Decorated Edmonds Wood Yard Truck

Scope and Content: Photograph of a truck owned by the Edmonds Coal and Wood Yard decorated for a parade with flags, streamers and vines. There are discrepancies in the inscription, catalogue records, and accompanying note. An annotation in black ink reads, "A small part of Burnaby / Confederation Day Parade," but an…

Scope and Content: Photograph of a truck owned by the Edmonds Coal and Wood Yard decorated for a parade with flags, streamers and vines. There are discrepancies in the inscription, catalogue records, and accompanying note. An annotation in black ink reads, "A small part of Burnaby / Confederation Day Parade," but an annotation in blue ink reads, "Year 1937? / May Day." The accompanying note suggests that the parade was part of Burnaby May Day at Central Park. Also noted is that the Edmonds Wood Yard was opened in 1910 by Bill McDonald at 1500 Edmonds Street (later renumbered as the 7200 block) and Kingsway. In 1916 Murdoch McMurray (the driver in the photograph) partnered with Emerson Doran, nephew of the owner of Doran's Mill (an early mill in Deer Lake), to buy the business from Mr. McDonald. They in turn sold out very shortly to Fred Robbins. In 1921 Murdoch McMurray and Emerson Doran, along with Jack McMurray, bought the wood yard back and ran it until 1947 when they sold it to Norman Ritchie. Stamped on back of photo: "692."

Geographic Access: Burnaby - Edmonds Street; Burnaby - 7200 Block Edmonds Street

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