The correspondences and various possessions of James Massey make up most of this accession. James Massey enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in 1916, and many of the letters give details of the home fronts of Scotland and New South Wales as well as the battlefields. While in the trenches of France, Massey was exposed to poison gas, which permanently damaged his vocal chords, causing him to speak in a hoarse whisper for several years. The letters and possessions of James' brother Stan Massey , as well as those of other members of the immediate family, are also included amongst this material. Stan Massey was a schoolteacher, and many of his possessions relate to the classroom.