Fonds consists of papers consisting of: articles and music composed by or for Mr. Gillis; papers compiled by Mr. Gillis; clippings and handwritten versions of Gaelic poetry and stories; biographies and genealogical information; articles, songs and miscellaneous items.
A. Articles and music composed by or for Mr. Gillis:
- Bagpipe music composed by Mr. Gillis, 1965.
- "The Goilleachen", [n.d.], notes about a Gaelic Easter tradition.
- "A Highland Halloween in Canada". Halloween traditions in the Judique area.
- Allan James Gillis of Judique "March" by George D. Grant. This tune was composed by George Darroch Grant, a former pipe-major of the Scots Guards and the RCAF while he was Mr. Gillis' pipe-major in the City of Montreal Pipe Band. Photocopy, (1 p.).
B. Papers compiled by Mr. Gillis:
- Anecdotes about Donald Eoghain Duinn and Peter Smyth; "Peter Smyth's Song" by Alasdair MacLean.
1a. Gaelic version of above.
1b. Notes by Lloyd Leland on obscure words (Gaelic. and also notes about Alasdair MacLean (composer) by Allan Gillis, July, 1991 Photocopies (2 p.).
B2. List of Scottish violin players.
3."The Bluenosers' Castle" by Hugh Angus MacDougall.
- Genealogies:
a. MacDonalds of Glendale and of Borrodale
b. Neil MacDougall, Pioneer of Judique Intervale, 1975, (89 p.).
c. The Clan MacLellan, compiled by Rev. James A. MacLellan, 1940, (18 p.).
d. The Gillises of Rear Judique Banks, 1973 (15 p.).
- Diary of Angus Innis MacDougall, St. Ninians, 1912-1915, (77 p.).
C. Clippings and handwritten version of Gaelic poetry and stories, including: an English translation of Bard MacLean's "Gloomy Forest". Photocopies, (18 p.); a lament for the death of Hugh MacDonald of Glencoe by Ronald Beaton; a Gaelic translation of the song "You Can't Make Monkey Out of Me";the story "Iseabail augs Monagan"; The songs "Catriona Dhonn", Anull do dh'Ile Bhoidheach and "An Till Thu Tuilleadh" by E MacFhionnghuin (Jonathan G MacKinnon?); "Rann do'n Cheud Cheard" by Duncan Ban MacIntyre and the song "A Mhairi Bhinn Mheall-Shuileach" composed by Jimmy (Seumas Aonghuis) MacKay of Kingsville
D. 1.Gillis genealogy, (2 p.).
- Co Leis Thu? A Dangerous Question, (1 p.).
- List of teachers 1907-1963 St. Ninian School, Judique Intervale, C. B., (1 p.).
- The Clubhouse Song by Allan Gillis, Ottawa, February 1992, (2 p.).
- Death of a Sturdy Old Pioneer, John MacDonald 1822-1913 plus Obituary, (3 p.).
- Gaelic names and brooks, bridges, roads etc., in the Glendale area - list compiled by Jimmy MacKay, West Bay Road, (2 p.).
- Letter of complaint by J. F. Gillis addressed to Rev. L. J. MacDonald, Parish Priest of Judique, April 24, 1938, (1 p.).
- Music sheet notes "Wee Donald's Farewell", The Creignish Hills, Glengarry's Dirk, Strathlorne March, The Antigonish Centenary Gathering, Cutting Bracken, Phelim's Wee Boat (Bardin Fheidhlimi. Wandering Mary, The Dark Stream (Ant'Alltan Dubh) Godfrey Crovan's Galley (Berlinn G Horaidh Chrobhain) My Eye is on Thee (Mo Shail a'd Dheiger) Leaving
Barra, The Loch Tay Boat Song. (10 p.).
- The Goilleachan, A Gaelic Easter Feast by Allan Gillis, (1 p.).
- The Bluenosers' Castle, Lyrics to song. (2 p.).
- Memories by Hugh A. MacDougall, Lyrics to Song, (1 p.).
- Gaelic Mo Shuil A'D Dheigh, (1 p.).
- Lament for Allan MacFarlane by Walter MacFarlane, (1 p.).
E. Eigg (Eige. Roll - List of men, women & children in the Parish of Eigg 1764-1765 by Neill McNeill, Catechist including the Isle of Muck, Rumm & Canna. Census lists - Protestants --Isle of Eige, Papists, Galmisdale in Eige Papists, Gruline Papists, Laigtown, Cleadale in Eige Papists, Howland, Fivepenny in Eige,Sandmore, Sandbeg in Eige, Kildonan in Eige Papists, the Rev. Malcolm McAskill genealogy.
F. Miscellaneous items:
- Contract agreement for construction of first church in Judique, 13 June 1819, (2 p.).
- John MacLellan ‘‘Red" of Morar, Scotland and Glenville, Nova Scotia, compiled by Margaret A. Gillis, Windsor and Allan J. Gillis, Ottawa, 1997.
- Biographies and genealogies:
a. Father David Gillies, Father Ronald Rankin, Duncan Joseph Rankin, and Peter Rankin, (6. p.).
b. Passenger ship ‘‘Alexander", 1772.
c. First petition for land in the Judique area, 1789, (3 p.).
d. Father Anthony MacDonald Genealogy, (4 p.).
e. Origins of Some Pioneer Families of River Denys Mountain and Area, Inverness Co., Nova Scotia by Donald E. Read and Allan J. Gillis, 1996, (28 p.).
f. Some Lights and Shades of Family History by Angus J. MacDonald, Port Hawkesbury, 1893 (John ‘‘Ban" MacDonald, Eigg, Scotland., (10 p.).
g. Gillies - Gillis - MacGillis by A. J. Gillis, 1995, (4 p.).
h. MacLellans of Inverness County, 1871 Census, Inverness County, (27 p.).
i. The MacLellans of Inverness County, 1871 Census.
G. Articles:
1A. Humble Cathedral, by Cathy Gillies, Port Hood. Church at Indian Point, Judique North, oldest Highland parish in Cape Breton, 1818, (2 p.).
- River Denys Mountain - A Sketch by Allan J. Gillis, 1997, (4 p.).
H. Songs:
1."The Cookhouse Song" by Peggy ‘‘Duncan Jim" MacDougall (Gillis), 1952, (1 p.).
2.Oran Pheadair (Peter Smyth’s Song., (6 p.).
- Oran Seann Mhoireasdan (mar gum b’ann le mhnaoi. le: Alasdair ‘‘Niall Mor" MacDhomhnuill, Beinn Noah, E.C.B. (Transcribed and translated by Effie Rankin, Mabou, 1995., (8 p.).
Ship ‘‘Catherine", Mabou Pioneers, p. 639.
I. Genealogy and Information on the surname Boyd:
- Genealogy on the Boyds of Glendale, compiled by Allan J. Gillis, 1999 (15 p.).
- Reader’s letter to the Editor of The Oban Times, April 18, 1974, regarding the surname Boyd. (1 p.).
J. Genealogies
- Origins of some Pioneer Families of River Denys Mtn. And Area, Inverness Co., Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia by Donald E. Read and Allan J. Gillis, Ottawa, Ontario, 1999, (24 p.).
- The MacLellan Family of Hillsdale, compiled by Allan J. Gillis, 1999, (6 p.)
- The Descendants of Angus ‘‘Ban" Gillis, compiled by Margaret A. (Gillies) Gillis, Windsor, Ontario, 1998, (12 p.)
- The Descendants of John MacEachern, Kingsville, N.S., by Allan James Gillis, Ottawa, Ontario, 1999, (14 p.). (N.B. This follows out only the line of: A. John MacEachern)
4a. The Descendants of John MacEachern, Kingsville, N.S., by Allan James Gillis, Ottawa, Ontario, 1999, (17 p.). (N.B. this follows out only the line of: A. John MacEachern). (This is a revised version of J. 4.
K. Some common Gaelic names as used in Cape Breton.
L. Correspondence
7 letters from Sister Margaret Beaton to Allan J. Gillis dated August 25, 1970 to December 6, 1971. (8 p. photocopies)
M. Photographs
Photograph (col.) of Allan J. Gillis with his two children, Alasdair and Duncan Gillis taken with Sister Margaret Beaton at Cape Bretoniana Archives, 1973. Photograph Accession number: 11-19-30042