Fonds primarily consist of the personal records of Winnifred Van Slyck, which remained in her custody until her death. These records do not form part of the documentation of her period as President of the DCCI or as Curator of the Costume Museum of Canada, the records of which remained in the custody of the Museum and were accessioned in 1999. Items found here include diaries, personal photograph albums and scrapbooks, research notes and background material for major projects such as the Springfield History Book, very early conceptual notes for the Dugald Costume Museum project, lists of works of art, and personal biographical records and clipping files.

The holding consists of a family photograph collection which spans nearly 100 years and three generations of family members. Identified subjects include Mitchell family and friends. Photographer's imprints indicate that the photographs were taken in Port Huron, Michigan; Point Edward, Ontario; Sarnia, Ontario; and Dunville, Ontario.

The collection consists of two cabinet card photographs, ca.1887. One features a family group of a man, woman and a small child in a sleigh. They are identified from a caption on the face of the photograph as J.H. and Elizabeth Rutherford and their daughter Marion. The other is an enlargement of the woman's face, vignetted, from the first photograph. The photographer's imprints indicate that the photographs were both made in Owen Sound, but at different times.

The photographs consist of two large full length portraits of Grace (Mooney) Hutt in her wedding dress and veil and one full length portrait of Grace and a bridesmaid. The women are posed in front of a large fireplace.

The photographs give two views, front and rear, of Gayda Brisbin standing in a living room and wearing her wedding gown and veil, ca.1965.

The five snapshots depict the bride and groom on the steps of the church; the bride's attendants on the steps of the church; the bride and groom signing the register; the receiving line at the reception with the buffet table in the foreground; and the bride and groom cutting the cake at the reception. All the photographs were taken on the day of the wedding, June 26, 1944. The groom wore his Canadian army uniform.

This collection consists of an album (designated as A8) measuring 21 x 27 cm and containing 16 leaves with window openings into which photographs could be inserted. Fourteen leaves were designed to hold 28 cabinet cards (of which 2 were missing) and 2 leaves had openings for 16 cartes de visite (of which 3 were missing). The album contained 39 photographs and one scripture card. Also included with this collection are three loose photographs (PHO-196 to198), one of which is a framed portrait of a woman identified as Jane McDonald wearing her wedding gown (PHO-198).

Included in this collection of family pictures are photographs of Payne and Blackburn relatives dating from the 1890s and early 1900s. There are also photographs of Clara Payne and her mother dating from the 1930s through to the 1960s. The majority of photographs date from ca.1910 - 1930 and feature the Payne family and their relatives during the years when Walter and Daisy were raising their five children. Other subjects include: two views of Walter Payne in his office at the Winnipeg Free Press; a group photograph of the Canadian Press Club in Winnipeg in 1913; and a group photograph of British newspaper editors on a trip to Winnipeg, ca.1925.

The series consists of three cabinet cards, 1 carte de visite and 1 miniature portrait mounted on card. All are studio portraits of individuals including 1 man, 1 woman and 3 girls, one of whom is posed with four of her dolls. None of the subjects are identified. Four of the photographs feature photographer's imprints indicating that they were taken in Chicago, Kansas City, St. Louis and Toledo.

This collection consists of 16 Cabinet Card photographs dating from ca.1885 - 1910, with most dating from ca.1895 - 1900. All are studio portraits of men, women or children, individually or in groups. Two appear to be wedding portraits. The work of several turn of the century Winnipeg photographers is represented, including Baldwin and Blondal, Mitchell, Clark, Parkin and Colley. Fifteen of the photographs feature photographers' imprints and of these 14 had Winnipeg addresses and one hailed from Mountain, North Dakota.