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History: Alfred "Alf" Bingham was born in England in 1892 and moved to Canada in 1912. His first job in Canada was laying track for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) from Edmonton to McBride in 1912. His second was in Vancouver at the Rat Portage Mill on False Creek, working on the Resaw machine. He quit after one week due to poor working conditions. After taking part in the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike as a delegate of the Retail and Mailorder Union (A.F.L.) on the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council, Alfred moved to Burnaby where he and fellow Burnaby residents Angus McLean and Percy Little worked ten-hour days to build a shingle mill on the edge of Burnaby Lake for Simpson & Giberson. George Green, a carpenter and millwright (and author of “The History of Burnaby”), also helped in the construction of the mill. Alfred built his own home from lumber cut from the mill in the Lockdale area on Sherlock Street between Curtis Street and Kitchener Street. On April 10, 1920, Alfred married Mary Jane "Ada" Reynolds. Alfred and Mary Jane often took in foster children during their marriage. Due to her nursing experience, Ada was often called upon to deliver babies in the Burnaby area. The couple also had a dog named Bess. The Binghams were instrumental members of the Army of the Common Good, collecting vegetables and grains from growers in the area and even producing over 125 tons of vegetables from its own gardens to feed children and youth who were suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression. The Army was in operation for ten years and during that time, the members organised the credit union movement of British Columbia and drew up the Credit Union Act through the Vancouver Co-operative Council. They also started co-op stores and the Co-Op Wholesale Society. Alfred was also the Secretary of the Burnaby Housing Committee. In 1946, he became the Secretary of the North Burnaby Labour Progressive Party (LPP). Mary Jane died on August 9, 1969. Alfred died on April 29, 1979.

Media Type: Textual Record; Photograph

Creator: Bingham, Alfred "Alf"

Notes: Title based on contents of subseries; MSS001, MSS142, and PC 010

Small family fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription91819

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1922-2016

Collection/Fonds: Small family fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Physical Description: 75 photographs : b&w & col. + 1 plan

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of photographs documenting the transformation of the Burnaby Lake area of Burnaby, B.C. from semi-rural in the 1920s to urbanized in 2016. Photographs depict the land and houses located on the corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street as the property was rezoned and its density quad…

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1922-2016

Collection/Fonds: Small family fonds

Physical Description: 75 photographs : b&w & col. + 1 plan

Description Level: Fonds

Access Restriction: Open access

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Accession Number: 2017-01

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of photographs documenting the transformation of the Burnaby Lake area of Burnaby, B.C. from semi-rural in the 1920s to urbanized in 2016. Photographs depict the land and houses located on the corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street as the property was rezoned and its density quadrupled. Fonds also includes photographs of the Small family house being moved to 5496 Dominion Street and the original landscape plan for 5118 Douglas Road.

History: In 1915, John W. Roberts and his wife Mary Allen Roberts moved from the United States to Canada along with their daughter, Lauretta. On first moving to Canada, the family lived in a rented house in Vancouver and John worked as a movie projectionist in the city. The couple had three more children, all sons: John A., Edward, and Roland. Circa 1921, John purchased a large parcel of land at the corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street in Burnaby. This parcel encompassed the equivalent of at least six 66-foot lots along the south side of Dominion Street and the same along the north side of Norfolk Street. On their property, a barn and small living quarters were built. The family moved in, raising goats and growing potatoes to supplement their income. They also planted cherry, apple, and pear trees; hazelnut and walnut trees; raspberries; and a large vegetable garden, the fruits of which Mary preserved for year-round use. At this time, agricultural activities were common for families in the area: the Roberts' neighbours kept chickens for personal use and for selling eggs; grew mushrooms for commercial sale; and sold manure from an old buckboard drawn by Clydesdale horses. John built a new house in the middle of the Roberts’ lots on the southwest corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street. The house faced Douglas Road and overlooked a large, well-landscaped front yard to the east and a full-sized, clay tennis court to the north. The family moved into this new house in 1925. When the Roberts ceased raising goats, the barn and original living quarters were reduced to a double-car garage with storage space plus a sawdust-insulated “root cellar”. John also built a house on the northwest corner of the lot at Douglas Road and Dominion Street (3093 Douglas Road), which was purchased by the Hardy family. In 1957, part of this property (3071 Douglas Road) was sold to the Brocklebanks who built a house and lived there. In addition, John built a house at the northwest corner of Douglas Road and Norfolk Street (5106 Douglas Road). The original purchaser of this house is unknown, but in 1949, it was bought by the Meyers family. In 1952 or 1953, the Meyers sold part of this property and the Manahans built a house on it, facing Douglas Road. Several other lots that John owned were also sold off over the years. By the 1950s, John owned only five 66-foot lots from Douglas Road west, along the south side Dominion Street. In 1954, John sold the lot furthest from Douglas Road (5486 Dominion Street) to a builder who built a “ranch-style” house and put it up for sale. John retired from his career as a movie projectionist in the 1950s. He, Mary, and Lauretta retained their US citizenship all their lives, although they never returned to the USA except for brief visits. John A., Edward, and Roland who, as children of US citizens, also had US citizenship, eventually moved to the US, where they remained for the rest of their lives. In 1945, Lauretta married Frederick Small. The couple lived in a rented house in Vancouver for a few years before moving in with John and Mary in Burnaby. The couple had four children: Elizabeth, Kathryn, Charles, and Martin. In 1955, Frederick purchased the rancher at 5486 Dominion Street and the family moved in. The Small children grew up enjoying the freedom of having their grandparent’s large property in addition to their parent’s yard to play in. The back lane that ran between Dominion Street and Norfolk Street was filled with trees and bushes, creating a narrow bit of “forest” to explore. In 1957, John died. Mary died in 1969, as did Frederick. Lauretta was executor for her mother’s and husband’s estates. After much consideration, she decided to sell the house at 5486 Dominion Street and move back into her childhood home. By doing so, she was able to settle her mother’s estate to the satisfaction of her brothers. Elizabeth married and moved away. Over the next few years, the “Roberts” house was home to Lauretta, Kathryn, Charles, and Martin, with the three grown children moving in and out several times during the 1970s. In 1981, Lauretta died. Her children discussed at length how to divide up the property, which consisted of four 66-foot lots, according to her will. None of her children wanted to see the old family house destroyed but the house straddled two lots. They finally decided that if one of them wanted to pay to move the house to sit on one of the lots, the “value” of the house would not enter into the settlement of the estate. Kathryn chose to do this. In 1982, the old house was moved to 5496 Dominion Street and Kathryn continued to live in it. Martin died in 1982. Elizabeth and Charles each inherited one lot and the last lot, which would have gone to Martin, was sold, the funds divided equally between Elizabeth, Kathryn, and Charles. The three lots between 5496 Dominion Street and Douglas Road were subdivided into 33-foot lots and six new houses were built. In 1993, the Meyers property and the Manahan property were subdivided into 33-foot lots facing Norfolk Street and the old houses were torn down and four new houses were built.

Media Type: Photograph; Technical Drawing

Creator: Small family

Toothpick stump at Gilmore Ave and Parker St

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription737

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1924]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 11.5 x 6.9 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a man sitting near the top of a giant tree stump at Willingdon Heights. According to an accompanying note prepared by Burnaby Village Museum and supported by the inscription on the photograph, the stump was at the southeast corner of Parker Street and Gilmore Avenue in the Willingdon…

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 11.5 x 6.9 cm

Material Details: Annotations on the front of the photograph read: "Gilmour & Parker. South. 1924" and "Toothpick Stump." An annotation on the back of the photograph reads, "Wide - 98 inch at TOB [sic - top] / Ground level 25 feet / SE corner of Parker & Gilmour / March 11 1971 / A Bingham."

Scope and Content: Photograph of a man sitting near the top of a giant tree stump at Willingdon Heights. According to an accompanying note prepared by Burnaby Village Museum and supported by the inscription on the photograph, the stump was at the southeast corner of Parker Street and Gilmore Avenue in the Willingdon Heights district.

Subjects: Plants - Trees

Names: Bingham, Alfred "Alf"

Geographic Access: Parker Street; Gilmore Avenue

Accession Code: HV976.46.3

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1924]

Media Type: Photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Willingdon Heights Area

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2023-06-20

Photographer: Bingham, Alfred "Alf"

Notes: Title based on caption of photograph

Images

Toothpick stump at Gilmore Ave and Parker St, [1924] thumbnail

Tree stump at Willingdon Heights

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription736

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1924]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 6.9 x 11.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a woman standing by a giant tree stump in Willingdon Heights. According to an accompanying note prepared by BVM and supported by the inscription on the photograph, the stump was at the southeast corner of Parker Street and Gilmore Avenue in the Willingdon Heights district. It is likel…

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 6.9 x 11.5 cm

Material Details: Annotations on the front of the photograph read: "Gilmour & Parker St South 1924" and "Willingdon Heights." An annotation on the back of the photograph reads, "25 feet at ground level / (A Bingham) March 11 1971." Stamped on the back of the photo: "457."

Scope and Content: Photograph of a woman standing by a giant tree stump in Willingdon Heights. According to an accompanying note prepared by BVM and supported by the inscription on the photograph, the stump was at the southeast corner of Parker Street and Gilmore Avenue in the Willingdon Heights district. It is likely that the woman in the picture is Ada Bingham, wife of Alfred Bingham who took the picture.

Subjects: Plants - Trees

Names: Bingham, Mary Ada "Ada"

Geographic Access: Parker Street; Gilmore Avenue

Accession Code: HV976.46.2

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1924]

Media Type: Photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Willingdon Heights Area

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2023-06-20

Photographer: Bingham, Alfred "Alf"

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

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Alfred Bingham subseries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription57735

Small family fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription91819

Toothpick stump at Gilmore Ave and Parker St

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription737

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Tree stump at Willingdon Heights

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription736

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Toothpick stump at Gilmore Ave and Parker St

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