Collection
Closure Notice
Background
At the time
of its inception in 1959, the Provincial Archives held a considerable
quantity of non-government records among its collections. These
records had originated with a wide range of commercial and private
sources, and were considered to be of primary importance in the
preservation of Newfoundland history and culture. In the early
1970s, the Provincial Archives created the "Private Papers"
section for the classification and preservation of those materials.
By 1991, acquisitions in this area had grown to such an extent
that a new classification system, based on that used by the National
Archives of Canada, had to be implemented to manage the expanding
section. As a result of this change of the classification system,
the "Private Papers" section became known as the "Manuscript"
section.
Notable
Collections
The Manuscript Section contains a wide range of business records,
with particular strength in the area of mercantile records related
to the Newfoundland fishery; records of individuals, with extensive
holdings of journals, diaries, and correspondence; and records
of non-government groups and associations. This Section presently
consists of approximately 760 fonds / collections.
Access
The manuscript
collection is stored in the Colonial Building and in off-site
locations. Please consult with Archives staff
for information on retrieval.
Finding
Aids / Publications
The Manuscript Inventory is the primary tool for accessing material
from this collection. The Inventory lists all catalogued fonds
and collections, and is available in paper format in the Reference
Room. This inventory can also be accessed electronically by PANL
staff, upon researcher request in the Reference Room.
