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The fonds consists of the diaries, correspondence, notebooks, survey field books, accounts, business and personal papers, photographs, watercolours, maps, and ephemera created by members of the O'Reilly family between 1830 and 1992. These records reflect the family's role as part of the inner circle of administrators during the colonial period and as part of Victoria's upper middle class, until the death of Peter O'Reilly in 1905. They also document the everyday activities and events in the life of the family. The work of Peter O'Reilly took him to most parts of the British Columbia mainland. In his roles as Stipendiary Magistrate and Gold Commissioner, he was expected to supply the Governor with information on all happenings and developments in his district and was responsible for the administration of justice, lands and mining matters, roads and trails, public works, postal service, the issuance of trade and other licences, collection of various taxes and the district accounts. As a High Sheriff from 1860-1866, he was responsible for arranging hangings in the Colony. He also served as a returning officer, in 1872 and 1874, for the electoral district of Yale, which encompassed Yale and Kootenay districts. He was also asked to report on the Chilcotin Indians in 1872. The textual records are arranged into eight sous-fonds by the creating family member and also include ten series of mixed family records, not belonging to any one individual. The sous fonds were created by: Peter O'Reilly; his wife Caroline A. (Trutch) O'Reilly; their daughters Charlotte Kathleen O'Reilly and Mary Augusta O'Reilly; their sons, Francis Joseph O'Reilly and Arthur John O'Reilly; wife of Arthur John O'Reilly, Mary Beresford (Windham) O'Reilly; and the son of Arthur and Mary, John Windham O'Reilly. The ten series of mixed family records consist of general family records such as house account books, published materials, and letters addressed to more than one person. The series are: correspondence inward; miscellaneous correspondence; bills received and paid; house account books; miscellaneous account books; school books; miscellaneous books; scrapbooks; ephemera; and miscellaneous. The non textual records are arranged by accession. The ca. 2500 photographs are in seven different accessions. The records, ca. 1860-1992, include many photographs of O'Reilly family members, relatives and other prominent Victoria families. There are also photographs of the O'Reilly home, Point Ellice house. There are postcards and photographs of Victoria, Vancouver and other parts of British Columbia and Alberta. There are four watercolours painted by Charlotte Kathleen O'Reilly and one by M.S. Townsend. One additional accession includes maps of the Oregon territory, Yukon, British Columbia and the North West Territories, ca. 1855-1890 and blueprints and sketches of claims and subdivisions in Hope, Victoria, Port Moody and New Westminster.