This collection has two distinct but interrelated parts: the first relating to the Notting Hill Carnival in London with particular emphasis on the organisations and bands formed by John La Rose's sons, Michael and Keith La Rose; and the second reflecting both John and Michael La Rose's interest in the history and culture of Carnival, especially in Trinidad.

Material on Notting Hill Carnival Organisations includes substantial administrative items, letters and publications relating to the Association for a People's Carnival (APC) and the Notting Hill International Carnival Committee, both of which were formed in Autumn 1989 as a response to the organisation and policing of the 1989 Carnival. Michael La Rose and the People's War Carnival Band were very active in the formation of both organisations. There is also some material relating to the Notting Hill Carnival and Arts Committee and the Notting Hill Carnival Support Group.

Material on Notting Hill Carnival Bands includes substantial material relating to the People's War Carnival Band, which was formed by Michael and Keith La Rose in 1983. There is also material relating to the band Lion Youth, formed in 1977. Members of both bands knew each other well.

Notting Hill Carnival Media and Publicity mostly contains press cuttings about Carnival, with particular emphasis on the 1978 Carnival and the 1989 Carnival. The 1989 cuttings were collected by John and Michael La Rose and others as part of their response to the policing of the 1989 Carnival. Some of these cuttings were published in the Association for a People's Carnival report titled Police Carnival 1989. There is also some publicity material from various years relating to other Carnival bands and to Carnival in general.

The material on Politics, History, Art and Culture of Carnival comes from John La Rose and reflects his interest in the history of Carnival, especially in Trinidad, and in the musical forms that developed with Carnival, especially steelband and pan music, Calypso and Kaiso. The collection is wide-ranging, containing academic and journalistic articles as well as more political publications and transcripts written by Carnival practitioners. Whilst a number of the items relate specifically to Trinidad, there are also articles about Carnival as a general art form and about specific Carnivals in other countries, including Notting Hill Carnival in the UK.