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Digney Family fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription10597
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[between 1954 and 1964] (date of originals), copied in 2016 and 2019
Collection/Fonds
Digney Family fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
6 video recordings (mp4) (approx. 3hr., 18 min.) : digital, 23 fps
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of compilation of six films (including film clips) created by Andy Digney and his son Ernest "Dig" Digney. Film content includes footage of members of the Digney family and friends in Burnaby; the Digney homes on Bonsor Avenue and Kaymar Drive; construction of the Digney Bowling Alle…
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Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Digney Family fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
6 video recordings (mp4) (approx. 3hr., 18 min.) : digital, 23 fps
Material Details
Films were digitized in 2019 from original 8 mm format
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of compilation of six films (including film clips) created by Andy Digney and his son Ernest "Dig" Digney. Film content includes footage of members of the Digney family and friends in Burnaby; the Digney homes on Bonsor Avenue and Kaymar Drive; construction of the Digney Bowling Alley and the Simpsons-Sears building; Lawn bowling at Central Park as well as various family events, gatherings, vacations and trips.
History
Andy Digney was born in London, England on July 27, 1886. His given names were Andrew Charles and in 1905, he immigrated with his elder brother to Raymore Saskatchewan and worked on a farm. In 1914, he met and married Alice Swan and in 1920 they had their one and only child, Ernest ('Dig'). The young family lived in Beatty Saskatchewan where they ran a small general store with a pool hall over the top. Andy sold the store and they moved to Carberry Manitoba where Andy worked selling lightening rods and hanging wallpaper. At this time he met and formed a partnership with someone who owned a hand cranked move projector and in the evenings, he and his wife, traveled to church halls in neighbouring towns showing movies. Eventually, he purchased his own movie projector and opened a small theatre in Carberry. He worked odd jobs during the daytime and projected movies in his small theatre at night. Eventually he made enough money to move to Brandon, Manitoba where he purchased a restaurant which he turned into a theatre with living quarters above. Andy called the theatre 'The Oak' since the mighty oak was strong and stood forever. After starting the first Oak Theatre in Brandon, Manitoba when talking pictures came along, Andy Digney, his wife Alice and son Ernest ('Dig') moved to Burnaby in 1936 and chose the site of their new theatre and home at the corner of Kingsway and Marlborough. The Oak Theatre - which opened on August 4, 1937 - was hailed as an artistic masterpiece for its ultra modern white stucco exterior, floodlights and pink-and-green neon marquee. The interior featured a mirrored ceiling, fireplace, and aquarium and had a colour scheme of orchid, royal blue, silver and black. Andy was a very involved member of the Burnaby community becoming the founding president of the Lion's club and the chairman of the committee raising money for war bonds during World War II. In 1944, Andy suffered a severe heart attack, forcing him to retire, so in 1945 he sold the theatre to Odeon Theatres of Canada who continued to operate at this location until 1968 when competition forced its closure and demolition. Andy and his family relocated to a house at 2698 Bonsor Avenue (after 1959-6521 Bonsor Ave.) on 3/4 acres where he spent much of his time cultivating a lovely garden. In about 1946, Andy was approached by the B.C. Midget Auto Racing Association, who were looking for a good location to race the smaller, racing cars, popular at the time. Andy was interested and purchased 10 acres of property located near the corner of Irmin Street and MacPherson Avenue and built a race track. The Digney Speedway opened on July 8, 1948 with stands that had capacity of holding 4500 people. In 1949, when the popularity of midget racing declined, Digney started racing roadsters. However, he struggled to find local drivers, and it was expensive to bring in drivers from elsewhere. In 1951 Digney found a winner: jalopy racing. Local men would buy 1930s cars and strip them down, remove the glass, and weld the doors shut. By early 1952 over forty cars were showing up for jalopy races. By the early 1950s the Speedway was well established, with coverage in the sports pages and on radio. Andy's son Ernest Digney (also known as Dig) worked at the race track but moved away with his wife in 1951 to work in Seattle. Dig and his wife Joyce, along with their two young sons, Paul and Bruce returned to Burnaby in 1953 moving into a 550 square foot apartment located above the Digney Speedway restrooms. In 1954 Simpsons-Sears built a large store on Kingsway and their parking lot came up to the back garden of the family home on Bonsor Avenue. Andy thought of building small stores on his property but in the end decided to build a bowling alley, clearing out his beautiful garden. The Digney Bowl opened on August 19,1955 and Andy Digney, his wife Alice, son 'Dig' and daughter in law Joyce all worked at both the Speedway and the Bowling Alley. In 1956 Andy decided to finally retire and sold the bowling alley and home to his son 'Dig' which he paid for over time. 'Dig' and his family moved into the house on Bonsor Avenue and ran the bowling alley until their son Bruce took over in 1980. Andy Digney died in England in 1964 while on his world tour. His wife Alice died on June 3, 1982 and their son, Ernest ('Dig') died November 27, 2009.
Creator
Digney, Andy
Digney, Ernest Frank "Dig"
Accession Code
BV019.18
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[between 1954 and 1964] (date of originals), copied in 2016 and 2019
Media Type
Moving Images
Related Material
See also City of Burnaby Archives Digney Family fonds Photo/MI catalogue 562
Arrangement
Films are arranged and described at item level along with film clip segments. Master film footage numbered BV019.18.3 through BV019.18.8 were described in original order at item level. Digitized film content within the master film footage was also broken down into shorter film clips according to natural breaks within the original content and described separately as film clips (accession parts) in their original order: BV019.8.3.1 to BV019.8.3.28; BV019.8.4.1 to BV019.8.4.16; BV019.18.5.1 to BV019.8.5.7; BV019.18.6.1 to BV019.18.6.8; BV019.18.7.1 to BV019.18.7.15; BV019.18.8.1 to BV019.18.8.20
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds
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Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co.

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription4648
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
1908-1975
Collection/Fonds
Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co. fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
3 folders of textual records + 180 photographs + ephemera + 1 map + 1 architectural drawing
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records acquired from the Chinese Herbalist shop “Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co” operating in Victoria from 1905 until 1968. Textual records include a few pieces of correspondence, receipts and ephemera addressed to "Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co.", Lim You and Lim Yau (Yew Long Lum) wh…
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Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co. fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
3 folders of textual records + 180 photographs + ephemera + 1 map + 1 architectural drawing
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records acquired from the Chinese Herbalist shop “Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co” operating in Victoria from 1905 until 1968. Textual records include a few pieces of correspondence, receipts and ephemera addressed to "Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co.", Lim You and Lim Yau (Yew Long Lum) while the shop was in operation at 1620 Government Street in the 1940s. Some of the records are written in English while a portion are written in Cantonese and haven't been translated. Most of the photographs document the content of the original shop at the time of aquistion in 1975. Some photographs of unidentified people may be related to the owner or proprietor of the shop. A collection of other photographs document various Chinese Canadian organizations that were in operation in Victoria. Records are arranged into the following series: 1) Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co. photographs series 2) Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co. documents series
History
The Chinese Herbalist shop "Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co" operated in Victoria, BC from about 1905 until [1968]. The meaning of "Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co" can be translated as "Collection, Life, Source, Alive, Shop" although many interpretations can be taken since each Chinese character can have several meanings. Contents of the shop were purchased by the Burnaby Village Museum in 1975 and reassembled as a permanent display in the Burnaby Village Museum. The shop’s original owner was Ng Chee Fong who opened the shop ca.1905. In 1921, Ng returned to Hong Kong and sold the business to Lam Yuen and Wong Ying who were from Vancouver. Lam Yuen and Wong Ying employed Lum Chuck Yue to operate the shop. Lum Chuck Yue had formerly operated a small herbal counter in a Chinese apothecary store on the south side of Fisgard Street, Victoria. In 1924 Lam Yuen and Wong Ying purchased Wah Sun & Co. from Lee S. Yew and Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co. moved into the Wah Sun premises at 1620 Government Street in the Lee Block . The furnishings and fixtures of both stores were combined, with the more elaborate fixtures from WSYWK remaining as part of the public part of the shop and the plainer fixtures of Wah Sun moved into the workroom and basement. In the 1930s Lum Chuck Yue took over the business and became the proprietor. In about 1934, Tan Yi Tang purchased the business and the shop reopened as Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Co. following renovations with Lum Yew Jong as the shop's proprietor. Lum Yew Jong continued to operate the shop until his death in 1967 at the age of 68 years. Following Lum’s death, the property and contents of the shop were purchased by Mr. J. Watson Marles, a local owner operator of an antique store at 1714 Government Street. The shop and contents went through a few more private owners including Rodney Pain before it was purchased by the Heritage Village Museum in 1975 with funds made available by the Vancouver Foundation and the Province of British Columbia. Contents of the original shop were reasembled in a reconstructed building as a permanent display on site at the Burnaby Village Museum.
Creator
Way Sang Yuen Wat Kee & Company
Accession Code
HV975.5
BV985.5331
BV017.7
Access Restriction
Restricted access
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
1908-1975
Media Type
Photograph
Textual Record
Cartographic Material
Architectural Drawing
Related Material
See also Artifacts under Accessions HV975.5; BV985.5331 and BV017.7
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds
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