can be seen on shore above beach, and two unidentified individuals stand in distance on far right.

Handwritten annotations on verso read: “Haida canoe on beach at Masset / ? 1898”; “No. 4 Page 5. Haida Canoe ready for steaming to [widen?] out and finish.”

An original negative of this photograph is held by the Canadian Museum of Civilization, no. 26664.

Rev. W.E. Collison sits to left of totem pole, smoking a pipe (oldest son of Marion and Archdeacon W.H. Collison). Log fence can be seen in front of forest in right background.

Handwritten annotations on verso read: “W.E. Collison at Massett, QCIs."; "Dad beside totem pole".

Photograph depicts a flock of birds at beach, water and shoreline in background.

Handwritten annotation on verso reads: “North Beach Massett QCIs."

The pair sits on ground beside large totem pole, Bertha on left (wife of W.E. Collison). Log fence can be seen in front of forest in right background.

Handwritten annotation on verso reads: “Mother & Josie Edenshaw at Massett".

Group of eight men wearing suits and ties pose with Reverend Collison (oldest son of Marion & Archdeacon W.H. Collison).

Handwritten annotation on verso reads: “Rev. W. E. Collison & his Lay Readers at Massett, Q.C.Is.”

Wide angle shot of North Beach with an unidentified solitary man in the distance. Annotation on recto reads: "North Beach QCI" and "The JD Allen Photo C."

Small booklet containing handwritten notes of what appears to be a speech prepared by W.H. Collison on the topic of traditions and events he’s been witness to along the North West Coast of B.C.

Photograph depicts a snow covered cemetery with gravestones, tombstones, and monuments.

Photograph depicts a dock and building near the water. A few buildings are being constructed on some newly cleared land nearby.

Photograph depicts two tall totem poles, buildings and mountain in the background.

Photograph depicts village buildings along shore.

Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "67 Section of Massett as it is".

Large bear carving sits on top of wide pole, erected in memory of a chief of the Bear crest. Lines of houses stand in background.

Printed below image: "Totem Pole. Old Massett. Q.C.I / J.D. Allen photo Co."; handwritten below: "Mortuary Pole Bear [Crest?]"; on verso: "For Chapt. XIX. The old style and the new. Mortuary Pole & modern houses. No. 3. W.H.C. Oct. [6/ ?] 13".

Photograph depicts village buildings along shore.

Handwritten annotation on verso reads: "Massett in Winter dress."

Rocky shoreline featuring a small dwelling, totem pole, net rack, canoes pulled up to shore, barrels and boxes and a tent.

Handwritten annotation in pencil on verso reads: “Kunhalas [sic] at entrance to C--- Harbour”.

A bentwood box sitting on a pedestal in front of a bookcase in the office of W.E. Collison. Handwritten annotation in pencil on verso reads: “Carved ‘hope chest’ sent to New York. The box was carved by -- Luke Watson Skidegate. The photo was taken in the office – not bad for a --”

Three model totem poles carved out of argillite and of various heights standing as a trio against a white backdrop. Handwritten annotation in pen on verso reads: “W.E. Collison.” Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “43-3”

Unidentified carved and painted wooden object. Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “46-5”

Unidentified tool leaning against a sheeted backdrop. Carved wooden bark shredder, used to soften and break up fibres of cedar bark lying on sheet covered table. Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “48-3”

Stone figure carved in the likeness of a fish. Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “48-5”

Wooden fish, complete with carved fins and moveable (?) tail. Stamped annotation on verso reads: “Department of Mines and Resources, Photographic Section. Oct. 6, 1939”. Numeric annotation on verso: “48-1”