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Basil Pontifex and Norm Brooke
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37927
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1957 (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.0 x 3.0 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of firefighters Basil Pontifex and Norm Brooke at Fire Hall No. 4 at 2326 Duthie Avenue. A firetruck can be seen behind them.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1957 (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Burnaby Image Bank subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.0 x 3.0 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 370-515
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1999-03
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of firefighters Basil Pontifex and Norm Brooke at Fire Hall No. 4 at 2326 Duthie Avenue. A firetruck can be seen behind them.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- 1 b&w copy negative accompanying
- Negative has a pink cast
- Geographic Access
- Duthie Avenue
- Street Address
- 2326 Duthie Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Sperling-Broadway Area
Images
Burnaby Fire Department's first heavy stream appliance
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1683
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- January 16, 1956
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 16.5 x 12 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the demonstration of Burnaby Fire Department's first heavy stream appliance; a 1000 G.P.M. (gallons per minute) nozzle mounted on pumper truck. Fire Chief Menzies is standing on the running board, looking towards Deputy Chief G. Monk and Chief Training Officer Fred Blake who are on th…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 16.5 x 12 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the demonstration of Burnaby Fire Department's first heavy stream appliance; a 1000 G.P.M. (gallons per minute) nozzle mounted on pumper truck. Fire Chief Menzies is standing on the running board, looking towards Deputy Chief G. Monk and Chief Training Officer Fred Blake who are on the fire truck, holding on to the machinery (Blake is on the right). Councillor Fred Philps is standing on the ground, smiling, with his hand resting on the truck's ladder.
- Subjects
- Occupations - Fire Fighters
- Officials - Alderman and Councillors
- Transportation - Fire Trucks
- Tools and Equipment
- Accession Code
- BV002.75.5
- Access Restriction
- Restricted access
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- January 16, 1956
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2/12/2010
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Typed note on verso of photograph reads: B.F.D. First heavy stream/ appliance, 1000 G.P.M./ nozzle mounted on pumper./ Can also be removed and/ used from the ground./ Jan. 16, 1956"
- Note in black ink on verso of photograph reads: "JAN. 16, 1956 / L to R. CHIEF MENZIES DEP. CHIEF G. MONK CHIEF TRAINING OFFICER FRED BLAKE COUNCILLOR FRED PHILPS"
- Address sticker on verso of photograph reads: "Mr F. Blake 4165 Pandora Street Burnaby, B.C. Canada V5C 2B2"
Images
Burnaby Fire Department trainees at Confederation Park
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1537
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1956 (date of original)
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of four unidentified Burnaby Fire Department trainees standing in front of a 1954 triple combination LaFrance fire engine at Confederation Park.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of four unidentified Burnaby Fire Department trainees standing in front of a 1954 triple combination LaFrance fire engine at Confederation Park.
- Names
- Burnaby Fire Department
- Accession Code
- BV998.31.19
- Access Restriction
- Restricted access
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- 1956 (date of original)
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Capitol Hill (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Capitol Hill Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 02-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Typed sticker on verso of photograph reads: "Trainees (1956) with 1954/ Triple Combination La-/ France fire engine at/ Confederation Park."
- Address sticker on verso of photograph reads: "MR & MRS F BLAKE 4165 Pandora Street Burnaby BC Canada V5C 2B2"
Images
Burnaby's first ladder fire truck
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1300
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1956 (date of original)
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby's first ladder fire truck, a LaFrance, 100 foot aerial ladder quintuplet. The ladder is fully extended with a firefighter standing at the very top, operating the hose.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby's first ladder fire truck, a LaFrance, 100 foot aerial ladder quintuplet. The ladder is fully extended with a firefighter standing at the very top, operating the hose.
- Names
- Burnaby Fire Department
- Accession Code
- BV998.31.15
- Access Restriction
- Restricted access
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- 1956 (date of original)
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Related Material
- For another photograph of the same image, but cropped differently, see BV998.31.18
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 01-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Typed sticker on verso of photograph reads: "Burnaby's first ladder truck. La France 100 ft. aerial ladder quintuplet. 1956"
- Address sticker on verso of photograph reads: "MR & MRS F BLAKE 4165 PANDORA ST BURNABY BC V5C 2B2"
Images
![Burnaby's new fleet of fire trucks, [1956 or 1957] thumbnail](/media/Hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/205/226-001.jpg?width=280)
Burnaby's new fleet of fire trucks
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36138
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1956 or 1957]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 18.5 x 23.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the new fleet of Burnaby's 1956 American LaFrance pumper fire trucks lined in a row in front of the Municipal Hall. The fifth truck has its ladder extended. Reeve Charles MacSorley, Fire Chief William Menzies, and Councillor Fred Philps are standing in front of the second truck. There…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1956 or 1957]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 18.5 x 23.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 226-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
- Accession Number
- BHS1989-22
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the new fleet of Burnaby's 1956 American LaFrance pumper fire trucks lined in a row in front of the Municipal Hall. The fifth truck has its ladder extended. Reeve Charles MacSorley, Fire Chief William Menzies, and Councillor Fred Philps are standing in front of the second truck. There is snow on the ground and the three men are wearing winter coats.
- Subjects
- Transportation - Fire Trucks
- Occupations - Fire Fighters
- Buildings - Civic - City Halls
- Officials - Alderman and Councillors
- Officials - Mayors and Reeves
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Dominion Photo Company
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Other title info: photographer's negative no. 38487
- Street Address
- 4949 Canada Way
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
Images
![Burnaby's new fleet of fire trucks, [1956 or 1957] thumbnail](/media/Hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/205/226-001.jpg)
![Burnaby's second fire truck, [between 1936 and 1952] thumbnail](/media/Hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/205/226-002.jpg?width=280)
Burnaby's second fire truck
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36139
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1936 and 1952]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 11.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of fireman Abe Killer sitting behind the wheel of Burnaby's second fire truck, a 1927 Packard. Albert "Abe" Killer was a fireman from 1936 to 1952.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1936 and 1952]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 11.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 226-002
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
- Accession Number
- BHS1989-22
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of fireman Abe Killer sitting behind the wheel of Burnaby's second fire truck, a 1927 Packard. Albert "Abe" Killer was a fireman from 1936 to 1952.
- Names
- Killer, Albert "Abe"
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
![Burnaby's second fire truck, [between 1936 and 1952] thumbnail](/media/Hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/205/226-002.jpg)
Polishing Burnaby Fire Truck no. 7
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1603
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- January 1956
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 19.5 x 24 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of firemen (from left) Roy Gaudette, Harvey Merritt, Gordon Williamson, and Ken Bridges polishing Burnaby Fire Truck no. 7 (1955 American LaFrance 710 Empire Triple Combination Pumper) with polishing cloths inside the bay at the fire hall.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 19.5 x 24 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of firemen (from left) Roy Gaudette, Harvey Merritt, Gordon Williamson, and Ken Bridges polishing Burnaby Fire Truck no. 7 (1955 American LaFrance 710 Empire Triple Combination Pumper) with polishing cloths inside the bay at the fire hall.
- Names
- Burnaby Fire Department
- Gaudette, Roy
- Merritt, Harvey
- Williamson, Gordon "Gordie"
- Bridges, Ken
- Accession Code
- BV002.10.1
- Access Restriction
- Restricted access
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- January 1956
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 09-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Newspaper clipping attached to verso of photograph reads: "..W BURNABY FIRE TRUCK will get lots of attention from firemen / ...at new $26, 000 machine will vastly improve efficiency of department. / ...ry chemical extinguisher, a deluge gun which can throw water 100 feet. / ...lines will allow truck to whip fires with five tons of water per minute. / ...truck the once-over are (from left), Roy Gaudette, 308 Fifteenth / ...arvey Merritt, 2920 Southeast Marine; Gordon Williamson, 430 Graham avenue, and Ken Bridges, 3104 Sixth street." and stamp reads: "Jan 11 1959"
- Note on border of photograph reads: "[vertically] 1956"
- Note in blue ink on verso of photograph reads: "3x/ Burnaby/ fire truck"
Images
Trainees at Confederation Park
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1538
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1956 (date of original)
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of four unidentified Burnaby Fire Department trainees standing in front of a 1954 triple combination LaFrance fire engine at Confederation Park.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of four unidentified Burnaby Fire Department trainees standing in front of a 1954 triple combination LaFrance fire engine at Confederation Park.
- Names
- Burnaby Fire Department
- Geographic Access
- Willingdon Avenue
- Street Address
- 250 Willingdon Avenue
- Accession Code
- BV998.31.20
- Access Restriction
- Restricted access
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- 1956 (date of original)
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Capitol Hill (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Capitol Hill Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 02-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Typed sticker on verso of photograph reads: "Trainees (1956) with 1954 Triple Combination La- France fire engine at Confederation Park."
- Address sticker on verso of photograph reads:"MR & MRS F BLAKE 4165 Pandora Street Burnaby BC Canada V5C 2B2"
Images
![Fire Chief William Menzies, [between 1954 and 1964] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/480/480-1156.jpg?width=280)
Fire Chief William Menzies
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription46268
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1954 and 1964]
- Collection/Fonds
- Columbian Newspaper collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 11.5 x 7.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby Fire Chief William Menzies in uniform.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1954 and 1964]
- Collection/Fonds
- Columbian Newspaper collection
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 11.5 x 7.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 480-1156
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
- Accession Number
- 2003-02
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby Fire Chief William Menzies in uniform.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
![Fire Chief William Menzies, [between 1954 and 1964] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/480/480-1156.jpg)
Fireman standing next to his car
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1480
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- January 1958
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. ; 7.5 x 7.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of an unidentified fireman in his dress uniform standing next to a car on the driver's side and holding onto the window frame. The location has not been identified.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. ; 7.5 x 7.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of an unidentified fireman in his dress uniform standing next to a car on the driver's side and holding onto the window frame. The location has not been identified.
- Accession Code
- BV999.55.29
- Access Restriction
- Restricted access
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- January 1958
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 09-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Date stamp on recto of photograph reads: "JAN 58"
- Stamp on verso of photograph reads: "WEEK OF/ JAN 20 1958/ [illegible word] COLOR PRINT"
Images
Operation Mink Farm
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription72207
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- April 24, 1955
- Collection/Fonds
- Planning Department fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 film reel ( 6 min., 8 sec.) : col. , si. ; 16 mm
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a silent motion picture civil defense film entitled, "Operation Mink Farm" produced by the Corporation of the District of Burnaby. The film footage was shot in Burnaby, B.C. on April 24th, 1955. A resolution was passed in February 1955 by the Corporation of the District of Burnaby …
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- April 24, 1955
- Collection/Fonds
- Planning Department fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 film reel ( 6 min., 8 sec.) : col. , si. ; 16 mm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 566-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- 2009-08
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a silent motion picture civil defense film entitled, "Operation Mink Farm" produced by the Corporation of the District of Burnaby. The film footage was shot in Burnaby, B.C. on April 24th, 1955. A resolution was passed in February 1955 by the Corporation of the District of Burnaby to create a Civil Defense Board comprised of council members and appointees, whereby the Reeve would act as the chair of the board. Several municipal employees and council members went through Civil Defense training in preparation for an attack or catastrophe. The first portion of the film takes place at the old City Hall (the stone building) with uniformed Air Raid Precaution (A.R.P.) members performing civil defense exercises in the case of a nuclear war and how to care for and rescue injured civilians. Volunteers pose as the injured as they are cared for and transported on stretchers. In the second portion of the film, the local fire department and civil defense members endeavor to get a fire under control with water hoses. The film takes place at a former mink farm in North Burnaby as referred to in the title.
- Media Type
- Moving Images
- Photographer
- Scott, A.F.
- Notes
- Transcribed title
Images
Video
Operation Mink Farm, April 24, 1955
Operation Mink Farm, April 24, 1955
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Moving_Images/_Unrestricted/566-001.m4vInterview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20285
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recordings (wav) (121min., 14 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (121 min., 13 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 25, 2023. The interview is divided into four sections: early life of Harry Toy, the Canada Way Food Market, the Fraser M…
- 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
- 1 sound recordings (wav) (121min., 14 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (121 min., 13 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Denise Fong Interviewees: Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy Location of Interview: Residence of Harry Toy Interview Date: September 25, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 02:01:13 Digital master recording (wav) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 25, 2023. The interview is divided into four sections: early life of Harry Toy, the Canada Way Food Market, the Fraser Merchants’ Association and Harry's daughters, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy's memories of growing up in Burnaby. 00:00:00 – 00:23:53 Harry Toy shares biographical information about himself and his ancestors. Harry provides information about his migration to Canada and his life in Manitoba, attending school, working at the family restaurant and teaching high school. 00:23:53 – 00:41:16 Harry talks about moving his family to Burnaby and his experiences owning and operating the Canada Way Food Market. 00:41:17 – 00:54:19 Harry talks about his involvement with the Fraser Merchants Association (FMA) and provides some history about the organization. 00:54:20 – 1:22:44 Harry talks about running the Canada Way Food Market and the alterations that he made to the store over the years. Harry and his daughters comment as they look through photographs of Harry and his store and the Fraser Merchants Association. 1:22:45 – 2:01:14 Beverley and Christina talk about their early childhood in Manitoba and growing up in Burnaby. They recall what it was like growing up and working in the family owned store.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Harry Wee Koon Toy was born in February 9, 1936 in Taikong, Toisan county, Guangdong, China. Harry's father William Toy came to Canada in the early 1920s when he was ten years old. Harry arrived in Vancouver, Canada on September 9, 1950. After staying in Vancouver for one night, he joined his father in Neepawa, Manitoba where the family operated a cafe business (Royal Cafe). Harry grew up in Neepawa and graduated from the University of Manitoba and teacher's college. He became a high school teacher and worked at schools in Minnedosa and Gladstone, Manitoba teaching various subjects including, science, business, geography, history and physical education. Harry and his wife, had three daughters, Melinda, Beverley and Christina who were all born in Neepawa. When the family decided to move to the west coast, Harry was introduced to the grocery store business through an uncle who was a store operator. Around 1970, Harry purchased a grocery store at 4694 Canada Way in Burnaby which he named "Canada Way Food Market" and Harry and his daughters made their home at the back of the store. Harry owned and operated the store for approximately 40 years between 1970 and 2010. Around 1986, Harry purchased the butcher shop next door (4692 Canada Way) which was no longer in operation, expanding his store and adding a second storey to use a residence. Harry's children helped him operate the store throughout their childhood. In the early 1970s, corner stores were threatened by the spread of small chain-operated convenience stories from Eastern Canada to Vancouver. Formed in April 1972, the Fraser Merchants’ Association was established to protect the rights of corner store operators. With no paid legal help, the association was incorporated in Victoria, BC for the cost of 56 cents. The benefits of being a member of the association included warehouse and group purchasing, common advertising and other advantages of being part of an association. Founded by Gary Lee Ling and five others, Fraser Merchants’ Association’s first member was Graham Grocery. By 1978, the association represented over 200 corner stores in the Lower Mainland (Delta, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Coquitlam, and New Westminster) and Fraser Valley. The association remained active into the 1980s and 1990s. Harry has served as President of the Fraser Merchants' Association from 1992 to present. Interviewer biography: Denise Fong is a historical researcher at Burnaby Village Museum. She has degrees in Anthropology (BA) and Archaeology (MA), and is completing her doctoral degree at UBC in Interdisciplinary Studies. Her primary research interests are in Chinese Canadian history and critical heritage studies. She is the co-curator of BVM’s “Across the Pacific” exhibition, and the Museum of Vancouver’s “A Seat at the Table – Chinese Immigration and British Columbia”.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Education
- Migration
- Occupations - Teachers
- Occupations - Grocers
- Organizations
- Organizations - Business Associations
- Persons - Chinese Canadians
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores
- Names
- Toy, Christina
- Toy, Harry Wee Koon "Harry"
- Babey, Beverley
- Canada Way Food Market
- Fraser Merchants' Association
- Responsibility
- Fong, Denise
- Geographic Access
- Canada Way
- Street Address
- 4694 Canada Way
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.19
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Related Material
- See also: BV023.25 - Harry Toy fonds
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy, [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023
Interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy, [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0019_002.mp3Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 3
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory466
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1927-1990
- Length
- 00:04:05
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about the equipment used by the fire department over the years, in particular about the pump and ladder trucks, and about Chief Waddell's wise choice of locations for the fire halls.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about the equipment used by the fire department over the years, in particular about the pump and ladder trucks, and about Chief Waddell's wise choice of locations for the fire halls.
- Date Range
- 1927-1990
- Length
- 00:04:05
- Names
- Waddell, Gordon
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- February 21, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Al Nixon, conducted by Rod Fowler. Al Nixon was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is mainly about the history and operations of the Burnaby Fire Department from its beginning in 1911 to 1990, and Al Nixon’s stories about the various ways photographs, records and artifacts about the department were collected and saved. The interview takes place while looking at photographs, but the information is clear nonetheless (His photographs have been deposited in the Burnaby Archives). Al Nixon also talks about his father's career as a firefighter, and about his Douglas grandparents and their home “The Gables” [Seven Gables] and neighbourhood in Burquitlam. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Al Nixon was born in New Westminster Feb. 8, 1936, the son of Provincial Fire Marshal Basil Nixon (1904-1975) and Agnes Douglas (1909-?). His mother’s family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1922 and lived in a large ca. 1900 home in Burquitlam at 9957 Sullivan Road called “Seven Gables” (recently demolished). His grandfather Thomas Douglas, a Coquitlam Councillor and Socialist, was murdered in 1934 in his North Road service station. Al Nixon began his career as a firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department in 1957, eventually becoming Deputy Fire Chief Operations in 1987 and Fire Chief in 1991, before retiring in 1993. In the mid 1980's Al Nixon became interested in the department’s history after finding a photograph scrapbook at one of the firehalls. It was in very bad condition but he recognized its value and began a project to collect and save photographs, artifacts and stories about the Burnaby Fire Department, a 6 month project that turned into years. The photographs and information gathered by Al Nixon became part of Douglas Penn’s book “Follow that Fire: the history of the Burnaby Fire Department”.
- Total Tracks
- 8
- Total Length
- 0:43:35
- Interviewee Name
- Nixon, Al
- Interviewer Bio
- Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.
- Collection/Fonds
- SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds
- Transcript Available
- Transcript available
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.
Audio Tracks
Track three of interview with Al Nixon
Track three of interview with Al Nixon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_3.mp3![LaFrance Class A Quintuplet, [after 1956] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/2000/200200750003.jpg?width=280)
LaFrance Class A Quintuplet
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1681
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [after 1956]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph: sepia photocopy ; 10 x 14 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby Fire Department's 1956 LaFrance Class A Quintuplet fire truck, considered "five fire trucks in one" because it served as a chemical truck (now a water tank), a hose truck, pumper truck, city service ladder truck and 100 ft aerial ladder truck. Truck no. 8 is parked in front of…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph: sepia photocopy ; 10 x 14 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby Fire Department's 1956 LaFrance Class A Quintuplet fire truck, considered "five fire trucks in one" because it served as a chemical truck (now a water tank), a hose truck, pumper truck, city service ladder truck and 100 ft aerial ladder truck. Truck no. 8 is parked in front of fire hall no. 3.
- Names
- Burnaby Fire Department
- Geographic Access
- Marlborough Avenue
- Street Address
- 6511 Marlborough Avenue
- Accession Code
- BV002.75.3
- Access Restriction
- Restricted access
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- [after 1956]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Marlborough Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 09-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Typed note on recto of photograph reads: "First in Canada 1956"
- Typed note on verso of photograph reads: "Five fire trucks in one. Chemical -- Now water trank Hose truck. Pumper truck. City service ladder truck. Aerial ladder truck 100 ft."
- Address sticker on verso of photograph reads: "Mr F. Blake 4165 Pandora Street Burnaby, B.C. Canada V5C 2B2"
Images
![LaFrance Class A Quintuplet, [after 1956] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/2000/200200750003.jpg)
Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19349
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (wav) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (49 min., 21 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of an oral history interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. Raj Chouhan shares his ancestral background and personal experiences immigrating to Canada from India in 1973 and living and working in Canada as an immigrant…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (wav) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (49 min., 21 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Honourable Raj Chouhan Location of Interview: Residence of Honourable Raj Chouhan Interview Date: December 2, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: (00:49:21) Digital master recording (wav) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of an oral history interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. Raj Chouhan shares his ancestral background and personal experiences immigrating to Canada from India in 1973 and living and working in Canada as an immigrant and the organizations that he became involved with. Honourable Raj Chouhan recalls how he arrived in Burnaby with his family in 1973 and that his family worked in farming. Chouhan imparts his first hand experiences as a new immigrant working as a labourer in the farming industry and describes the unsafe and unfair working conditions that he and migrant workers faced. Chouhan conveys how this experience lead him to become an activist for better working conditions for migrant workers. This lead Chouhan and others to form the Canadian Farm Workers Union in 1980. Chouhan recollects his experiences flying from India to Canada with his wife, his first impressions after arriving in Vancouver and driving to Burnaby and what he brought with him. Chouhan explains his connections to Burnaby. Members of Chouhan's wife's family immgrated to Canada in 1957 and his wife and her three brothers joined them in 1970. Chouhan's father in law, Hardial Singh Grewal immigrated in 1957 and became president of the Sikh temple in New Westminster. Hardial Singh Grewal worked in a lumber mill in Vancouver and eventually bought a house in Burnaby. Chouhan married to his wife at the Sikh temple in New Westminster and lived in Burnaby for a period before moving to New Westminster where they could find more affordable housing. Chouhan shares that he first worked as a farm labourer in Abbotsford and then found a job in the sawmill which paid more. Chouhan describes the extreme racism and discrimination that he and other immigrants faced which lead to the formation of the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism under the leadership of Dr. Hari Prakash Sharma. Chouhan describes this organization that he was a part of and the Canadian Farm Workers Union that were both formed in Burnaby. Chouhan shares that he moved to Victoria in 1988 to serve on the Hospital Employee's Union and moved back to the mainland in 1993 and returned to Burnaby in 2001. Chouhan reflects on the history of South Asian immigration in Canada, how many of the migrants settled in the lower mainland including Burnaby, New Westminster and Vancouver establishing temples in Vancouver and New Westminster which became the centre for the South Asian community. He conveys how earlier occupations were limited to farming and millwork and how over time employment opportunities and education have broadened but there is still work to do. He imparts how second generation Canadians’ experiences differ from first generations providing examples of his own daughters’ and the occupations that they are working in. Chouhan provides his insights into the South Asian Canadian experience imparting “We make history every day and that history needs to be recorded and learned from.."... “People from different communities, different backgrounds who lived in Burnaby have contributed so much and South Asians are just like another community and participated in all aspects of social life, cultural, religious, economy. I'm so proud of our community, our forefathers who had that vision to fight for our rights. I'm inspired by people who struggled so much to gain basic rights, like the right to vote". Chouhan refers to these first immigrants as “Gadri Babbas” “revolutionary old people” who were also the main motivation that lead to India becoming a free country in 1947 and for fighting for basic rights here in Canada and how they made their contributions for future generations. Chouhan expresses what he imparts to students “Do not forget your past... if you remember your past then you are much more knowledgeable. Then we know what we need for the future. If we don't know the past, we don't know what the future is going to be like. To make a better future, you have to learn from the past and improve".
- History
- Interviewee biography: Honourable Raj Chouhan was born in the city of Ludhiana in the Province of Punjab in India and immigrated to Canada in 1973. After arriving in Canada, Raj's family settled in Burnaby. Raj grew up in Burnaby and attended schoool. Honourable Raj Chouhan was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as the MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds in 2005 and was re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2020. He was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on December 7, 2020. Honourable Chouhan is the founding president of the Canadian Farmworkers Union and the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism and has served as a director of the Hospital Employees' Union, the Labour Relations Board of B.C. and the Arbitration Bureau of B.C. Honourable Chouhan has also served as the Vice President of B.C. Human Rights Defenders since 2003 and has taught courses in Human Rights, the B.C. Labour Code and Collective Bargaining since 1987. Interviewer biography: Kate Petrusa is the Assistant Curator at the Burnaby Village Museum. In her role, she manages all aspects of the collection – including caring for physical artifacts and making their digital counterpart accessible. Before coming to Burnaby Village Museum in 2019, Kate has worked at several Museums around the Lower Mainland as a Curator and contractor since 2013.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Occupations - Agricultural Labourers
- Migration
- Organizations - Unions
- Rights
- Rights - Human Rights
- Agriculture
- Agriculture - Farms
- Government - Provincial Government
- Government
- Names
- Chouhan, Raj
- British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism
- Sharma, Dr. Hari Prakash
- Grewal, Hardial Singh
- Canadian Farmworkers Union
- Hospital Employees Union
- Khalsa Diwan Society
- Responsibility
- Petrusa, Kate
- Accession Code
- BV022.29.4
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0004_002.mp3Interview with Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19347
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (m4a) (118 min., 39 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (115 min., 20 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of an oral history interview with Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill and their daughter, Prem Kaur Gill conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep. The interview is conducted in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu. The three members of the Gill family share the…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (m4a) (118 min., 39 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (115 min., 20 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewers: Anushay Malik, Rajdeep Interviewees: Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill Location of Interview: Gill family residence on Warwick Avenue in Burnaby Interview Date: November 11, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: (1:58:39) Digital master recording (m4a) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of an oral history interview with Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill and their daughter, Prem Kaur Gill conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep. The interview is conducted in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu. The three members of the Gill family share their ancestral background, their personal experiences immigrating to Canada, living in Burnaby and working in British Columbia as South Asian immigrants. 00:00 – 27:34 Santokh “Gurmail” Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill share their migration stories and experiences living and working in British Columbia as South Asian immigrants and their eldest child, Prem Kaur Gill shares her own experiences as a child of South Asian immigrants and growing up in British Columbia as a South Asian Canadian. Gurmail Singh Gill was born in the District of Jalandhar and Mohinder Kaur Gill was born in Hoshiapur of the Indian state of Punjab. Gurmail describes how he moved from India to England with his family in 1957, immigrated to Canada from England in 1966, married his wife Mohinder in England in 1968 and brought his family (parents and two siblings) to Canada from England in 1970 and other relatives including his wife’s family in the 1970s and 1980s. Mohinder and Gurmail Gill recollect their arranged marriage in England in 1968, their immigration process and explain how they arrived in Burnaby residing with a cousin at 4649 Georgia Street until they were able to purchase their own home after a few years. Gurmail shares names and connections to the relatives that came to British Columbia before him. Gurmail and Mohinder tell how they lived in the basement of the house and rented out the upper floor to save money. The couple recall what they brought with them when they immigrated to Canada and Mohinder Kaur Gill tells of how before leaving India, she and her mother made a special rajai for her to take with her. Mohinder describes the process of making a rajai (a quilted blanket that was made by hand). Gurmail and Mohinder Gill talk about the challenges that they’ve experienced as new immigrants including not being fluent in English, the cold weather and not having very many family or friends nearby to provide support. They attended the Gurdwara on Ross Street or Akali Singh Sikh Society Gurdwara on Skeena in Vancouver. They explain how there was limited access to grocery stores that supplied Punjabi and Indian spices and other cooking supplies. They talk about how they used a food mill and mortar and pestle to grind their own spices and flour and how Mohinder often made traditional sweets like barfi and laddo and pakoras using pea flour when they couldn’t get Besan flour. 27:35 – 36:11 Gurmail provides more details on his family’s immigration story, including names of relatives, how his six siblings and parents all immigrated to British Columbia in 1970 and how in the early 1970s and mid 1980’s Gurmail and his family sponsored approximately 70 friends and relations from India (including Mohinder’s family) to immigrate to Canada. When Mohinder’s family arrived they lived with them in their house until they were able to purchase property next door and build their own home. Children in the families all attended elementary and high school in Burnaby which now amounts to three generations. 36:12 – 59:28 Gurmail and Mohinder Gill talk about their experiences of racial discrimination. Gurmail recalls members of the South Asian community, Dr. Hari Prakash Sharma, Harinder Mahil and Charan Gill starting the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism. Gurmail tells of how he got involved contributing some of his union dues as a member of CAIMAW (Canadian Association of Industrial Mechanical and Allied Workers Union- Local 15) and as a friend of Charan Gill and Raj Chouhan of the Canadian Farm Workers Union. Gurmail Gill explains how he was a founding member of CAIMAW and treasurer until the union merged with the Canadian Auto Workers Union (in 1991). Mohinder and Gurmail tell of how people from the South Asian community were discouraged from wearing Punjabi dresses or head coverings for fear of being yelled at with racial slurs and how it was often scary to go outside. Many from their community often avoided attending the Akali Singh Gurdwara since a head covering was required and people were afraid of being a target. Gurmail provides details about his work with A1 Steel, how different unions were formed pertaining to various skillsets and jobs per company and how he became a member of CAIMAW Local 15 (foundry workers). Mohinder recollects her experiences as a mother, the daily tasks involved and friends that she made who’d also emigrated from Punjab. Mohinder describes how she designed and sewed many Punjabi dresses using her electric sewing machine and how she learned English by attending adult classes at a church on Commercial Drive. Mohinder and her mother attended the classes for two hours per day for six years at a cost of twelve dollars for ten weeks. Once Mohinder could speak a little English, she started working and was able to practice more. 59:29 – 1:06:08 Mohinder, Gurmail and Prem talk about some of their favourite traditional foods including corn roti and spinach curry and how they grow many of their own vegetables including peppers, eggplant, saag (spinach), onions, garlic, cilantro, zucchini, squash and fenugreek. Mohinder reflects on how access to Punjabi clothing and fabric stores in Vancouver has changed and that ready made food is now more available. Traditional foods were previously made from scratch with women gathering together and cooking for hours and now it’s gotten easier but more expensive and less of a community feel. 1:06:09- 1:55:20 Mohinder and Gurmail Gill discuss and share their perspectives and experiences on raising a family in the past versus today. Gurmail imparts that all of his siblings became educated and secured professional careers while he continued to work in the trades. Prem Kaur Gill shares her own experiences growing up and attending school in Burnaby. Gurmail and Mohinder Gill recall the type of suitcase that they brought with them when they immigrated and how they recently they got rid of it. Gurmail and the group reflect and discuss the confusion with racial identity terms that have been used in this country. They comment that South Asians were referred to as “Hindu” and “East Indian” and Indigenous peoples were referred to as “Indian” and the controversy and racism behind some of these terms. The group discusses the impact of the caste system and other discriminatory experiences and compare their experiences of living in England to living in Canada. Prem comments on how it’s just recently that South Asian customs, celebrations and practices have been recognized and celebrated here in Canada, like Diwali and yoga. They comment on how much of the language, culture and customs have been retained in Surrey where many can still communicate in Punjabi and don’t need to be fluent in English. The group discusses how many South Asians immigrants first lived and worked in Vancouver but with rising property prices many moved to Surrey expanding and establishing a much larger South Asian community with resources. The group discusses and compares the differing travel routes that many of them and their relatives took when immigrating and travelling between India and Canada. The group talks about Rajdeep’s ancestral village in India which is near the Gill village of Firozpur. Gurmail explains the origins and details behind his family name that was changed from “Shergill” to “Gill” and the name “Santokh” from his maternal side.
- History
- Interviewees' biographies: Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill was born in the District of Jalandhar in Punjab, India. Gurmail moved to England with his family in 1957 and immigrated to British Columbia in 1966. Gurmail married his wife, Mohinder Kaur Gill in England in 1968 and she immigrated to British Columbia from England soon after. Gurmail first lived with a cousin in Burnaby before purchasing a home of his own in Burnaby where he raised his family. Gurmail worked in the steel industry and was a member and treasurer of the CAIMAW before the union merged with the Canadian Auto Workers Union. Mohinder Kaur Gill was born in the Hoshiapur in Punjab, India. She married her husband Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill in England in 1968 and immigrated to Burnaby, British Columbia to join her husband. Mohinder and Gurmail Gill have four children, all born in Burnaby. Prem Kaur Gill was born in Burnaby in 1969 and is the eldest child of Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill. Prem grew up and attended school in Burnaby. Interviewers' biographies: Anushay Malik is labor historian with a geographical focus on South Asia. Anushay studied at the University of London and was a research fellow at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In 2014, Anushay moved back to her native Pakistan and joined Lahore University of Management Services as an Assistant Professor. In 2023, Anushay is a visiting scholar at Simon Fraser University and lives in Burnaby with her family. Anushay was a co-curator of the Burnaby Village Museum exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”. Rajdeep was born and raised in the Lower Mainland and is of Punjabi (South Asian) descent. She has an Associate of Arts degree in Asian Studies from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia. She is a student in the Restoration of Natural Systems program at the University of Victoria. Rajdeep works at Simon Fraser University as a Program Assistant and as a researcher with the City of Burnaby. At Burnaby Village Museum, Rajdeep contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Clothing
- Foods
- Indigenous peoples
- Buildings - Religious - Temples
- Food Processing Tools and Equipment
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Migration
- Occupations
- Organizations - Unions
- Responsibility
- Rajdeep
- Malik, Anushay
- Accession Code
- BV022.29.2
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcript available upon request - contact Burnaby Village Museum
- Indian Family System Reference notes: Baba = informal way to say grandfather; old man Bibi = informal way to say grandmother; old woman Dada= paternal grandfather Dadi= paternal grandmother Dadke= paternal family members; paternal side (Various spellings might exist for the following terms) Thaiyya= father’s elder brother (uncle) Thaiyyi= father’s elder brother’s wife (aunt) Chacha= father’s younger brother (uncle) Chachi= father’s younger brother’s wife (aunt) Bua= father’s sister (older or younger) (aunt) Phuphar= father’s sister’s husband (uncle) Nana= maternal grandfather Nani= maternal grandmother Nanke/nanka= maternal family members; maternal side Mama= mom’s brother (older or younger) (uncle) Mami= mom’s brother’s wife (aunt) Maasi= mom’s sister (older or younger) (aunt) Maasard= mom’s sister’s husband (uncle)
Audio Tracks
Interview with Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022
Interview with Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0002_002.mp3
Interview with Samuel Nalliah and Ruth (Angela) Nalliah
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19604
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1949-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (68 min., 6 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (68 min., 7 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Samuel Nalliah and Ruth (Angela) Nalliah conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks. 00:00:00 - 00:13:30 Interview opens with introductions. Samuel (Sam) and Angela Nalliah provide biographical details including their p…
- 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) (68 min., 6 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (68 min., 7 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: James Binks Interviewees: Samuel Nalliah and Ruth (Angela) Nalliah Location of Interview: Nalliah family home Interview Date: May 29, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 68 min., 6 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 Photograph information: Ruth (Angela) Nalliah with husband Samuel Nalliah WARNING: Some of the content discussed in this interview (00:40:58 – 00:57:31) regarding the Tamil genocide may be upsetting to some people.
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Samuel Nalliah and Ruth (Angela) Nalliah conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, James Binks. 00:00:00 - 00:13:30 Interview opens with introductions. Samuel (Sam) and Angela Nalliah provide biographical details including their parentage, place of birth (Sri Lanka), spoken language and education. Sam Nalliah shares details on his education while living in Sri Lanka, his later education in Wales where he obtained a Master’s Degree in Computer Science and his migration to Halifax in 1978 after obtaining a job at Dalhousie University as a systems analyst. Sam conveys how he decided to relocate from Halifax to Vancouver in 1986 and started his employment with BC Tel. Angela Nalliah shares details on her education and employment after immigrating to Canada from Sri Lanka in 1986. Angela conveys how she first lived in Ottawa, moved to Toronto in 1989 where she began working for TD bank and moved to Vancouver in 1999. 00:13:31 – 00:20:03 Sam Nalliah talks about how he and his wife Angela first met and married in 1999 and moved to Vancouver. Sam shares information on where his other family members immigrated to and why he decided to immigrate to Canada. Angela shares information on other members of her family who immigrated to Canada before her and how her uncle sponsored them all to come. 00:20:04 – 00:29:30 Sam provides further details regarding his family make up including; his first wife, his daughters (born in 1983 and 1985), his step daughter (born in 1991) and his youngest daughter (born in 2000). Sam tells how he worked as a Systems and Operations Manager at Shaughnessy Hospital and later at BC Hydro. Sam provides locations of homes that they lived in Burnaby and Vancouver. Sam and Angela describe what they liked about living in Burnaby, where their daughter attended school and where they did their shopping. 00:29:31 – 00:32:11 Angela talks about working for Prospera Credit Union from 2003 after TD bank downsized. Sam describes how they rented out their house in Vancouver and lived in a rental home in Burnaby that was owned by the City of Burnaby. Sam and Angela recollect the time period that they lived in Burnaby and Vancouver before deciding to move to Surrey in 2015. 00:32:12 – 00:35:59 Sam and Angela provide details regarding their daughter’s post-secondary education and careers. Angela talks about her social activities, volunteer work and involvement with the Thamil Cultural Society of British Columbia, the Women’s Network as well as the Westminster Bible Chapel Church in Burnaby and the Green Timbers Evangelical Covenant Church in Surrey. 00:36:00 – 00:40:57 Sam recalls hearing Prime Minster Pierre Elliott Trudeau speak about the Charter of Rights and Freedoms at Dalhousie University and the effect that his speech made on him. Sam talks about joining the National Democratic Party when Peter Julian was elected as a Member of Parliament for Burnaby. 00:40:58 – 00:57:31 (WARNING: Some of the content discussed in this portion of the interview may be upsetting to some people) Sam and Angela speak about their involvement with the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC). Angela describes the brutal violence that she witnessed while living in Sri Lanka during the Anti-Tamil state sponsored genocide in the 1980’s. Sam and Angela recollect and discuss their views and actions pertaining to the MV Sun Sea incident where a Thai cargo ship carrying Sri Lankan Tamil refugees to British Columbia were identified as terrorists by the Canadian Government and held in detention facilities. 00:57:32 – 01:08:07 Sam reflects on what he likes about Burnaby. Angela and Sam talk about Hindu temples attended by many Tamil and Sri Lankan people living in Burnaby and the lower mainland. Angela talks about the many cultural events and celebrations that are celebrated within the Tamil and Sri Lankan community including the Pongal Festival. Angela and Sam reflect on how grateful they are to be residents of Canada.
- History
- Interviewees biographies: Samuel (Sam) Nalliah was born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka in 1949. Sam immigrated to Halifax in 1977 after obtaining a position as a systems analyst at Dalhousie University. In 1986, Sam sponsored his parents to come to Canada. In 1986, after being introduced to the milder weather in Victoria, Sam decided to move to British Columbia. He moved to Burnaby in 1990 and began working for BC Tel in Burnaby. Following his job at BC Tel, Sam worked as a Systems and Operations Manager at Shaughnessy Hospital and later at BC Hydro. Ruth (Angela) Nalliah was born in Jaffna, Sri Lanka in 1964 and immigrated to Canada in 1986. As a Tamil living in Sri Lanka in the 1980’s Angela witnessed first hand the brutal violence during the Anti-Tamil state sponsored genocide. In 1986 Angela was relieved to be able to immigrate to Canada after being sponsored by her uncle. Angela first lived and worked in Ottawa and Toronto before marrying Samuel Nalliah in Ottawa in 1999 and the couple moved to Burnaby. Angela worked for TD bank in both Toronto and Vancouver until it downsized in 2003 and she began working for Prospero Credit Union. While living in Burnaby, Angela attended the Westminster Bible Chapel and after moving to Surrey she became a member of the Green Timbers Evangelical Covenant Church. Sam and Angela Nalliah have four daughters and since moving to British Columbia they’ve lived in Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey. Both Sam and Angela are involved with the Tamil Cultural Association of British Columbia and the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) as well as participates in Sri Lankan and Tamil community cultural events. 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
- Education
- Events - Festivals
- Government
- Government - Federal Government
- Migration
- Occupations
- Organizations - Political Parties
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Religions
- Religions - Christianity
- Religions - Hinduism
- Rights
- Rights - Human Rights
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Social Issues - Discrimination
- Names
- Nalliah, Ruth "Angela"
- Nalliah, Samuel "Sam"
- Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC)
- Westminster Bible Chapel
- Thamil Cultural Society of British Columbia (TCSBC)
- Responsibility
- Binks, James
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.8
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- 1949-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available upon request - contact Burnaby Village Museum
Images
Audio Tracks
Interview with Samuel Nalliah and Ruth (Angela) Nalliah, 1949-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
Interview with Samuel Nalliah and Ruth (Angela) Nalliah, 1949-2023 (interview content), interviewed 29 May 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0008_003.mp3![Burnaby's first custom built fire truck, [1954] (date of original) thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1990/199800310007.jpg?width=280)
Burnaby's first custom built fire truck
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1298
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1954] (date of original)
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. ; 9 x 13 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby's first custom built fire truck, an American LaFrance, twelve cylinder triple combination. It is stationed on a field with trees and mountains in the background.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. ; 9 x 13 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby's first custom built fire truck, an American LaFrance, twelve cylinder triple combination. It is stationed on a field with trees and mountains in the background.
- Subjects
- Transportation - Fire Trucks
- Names
- Burnaby Fire Department
- Accession Code
- BV998.31.7
- Access Restriction
- Restricted access
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- [1954] (date of original)
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 01-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Typed sticker on verso of photograph reads: "Burnaby's first custom built firetruck. 1954 American LaFrance triple combination. 12 cyl."
- Address sticker on verso of photograph reads: "MR & MRS F BLAKE 4165 PANDORA ST BURNABY BC V5C 2B2"
Images
![Burnaby's first custom built fire truck, [1954] (date of original) thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1990/199800310007.jpg)
![Fire Hall at Oakalla, [195-] (date of original), copied 1991 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/370/370-698.jpg?width=280)
Fire Hall at Oakalla
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38111
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 4.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.7 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the fire hall at Oakalla Prison Farm.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [195-] (date of original), copied 1991
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Burnaby Image Bank subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 2.9 x 4.2 cm print on contact sheet 20.7 x 26.7 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 370-698
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
- Accession Number
- BHS1999-03
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the fire hall at Oakalla Prison Farm.
- Names
- Oakalla Prison Farm
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- 1 b&w copy negative accompanying
- Negative has a pink cast
- Geographic Access
- Oakmount Crescent
- Street Address
- 5220 Oakmount Crescent
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Oakalla Area
Images
![Fire Hall at Oakalla, [195-] (date of original), copied 1991 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/370/370-698.jpg)
Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory464
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1911-1990
- Length
- 00:05:22
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about how Al Nixon began collecting and saving photographs, records and stories about the history of the Burnaby Fire Department in the mid 1980's. Finding the first scrapbook of photographs lead to other discoveries that placed the beginning of the Burnaby Fire Dep…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about how Al Nixon began collecting and saving photographs, records and stories about the history of the Burnaby Fire Department in the mid 1980's. Finding the first scrapbook of photographs lead to other discoveries that placed the beginning of the Burnaby Fire Department in 1911.
- Date Range
- 1911-1990
- Length
- 00:05:22
- Interviewer
- Fowler, Rod
- Interview Date
- February 21, 1990
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Al Nixon, conducted by Rod Fowler. Al Nixon was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is mainly about the history and operations of the Burnaby Fire Department from its beginning in 1911 to 1990, and Al Nixon’s stories about the various ways photographs, records and artifacts about the department were collected and saved. The interview takes place while looking at photographs, but the information is clear nonetheless (His photographs have been deposited in the Burnaby Archives). Al Nixon also talks about his father's career as a firefighter, and about his Douglas grandparents and their home “The Gables” [Seven Gables] and neighbourhood in Burquitlam. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
- Biographical Notes
- Al Nixon was born in New Westminster Feb. 8, 1936, the son of Provincial Fire Marshal Basil Nixon (1904-1975) and Agnes Douglas (1909-?). His mother’s family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1922 and lived in a large ca. 1900 home in Burquitlam at 9957 Sullivan Road called “Seven Gables” (recently demolished). His grandfather Thomas Douglas, a Coquitlam Councillor and Socialist, was murdered in 1934 in his North Road service station. Al Nixon began his career as a firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department in 1957, eventually becoming Deputy Fire Chief Operations in 1987 and Fire Chief in 1991, before retiring in 1993. In the mid 1980's Al Nixon became interested in the department’s history after finding a photograph scrapbook at one of the firehalls. It was in very bad condition but he recognized its value and began a project to collect and save photographs, artifacts and stories about the Burnaby Fire Department, a 6 month project that turned into years. The photographs and information gathered by Al Nixon became part of Douglas Penn’s book “Follow that Fire: the history of the Burnaby Fire Department”.
- Total Tracks
- 8
- Total Length
- 0:43:35
- Interviewee Name
- Nixon, Al
- Interviewer Bio
- Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.
- Collection/Fonds
- SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds
- Transcript Available
- Transcript available
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.
Audio Tracks
Track one of interview with Al Nixon
Track one of interview with Al Nixon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_1.mp3