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Interview with David Skulski
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19606
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1948-2023] (interview content), interviewed 6 Jul. 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (80 min., 38 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (80 min., 38 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Murray "David" Skulski conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 00:00:00 – 00:22:22 David Skulski provides biographical information about himself. He talks about his childhood experiences growing up, at…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Subseries
- Many Voices Project Interviews subseries
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (80 min., 38 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (80 min., 38 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Eric Damer Interviewee: David Skulski Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: July 6 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 80 min., 38 sec. Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Murray "David" Skulski conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 00:00:00 – 00:22:22 David Skulski provides biographical information about himself. He talks about his childhood experiences growing up, attending school in New Westminster and Burnaby and Hebrew school in Vancouver. David recalls his early experiences in music, instruments that he played and describes some of his Jewish family traditions. 00:22:23 – 00:49:57 David talks about his experiences studying music at university and following his passion as a musician and oboist. He recalls his experiences of working with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the CBC Orchestra, Vancouver Society for Early Music, the Burnaby Symphony Orchestra, other musical ensembles and venues where he’s performed. 00:49:58 – 01:00:00 David talks about living in Burnaby in the Deer Lake neighbourhood. David describes some his experiences playing traditional music from different countries. 01:01:01 – 01:14:15 David comments on the changes that he’s seen in Burnaby over the years, some of his favourite places, activities, cultural amenities and development on the Fraser River. David talks about the Jewish community in Burnaby, his involvement with the Peretz Centre and examples of Jewish cuisine. 01:14:16 – 01:20:38 David talks about Yiddish being his first language, his language studies in Lithuania, the roots of the language and provides some examples of speaking Yiddish.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Murray "David" Skulski was born in 1942 in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan and moved to British Columbia with his parents in 1948. Skulski and his family settled in New Westminster before moving to Burnaby in the late 1950's. Skulski took piano lessons at an early age and began playing obo while attending junior high school in New Westminster. In 1960 at the age of 17 years, Skulski began performing with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra as solo English horn and is the youngest player to ever be employed with the VSO. In 1991, Skulski started playing with the Vancouver Folk Orchestra and was the conductor between 1997 and 2004. Skulski has been the principal oboe player in many orchestras. In 1968, Skulski founded the Hortulani Musicae; in 1970, he founded the Vancouver Society for Early Music and in 1983 he founded Harmonie, an ensemble concentrating in classical wind music. In 2003, Skulski became president of the Pertez Centre for Secular Jewish Culture. In 2005, Skulski became principal oboist of the Philharmonic Orchestra and the Burnaby Symphony Orchestra and between 2009 and 2019 he was the principal oboist for the Pilgrim Orchestra under Pilwon Suk. David has served as president of the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture and since 2022, he’s served on the board of the Vancouver Chamber Music Society. Skulski has taught summer courses in Renaissance music in Austria (1972-1979), has been a music resident at Simon Fraser University (1973-1976), has lectured on the history of musical instruments at SFU and UBC and in 2008 began teaching at the Pacific Coast School of Music, Richmond School of Music and Oakridge Music Studios. Interviewer biography: Eric Damer is a Burnaby Village Museum Interpreter, Museum Registrar, Researcher and Blacksmith. Eric pounded hot steel for the first time in 1977 in junior high. Fifteen years later, he joined Burnaby Village Museum where he has smithed for three decades. He also provides historical research for museum exhibits and special projects. Outside the museum, Eric is a social historian with a special interest in educational history.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Education
- Foods
- Music
- Musical Instruments
- Occupations - Musicians
- Performances - Concerts
- Persons - Jewish Canadians
- Religions - Judaism
- Names
- Burnaby Symphony Orchestra
- Burnaby South High School
- Burquest
- Skulski, Murray "David"
- Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
- Vancouver Society for Early Music
- Peretz Centre
- Responsibility
- Damer, Eric
- Geographic Access
- Deer Lake
- Deer Lake Park
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.10
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1948-2023] (interview content), interviewed 6 Jul. 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with David Skulski, [1948-2023] (interview content), interviewed 6 Jul. 2023
Interview with David Skulski, [1948-2023] (interview content), interviewed 6 Jul. 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/Hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0010_003.mp3Cylinder records 1901-1919
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription13109
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1901-1919] (date of original content), April 1987 (date of recording), digitized in 2020
- Collection/Fonds
- Century Park Museum Association fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 audio cassette (28 min., 48 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Audio recording titled "Cylinder Records 1901-1919". Recording consists of samples of music recorded from the Burnaby Village Museum cylinder record collection. This recording may have been used for an exhibit or as part of a public or school program.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Century Park Museum Association fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 audio cassette (28 min., 48 sec.)
- Material Details
- Track Number: 1 (side A of audio cassette)
- Total Number of Tracks : 1
- Scope and Content
- Audio recording titled "Cylinder Records 1901-1919". Recording consists of samples of music recorded from the Burnaby Village Museum cylinder record collection. This recording may have been used for an exhibit or as part of a public or school program.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Music
- Responsibility
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV020.5.729
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- [1901-1919] (date of original content), April 1987 (date of recording), digitized in 2020
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of sound recording
- Label on audio cassette reads: "Cylinder Records 1901-1919 / Recorded at BVM Apr 1987)
- Label on audio cassette case reads: "CYLINDER RECORDS 1901-1919"
Audio Tracks
Cylinder records 1901-1919, [1901-1919] (date of original content), April 1987 (date of recording), digitized in 2020
Cylinder records 1901-1919, [1901-1919] (date of original content), April 1987 (date of recording), digitized in 2020
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2020_0005_0729_001.mp3Interview with Cice Brown, May 13, 2005 - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription18947
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1930-1949 (interview content), interviewed May 13, 2005
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (mp3) (0:07:37 min)
- Scope and Content
- Track 1: This portion of the recording pertains to Cice Brown talking about growing up in West Burnaby near Central Park, between West Burnaby and McKay tram station. Cice describes the area in which she lived; talks about attending school at Kingsway West and highschool at Burnaby South. Interview…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (mp3) (0:07:37 min)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Tom Gooden Interviewee: Cice Brown Date of interview: May 13, 2005 Total Number of Tracks: 7 Total length of all Tracks: 0:40:19
- Scope and Content
- Track 1: This portion of the recording pertains to Cice Brown talking about growing up in West Burnaby near Central Park, between West Burnaby and McKay tram station. Cice describes the area in which she lived; talks about attending school at Kingsway West and highschool at Burnaby South. Interviewer asks about the types of activities she was involved while growing up. Cice recalls being a member of the school choir at Kingsway West, the music teacher and winning a competition. Cice talks about attending Burnaby South highschool at the start of World War II, her involvement with cadets as well as the "Hi-Y" club and playing outside in the Central Park neighbourhood.
- History
- Recording of an interview with Cice Brown, interviewed by Tom Gooden on May 13 2005. This recording was completed for an exhibit, Growing Up in Burnaby, for the Burnaby Village Museum. Major themes discussed are growing up in Burnaby in the 1930s and 40s.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Organizations - Adolescents' Societies and Clubs
- Wars - World War, 1939-1945
- Organizations - Choirs
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Accession Code
- BV017.45.3
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Date
- 1930-1949 (interview content), interviewed May 13, 2005
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
Audio Tracks
Interview with Cice Brown, May 13, 2005 - Track 1, 1930-1949 (interview content), interviewed May 13, 2005
Interview with Cice Brown, May 13, 2005 - Track 1, 1930-1949 (interview content), interviewed May 13, 2005
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2017_0045_0003_001.mp3Interview with Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19603
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1967-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (93 min., 7 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (92 min., 57 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal, founders of Vancouver Sath conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks. The interview is taking place at the Burnaby Village Museum's exhibit "Truths not Often Told: Being South Asian in…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Subseries
- Many Voices Project Interviews subseries
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (93 min., 7 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (92 min., 57 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: James Binks Interviewee: Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: May 29, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks:1:33:07 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together into one track and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal, founders of Vancouver Sath conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks. The interview is taking place at the Burnaby Village Museum's exhibit "Truths not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby". The interview focuses on the history of "Vancouver Sath" as well as literary works created by Hundal and Binning and the Punjabi literary magazine "Watno Dur" and "Watan". 00:00 - 13:30 Interview opens with brief introductions and information on Sadhu Binning, Sukhwant Hundal and Vancouver Sath provided by the interviewer, James Binks. Interviewees Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal describe how they met and what they were focused on prior to the formation of the organization Vancouver Sath. Binning briefly describes how he became involved as a writer in the literary world and recalls how he published his first poem in an Indian literary magazine in 1972. Hundal describes how he immigrated to Canada from Punjab in 1975, the various industries that he worked in as a new immigrant and his interest in literature with a focus on social issues. Hundel describes how he developed a relationship with Sadhu Binning after his short story was published in "Watno Dur" literary magazine which in turn lead to his involvement with the Punjabi Literary Association and becoming co-editor of "Watnu Dur". 13:31 – 27:44 Hundal provides more background on his life as a South Asian immigrant, working in sawmills and completing a diploma in Power and Process Engineering and how he first became interested in literature while living in India. Binning and Hundal both share their insights into the formation of Vancouver Sath and provide details on their involvement with the Punjabi literary publication “Watnu Dur”. Binning describes how the inspiration for the formation of the Vancouver Sath organization came from India and that Binning, Hundal and some other members of the Punjabi Literary Association decided to form their own group where they could have more informal discussions around social, political and literary issues. 27:45 – 43:31 Binning describes how the political issues that were happening in Punjab between 1978 and 1983 influenced discussions in the South Asian community whereas prior to 1978 there was more focus on local issues that new immigrants were facing. Binning conveys how their work with Vancouver Sath endeavored to focus more on local issues and Hundal conveys how they made the decision to begin producing theatrical works rather than just written works to reach a wider audience. Hundal and Binning share names of the people that were involved with Vancouver Sath and describe some of the early plays that they performed. Binning describes the foundations of the organization where they worked together as a collective making decisions in producing and performing the works with Binning and Hundal taking on the responsibility for the written work. They talk about their first paid experience being invited to perform a few of their plays at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival. 43:32 – 55:17 Hundal and Binning describe how they continued to support themselves financially since they weren’t making money from Vancouver Sath. Binning and Hundal provide further details on how their collective worked with the process of writing the plays and presenting and discussing details with the Vancouver Sath community before performing to an audience. Hundal talks about the transition that the magazine “Watno Dur” took in 1986 which lead to renaming it “Watan”. Hundal and Binning discuss how in 1992 and 1993 they decided to try to get more young people involved and began publishing a magazine in English called “Ankur”. They describe the content and list some of the authors who contributed to the magazine. 55:18 – 1:20:12 Hundal and Binning provide background details on the author of “Maluka”, Sadhu Singh Dhami and describe the details that lead them to translating the book into Punjabi, touring with the author and adapting the novel into a play which Vancouver Sath performed. Binning and Hundal describe and discuss other plays that Vancouver Sath performed including some plays that were recorded and broadcast over local radio stations. 1:20:13 – 1:32:57 Binning and Hundal reflect on what lead Vancouver Sath to discontinue theatrical performances in the mid 1990’s. Binning and Hundal state how they are both still very involved in publishing literary works but no longer perform theatrical works. Binning and Hundal describe some of their literary works and projects that they’ve been involved in and also reflect on and describe the current theatre scene in the South Asian community. Hundal conveys that even though they no longer call themselves “Vancouver Sath” they continue to enjoy working as a collective discussing literary works and ideas.
- History
- Interviewees' biographies: Dr. Sadhu Binning was born on May 10, 1947 to mother Gurmej Kaur and father Jeet Singh Binning. Due to lack of proper records management in India at the time of his birth, it is believed that he was actually born sometime in December of 1947. He grew up alongside two brothers and one sister in a village located in Kapurthala, Punjab. Dr. Binning attended secondary school in the nearby city of Phagwara, Punjab although he did not complete his education here. Throughout his childhood, he enjoyed reading both Punjabi and Hindi novels and learned how to read Urdu as well. Dr. Binning’s uncle, Dhana Singh immigrated to Canada in 1933 and returned to India in 1953. When Dhana Singh returned to Canada in 1957, he sponsored Dr. Binning’s father, Jeet Singh Binning to immigrate. Dhana Singh co-owned a few saw mills in British Columbia and also worked in the truck driving industry. Dr. Binning remembers that some people who had lived in Canada would visit their village and that they appeared to be strong and healthy and looked happy. He also noticed that they would eat meat, so whenever they would visit there would be meat available. In 1967, when he was nineteen and a half years old, Dr. Binning immigrated Canada to join his father. He recalls his father and uncle and a friend arriving at the airport to pick him up. During his first few days, Dr. Binning made the decision to remove his turban and beard upon receiving advice from his uncle. Dr. Binning first obtained work on a farm in Abbotsford, working alongside his mother. While working, Dr. Binning also attended English classes in Vancouver. Dr. Binning’s Uncle Dhana Singh worked in a Vancouver saw mill and tried to help find work for his nephew but was unsuccessful. Dr. Binning soon found work at a saw mill in Avola and worked there until the end of the summer until a friend helped find him work in a saw mill in North Vancouver. During his free time, he enjoyed camping with friends. In 1970, Dr. Binning left the saw mill after obtaining a job at the post office. The post office offered lower wages than working at the mill but Dr. Binning believed that he would become more educated working here. While working as a postman, Dr. Binning recalls facing a lot of discrimination and racism and was often referred to as a ‘Paki’ multiple times a day. In 1973, Dr. Binning married Jagish Sihota. Sadhu and Jagdish originated from nearby villages in India and met each other in Canada. Dr. Binning’s wife, Jagdish worked at the Royal Bank of Canada for thirty years until her retirement. While working, she also looked after the household and their son and daughter. Jagdish also handwrote a magazine, “Watno Dur" (English translation: ‘away from homeland’) which was distributed in the community. In 1976, Dr. Binning became the editor of the magazine and the name was later changed to “Watan’ as they had accepted their new homeland of Canada. While working at the post office, Dr. Binning also attended night school starting in eighth grade. After receiving his high school diploma, he was accepted to Simon Fraser University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Anthropology and Sociology and in 1986 he obtained a Masters degree from Simon Fraser University. While attending university, Dr. Binning was very active within the community and wanted to work to improve society. He first thought that he would return to India to contribute and improve rights in his homeland but upon seeing the prevalence of the movements in Canada, he realized that work needed to be done here too. In 1983, Dr. Binning became a founding member and contributor to a theatrical collective known as “Vancouver Sath”. The theatrical group produced plays that represented societal issues and were invited to perform at multiple conferences throughout British Columbia and Canada. The group focused and acknowledged the many issues in Punjab and in Canada. One of the plays that the group produced focused on the exploitation of Punjabi women who worked on farms in Canada. Dr. Binning continued to be involved as an integral member of Vancouver Sath until 1995. Over the years, Dr. Binning has strongly lobbied for Punjabi language education and between 1988 and 2008 he worked as Punjabi instructor at the University of British Columbia. He first worked as a teaching assistant at UBC under Dr. Harjot Oberoi and due to low wages, he simultaneously worked at the Post Office. In 2019, Dr. Binning received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from UBC in recognition of his work. Since 1973, Dr. Binning has lived in Burnaby and has resided in the same home that he and his wife purchased in 1987. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, watercolour painting, travelling abroad and going on road trips. Suhkwant Hundal is a founding member in the group known as Vancouver Sath and has spent a lot of time in Burnaby rehearsing and writing plays. Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal co-wrote the Vancouver Sath's first play, "Picket-Line" and many others. This play was staged in November 1984. He's authored and edited pieces for the various newsletters and magazines including "Watno Dur" and "Watan". Through the 1980's and early 1990's Hundal has been active in South Asian advocacy in Burnaby and the Lower Mainland. In his retirement years, Hundal has been a lecturer on Punjabi language at the University of British Columbia in the Department of Asian Studies. Interviewer biography: James Binks has lived in the Lower Mainland since 2009 after relocating from Ontario. James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia, where he conducted researched on heritage, environment, and globalization in India, Nepal, and Italy. At Burnaby Village Museum, James contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Occupations - Writers
- Organizations
- Organizations - Unions
- Migration
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Performances - Dramatic Performances
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Discrimination
- Social Issues - Racism
- Names
- Vancouver Sath
- Binning, Dr. Sadhu
- Hundal, Sukhwant
- Dhami, Sadhu Singh
- Pritam, Amrita
- Rampuri, Gurcharan
- Tut, Mukhan
- Thobani, Sunera
- Hoss Mushroom Farm
- Deol, Jeevan
- Dulai, Phinder
- Dhillon, Sital
- Bhangoo, Bhavna
- Rai, Gurmail
- Punjabi Lekhak Manch
- Di Awaz, Samay
- Johal, Balinder
- Sara, Amanpal
- United Farm Workers Union
- Canadian Farmworkers Union
- Responsibility
- Binks, James
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.7
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- 1967-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available on request
Audio Tracks
Interview with Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal, 1967-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
Interview with Sadhu Binning and Sukhwant Hundal, 1967-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0007_003.mp3Knight family subseries
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription64497
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1938-1982
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Subseries
- Physical Description
- Textual records and photgraphs
- Scope and Content
- Subseries consists of newspaper clippings, manuals on health and training of talking birds, correspondence and photographs pertaining to "Bird Doctor" Virginia Knight and her husband Milton, the owners of Lakeview Aviaries in Burnaby.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1938-1982
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Knight family subseries
- Physical Description
- Textual records and photgraphs
- Description Level
- Subseries
- Accession Number
- BHS1992-53
- Scope and Content
- Subseries consists of newspaper clippings, manuals on health and training of talking birds, correspondence and photographs pertaining to "Bird Doctor" Virginia Knight and her husband Milton, the owners of Lakeview Aviaries in Burnaby.
- History
- Milton "Milt" Waller Knight was born in Canada circa 1904. His wife Virginia Harrington was born in Duluth, Minnesota circa 1905 and lived most of her life in Canada. Virginia was the first person in British Columbia to breed budgies when she began in 1932 and by 1939 she and her husband created the first crested budgie in the world. By 1942, Virginia was also housing two-hundred and fifty birds at the home of her mother, Mrs. N.M. Herington, which was located at 1775 West 13th Avenue in Burnaby. Milton and Virginia Knight moved into their own home during the war years but, as they could not get their large aviary moved, they were forced to sell their crested birds. When they started up in their birds again, they obtained some of their crested back. By 1948 they had created two types of crested: those with a miniature cockatiel crest and those with a crest like a crested canary. By 1950 they had created the crested in over twelve colours of budgie, including cobalt and yellow-wing greens. The Knights lived together at 3718 Sperling Avenue (later renumbered 5255 Sperling Avenue) and opened Lakeview Aviaries on their one acre property at Deer Lake where Virginia specialized in budgies (Budgerigars) and bred the first albino in Canada and the first crested variety in the world. She kept Java rice birds, button quail, red factor canaries, cockatiels, finches, love birds and twelve varieties of budgerigar. She was a member of the British Columbia Budgerigar and Foreign Bird Society. The facilities at Lakeview Aviaries included two heated aviary cages and three outdoor flight cages constructed by Milton. Lakeview housed the only "hospital" facilities in the city for cage birds, which featured an electrically heated, thermostatically controlled hospital cage. Virginia, known in the community as “the Bird Doctor” nursed many sick birds back to health free of charge for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or SPCA. The Knights often donated their trained birds to sick and injured children, for Virginia believed, “Budgies do wonders for the kiddies. They make them forget their troubles and of course a happy mental outlook is a definite aid to better physical health.” The couple’s personal pets included eight different types of parrot, three talking budgies, a dancing bare-eyes cockatoo, three talking cockatiel, and “Hoppy” her pet owl. By 1952, they had a toucan and a macaw as pets. In later years, they added two small dogs. By 1965, Milton had over 25 years of service as a truck driver at the Vancouver Service Department. He was also an avid collector of antique watches and clocks. He reconditioned the timepieces, systematically restoring them to their original condition. He was a member of the National Association of Clock and Watch Collectors. Milt also treasured old music boxes and restored their large metal discs and rolls to “as new” condition. Milton Knight died March 7, 1966 at 62 years of age. Virginia Knight lived alone at 5755 Sperling Avenue after her husband’s death and continued her work at the Lakeview Aviary where she “doctored 700-800 [birds] a year free of charge (except medicine) and gave SPCA donations up to $1000 a year.” Virginia Knight passed away November 10, 1987 at 82 years of age.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Creator
- Knight, Milton
- Knight, Virginia
- Notes
- MSS117, PC510
- Title based on contents and creator of subseries