Doreen Lawson fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription58356
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1950-2002
- Collection/Fonds
- Doreen Lawson fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 18 cm of textual records + approx. 1000 photographs
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of records created and received by Doreen Lawson during her career as Parks Commissioner (1965-1971), Burnaby City Council member (1972-1985, 1990-1999) and environmental advocate following her retirement from Council in 1999. Records include election campaign materials, congratulat…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1950-2002
- Collection/Fonds
- Doreen Lawson fonds
- Physical Description
- 18 cm of textual records + approx. 1000 photographs
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Accession Number
- 2003-30
- 2015-15
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of records created and received by Doreen Lawson during her career as Parks Commissioner (1965-1971), Burnaby City Council member (1972-1985, 1990-1999) and environmental advocate following her retirement from Council in 1999. Records include election campaign materials, congratulatory letters and correspondence, community speeches and slideshow presentations regarding the conservation of Burnaby Lake, the administrative papers of the Burnaby Centennial Rhododendron and Spring Flower Show Society, and photographs of Burnaby waterways and wildlife.
- History
- Doreen Anne Fowler Lawson was born July 8, 1928, to Eva Barnhill and Leonard Fowler. Her parents met in Alberta but decided to move to Vancouver where they got married and Doreen was born. The family moved to the north side of Claude Avenue in Burnaby when Doreen was a few months old. In 1931, they moved to a house with an acre of land directly across the street from their first house.
- When Doreen was six, her family moved to Collingwood, Vancouver, near where her father grew up. This is where her brother Ron was born. The family moved again to County Line in Langley Prairie in 1944, which is where Doreen met Edward Lawson, her future husband. Soon after, they moved to a seven-acre plot in Burquitlam. Ed and Doreen Lawson’s eldest daughter, Linda, was born in 1954. Their second daughter, Wendy, was born in 1959 and their youngest, Lisa, was born in 1961. They lived in the Brentwood area, where all three daughters attended Brentwood Elementary School. Linda went on to Alpha Secondary School.
- In 1945, Doreen began her first of several office jobs, and in the early 1950s she became the first woman to be elected into a vice-president position within the BC Trade Union Congress (now the BC Federation of Labour).
- Doreen Lawson had a long and prolific political career, starting as Parks Commissioner in 1965, and serving as its chair from 1969 to 1971. She was instrumental in the selection and promotion of the rhododendron as the official flower of Burnaby in 1966. In 1971, she was elected to Burnaby City Council and, in 1972, Doreen proposed that Council take action to declare Burnaby Lake a wildlife sanctuary. After a 10-year campaign, she was able to convince Council to declare the park “a nature conservation area.” She put forward a policy of preservation for creeks and streams, as well as a proposal to preserve trees in subdivisions, both of which were adopted by Council. Doreen continued to serve on Council until 1985, during which time she initiated and chaired the Burnaby Information Committee, which designed the present Burnaby logo (and official flower pins) and established the Information Burnaby Newsletter. In 1979 Doreen Lawson won Vancouver Natural History Society’s Frank Sanford Award.
- In 1984, Doreen was elected the first woman president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Doreen ran as a BC Liberal Party candidate in the new Federal Riding of Burnaby in 1979, and from 1985 to 1987, she served as the Executive Director of the British Columbia Liberal Party. As the B.C. Liberal Party Executive Director, her major responsibility was to work with both the Federal and Provincial Associations in implementing riding organizations and fundraising programs in preparation for election time. In the 1980s, Doreen was an active guest lecturer at Burnaby Elementary and High Schools as well as at the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University. Doreen was active in a variety of community clubs and organizations including: the Burnaby Library Board; Greater Vancouver Spinners and Weavers Guild; and Vancouver Natural History Society. She was an executive member of the Burnaby-New Westminster Canada Summer Games; the Burnaby Division of the United Way; Information Burnaby Committee; and the Brentwood Parent Teachers Association; as well as serving as the President of the Burnaby Voters Association from 1988-1990.
- In 1990, Doreen was elected back to Burnaby Council and put forward the rejuvenation of Burnaby Lake which she saw completed before her final year on Council in 1999. Doreen continued to be a strong environmental advocate for the protection and rejuvenation of Burnaby Lake after she retired from council.
- Doreen Lawson died October 11, 2003.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Creator
- Lawson, Doreen A.
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
- MSS071, photo catalogue 605, photo catalogue 618
Krewenchuk family fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription88389
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1949-1993
- Collection/Fonds
- Krewenchuk family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 5 cm. of textual records + 6 photographs : b&w + 10 photographs : col. + 2 architectural plans
- Scope and Content
- Records consist of personal and business records and photographs for Mike and Mary Krewenchuk and their son, Dennis Krewenchuk. Business records include photographs, guest books, property deeds, and land appraisals from when the Krewenchuks owned and operated the Nelson Hotel. Personal records inc…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1949-1993
- Collection/Fonds
- Krewenchuk family fonds
- Physical Description
- 5 cm. of textual records + 6 photographs : b&w + 10 photographs : col. + 2 architectural plans
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproductions subject to FOIPPA
- Accession Number
- 2014-23
- 2015-05
- Scope and Content
- Records consist of personal and business records and photographs for Mike and Mary Krewenchuk and their son, Dennis Krewenchuk. Business records include photographs, guest books, property deeds, and land appraisals from when the Krewenchuks owned and operated the Nelson Hotel. Personal records include photographs, a last will and testament for Mike Krewenchuk, property records, appraisals and plans for 7460 Salisbury Avenue, and photographs and documents relating to their son, Dennis Krewenchuck's 1941 Packard convertible.
- History
- Michael (Mike) and Mary Krewenchuk lived in Burnaby and Vancouver, raising their five children, three boys and two girls. The family moved to Burnaby from Grand Forks in 1943 and purchased property on Grovenor Street on Capital Hill. Mike and Mary owned and operated a variety of small businesses in Burnaby and Vancouver, including: The Central Meat Market located at Sperling and Hastings Street; The Capital Hill General Store at 5530 Hastings Street in Burnaby from 1949; The Penny Market at 1806 Victoria Drive in Vancouver which they sold in 1953; The Payless Market at 5098 Joyce Street in Vancouver from 1954 to 1955; and the Nelson Motel (also known as The Nelson Bungalow Court and Nelson Auto Court) from 1956 to 1967. The couple sold the Nelson Motel in 1967, retiring and purchasing property at 7460 Salisbury Avenue where they built a new house. Mike Krewenchuk died in 1981 at the age of 79 years.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Creator
- Krewenchuk family
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
- MSS191, MSS192, photo catalogue 582
City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription29
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1892-2021
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 130m of textual records and other material
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of records generated in the course of municipal business by City Council and the Office of the City Clerk.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1892-2021
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Physical Description
- 130m of textual records and other material
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- Subject to FOIPPA
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of records generated in the course of municipal business by City Council and the Office of the City Clerk.
- History
- The City of Burnaby covers an area of approximately 98 square kilometers between the cities of Vancouver to the west, and Coquitlam and New Westminster to the east, Burrard Inlet to the north, and the Fraser River to the south. The municipality derived its name from Robert Burnaby, a prominent businessman and advisor to Sir James Douglas, the first Governor of the Crown Colony of British Columbia. Burnaby’s early development was closely tied to the development of the City of New Westminster. New Westminster became British Columbia’s capital in 1859, the year after the British Government proclaimed the establishment of British Columbia. Shortly thereafter, the Royal Engineers began exploring Burnaby to establish military defenses and secure natural resources. This involved the construction of a road linking New Westminster to Burrard Inlet for military purposes, which is present-day North Road. At this time, individuals and families began settling in Burnaby and were largely involved in agricultural and logging activities. Burnaby developed slowly until 1887, when the Canadian Pacific Railway was extended into Vancouver from the Port Moody terminal, causing a dramatic increase in traffic between New Westminster and Vancouver. To meet the new transportation demands, a tramline was built in 1891 connecting the two urban centers along what is now Kingsway. The creation and location of the tramline induced property owners to begin subdividing and selling their lands as early as October 1891. The property taxes the roughly 200 residents paid at this time went directly to the provincial government in Victoria. No local services were provided in turn, which prompted the formation of a committee to petition the provincial government for a municipal charter. As a result, the Corporation of the District of Burnaby was incorporated by letters patent on September 22, 1892. Burnaby’s first Council was elected by acclamation on October 15, 1892 and consisted of Reeve Charles R. Shaw and councillors William Brenchley, Arthur De Windt Hazard, L. Claude Hill, William McDermott, and John Woolard.* The first formal Council election was conducted three months later. Nicolai Shou became the first elected reeve of Burnaby by ballot. Council met at various locations, including the tramline’s power house, private homes, and offices until the first municipal hall was built at Kingsway and Edmonds in 1899. Council is ultimately responsible for the government of the City of Burnaby. The Mayor (formally called “Reeve” prior to 1968) and Council are elected by the residents of Burnaby to represent them in decisions with respect to the provision of public services and facilities. Additionally, the Mayor represents the citizens of Burnaby at various public functions and events. Burnaby was without Council representation during most of the Great Depression and part of the Second World War. Council was disbanded on December 31, 1932 as a result of financial difficulties. The Provincial Government appointed a Commissioner to take over the duties of Reeve and Council beginning in 1933. This system of government was retained until January 1943, when Burnaby residents could once again elect their local government officials. The following individuals have served as Mayor (or Reeve) of Burnaby: Charles R. Shaw 1892 Nicolai C. Schou 1893-1903 Charles F. Sprott 1904-1905 Peter Byrne 1906-1910 John W. Weart 1911-1912 Duncan C. McGregor 1913 Hugh M. Fraser 1914-1918 Thomas Sanderson 1919-1920 Alexander K. McLean 1921-1926; 1928-1929 Charles C. Bell 1927 William L. Burdick 1929 William A. Pritchard 1930-1932 William Tate Wilson 1943-1944 George A. Morrison 1945-1949 William R. Beamish 1950-1953 Charles W. MacSorley 1954-1957 Alan H. Emmott 1958-1968 Robert W. Prittie 1969-1973 Thomas W. Constable 1973-1979 David M. Mercier 1979-1981 William A. Lewarne 1981-1987 William J. Copeland 1987-1996 Douglas P. Drummond 1996-2002 Derek R. Corrigan 2002-2018 Mike Hurley 2018-present The following individuals have served as provincially appointed Commissioners for the Corporation of the District of Burnaby: John Bennett 1933 John Mahony 1933-1934 Hugh M. Fraser 1934-1940* R.S. Gilchrist 1941-1942* B.C. Bracewell 1942* *Richard Bolton was Acting Commissioner for most of 1940-1942. He refused to be a full-fledged Commissioner. Closely associated with the functions of Council is the City Clerk. The Office of the City Clerk is responsible for the statutory duties of the municipal clerk including the preparation and preservation of all minutes books and records of Council business, custody of City bylaws, administrative support to Council and its Committees, preparation of Council and Committee agendas and the conduct of local government elections. The Clerk’s Office is the communications link between Council and other City Departments and the general public, and provides assistance and advice to citizens with respect to Council and Council Committee processes, reporting procedures and decisions. At the time of Burnaby’s incorporation in 1892, the municipal Clerk had the responsibility to attend all meetings of Council, keep all records of Council, prepare and alter voters’ lists, conduct Council elections, collect revenue, as well as having the responsibility to prepare balance sheets and audits. An advertisement in a local newspaper for the appointment of the Clerk dated February 1, 1905 states the “united offices of clerk, collector and assessor” receive a salary of $65.00 per month. Originally the treasurer, assessor and records manager for the corporation, the Clerk eventually became the municipal Council liaison. The primary functions of the City Clerk over time have been the keeping of minutes for the meetings of City Council and related bodies; keeping the records of the City of Burnaby as required by the Local Government Act (formally Municipal Act); keeping all records related to City Council decision making; carrying out correspondence on behalf of Council; assembling voters’ lists and carrying out elections; providing communication, information, and public relations services, including responsibility for civic ceremonies/events, and the municipal archives. The following individuals have served as City Clerk: Alexander Philip 1892–1894 Alfred Smither 1894–1899 F.J.H. Shirley 1899–1901 Arthur De Windt Haszard 1901–1902 Walter J. Walker 1902–1905 Benjamin George Walker 1905–1908 Charles Thomas Saunders 1908–1911 W.M. Griffiths 1911–1912 Arthur G. Moore 1912–1933 Charles Boyer Brown 1933–1959 John H. Shaw 1959–1973* James Hudson 1974–1984 Charles A. Turpin 1984–1995 Debbie R. Comis 1995–2011 Anne Skipsey (Acting) 2011-2012 Maryann Manuel (Acting) 2012-2014 Dennis Back 2014-2018 Kate O'Connell 2018-2020 Blanka Zeinabova 2020-2022 *Deputy City Clerk T. Ward took over many of the Clerk’s duties from 1972 to 1973 due to Shaw’s ill health during these years.
- Formats
- Microforms exist for some records. See series descriptions.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Creator
- City of Burnaby
- Notes
- Title based on creators of fonds
Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription93711
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1987-1998
- Collection/Fonds
- Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 3847 photographs (92 col. prints, 10 cm x 15 cm ; 3754 col. negatives, 35 mm) + 4 computer disks (14 x 14 cm).
- Scope and Content
- The fonds consists of street-level photographs of commercial, industrial, residential, and undeveloped properties in Burnaby, B.C. These photographs originally formed part of the Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd's real estate appraisal records.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1987-1998
- Collection/Fonds
- Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd. fonds
- Physical Description
- 3847 photographs (92 col. prints, 10 cm x 15 cm ; 3754 col. negatives, 35 mm) + 4 computer disks (14 x 14 cm).
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- Open access
- Accession Number
- 2017-39
- Scope and Content
- The fonds consists of street-level photographs of commercial, industrial, residential, and undeveloped properties in Burnaby, B.C. These photographs originally formed part of the Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd's real estate appraisal records.
- History
- Grover, Elliott, & Co. Ltd (Grover Elliot) is a real estate appraisal, valuation, and consulting firm that opened on January 2, 1974. It was founded by three real estate appraisers who took over an existing appraisal office. The firm provides real estate appraisals for all property types throughout British Columbia, including land, residential, industrial, and commercial properties. Grover Elliot was first located at 5685 Cambie Street in Vancouver, B.C. In June 1985, the firm moved its offices to the Burrard Building in downtown Vancouver on West Georgia St. in order to provide a base closer to the Land Title Office where employees regularly conducted research. In May 2016, it moved to 609 West Hastings Street in Vancouver, B.C. In February 2018, following the retirement of owner and President Larry Dybvig, the firm was purchased by three Grover Elliott appraisers: Angus Heaps, Brent McLaren, and Michael Oord. Dybvig served as President of the firm from 2001 to 2018. The company provides appraisals for all types of real estate including land, multifamily residential, industrial properties, and commercial properties.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Creator
- Grover, Elliott & Co. Ltd.
- Notes
- Photo catalogue 622
Hill family and Vidal family fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription82116
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1850-1983]
- Collection/Fonds
- Hill family and Vidal family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 255 photographs : b&w and sepia and 9.5 cm of textual records : ill. (some col.)
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs and textual records from the Vidal and Hill family. Textual records include handwritten family trees, typed and handwritten biographical information of the Jones, Wright, Hyde, Vidal, and Hill families, copies of photographic prints, published works by J. H. Vidal and …
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1850-1983]
- Collection/Fonds
- Hill family and Vidal family fonds
- Physical Description
- 255 photographs : b&w and sepia and 9.5 cm of textual records : ill. (some col.)
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Accession Number
- 2013-03
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs and textual records from the Vidal and Hill family. Textual records include handwritten family trees, typed and handwritten biographical information of the Jones, Wright, Hyde, Vidal, and Hill families, copies of photographic prints, published works by J. H. Vidal and William Cowper, newspaper clippings, and a New Testament.
- History
- Minard Gerald “Gerry” Hill was born in Burnaby on July 31, 1893, to Marian (nee Berkeley) and Bernard Richard Hill. Marian was born in London, England. Bernard Hill, born in Bengal, India, in 1858 to Sir Richard Hill and Jane Ann (nee Rollinson) where his father worked for the East Indian Railway, was one of the early inhabitants of Burnaby. Despite their years of training as engineers, Bernard, along with his brother, Louis Claude Hill, became strawberry farmers and owned all the land between Burnaby Lake and Deer Lake where Deer Creek runs, and halfway around Deer Lake. Bernard built his family home at Douglas Road near Deer Lake in 1892. After the decline in the strawberry industry, Bernard worked as a surveyor for the municipality. Bernard also served as a Burnaby trustee and as councilor of Burnaby in 1904, 1905, 1906, and 1909. Bernard and Marian had four children: A. Claude (born in England around 1885, married Marion “Mamie”), Frank L., Winnifred “Winnie” L., and Gerry. Gerry attended Miss Harriet Woodward’s kindergarten class, and went on to Edmonds School with Miss Ellen Lister as his teacher. He later went to Central High School in New Westminster, often on horseback. Gerry served in World War I, signing his recruitment papers on November 9, 1914. When he returned home, he worked felling trees, then as an apprentice surveyor and finally as a carpenter. His father, Bernard, died in Burnaby on March 27, 1939, at the age of 80. Bernard's brother, Louis, was one of the first members elected to the Burnaby council and served in 1892, 1893, 1894, and again from 1909-1910. Louis, born in 1860, married Annie Sarah Kendrick (born in 1896) and they moved to the Burnaby Lake area in the early 1890s. Together they had one child, Katherine “Kitty” Maude, born in 1898. The first Hill family home, “Brookfield,” was sold around 1907 and the family moved to their new home, “Broadview,” which was also built in the vicinity of Deer Lake. Kitty, their only child, married William “Bob” John Peers in 1925 and they went on to have three children: Robert C.K., Barbara (later Barbara Jeffrey), and Anne (later Anne Latham). Charlotte Elizabeth Vidal was born in 1897 in the United States to Louisa Sophia (nee Jones) and Herbert P. Vidal. Louisa Vidal (1871-1943) was a descendent of Jones of Exeter of England and the House of Llanio Cardigan of Wales. Herbert Vidal (1868-1934)’s father was Alexander Vidal (1819-1906). Alexander Vidal, born in Brocknell, England, immigrated to Upper Canada in 1835 and later served as a senator of Canada from 1873 to 1906. He married Catherine Louisa Wright, the daughter of Capt. William Elliot Wright. Both of Charlotte’s parents, Louisa and Herbert, were born in Ontario. Charlotte Vidal was sister to Dorothy Kate and Alexander E. E. Vidal. Gerry Hill (aged 27) and Charlotte E. Vidal (aged 23) married on September 28, 1920, in Vancouver. Gerry built a house for him and his wife about a thousand feet from his parents’ home. He also bought property at Yellow Point on Vancouver Island around this time. By the early 1930s, Gerry had moved to Yellow Point permanently and begun building the Yellow Point Lodge. Gerry and Charlotte bore three children: David, Lesley C. (born in 1929), and Gerald. Gerry was later remarried to Elizabeth (nee Holen) and had one child: Richard Grant McEwan Hill, born in Ladysmith. Lesley married M. Clarke and had two boys: Roy and Graham. She later married B. Durban and had four boys: Patrick, Michael, Gary, and Grant. Charlotte died on February 11, 1984, at the age of 87. Gerry died on January 30, 1988, in Ladysmith at the age of 93.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Textual Record
- Creator
- Hill Family
- Vidal family
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
- Photo catalogue 550, MSS176
Peers Family and Hill Family fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1880-1980]
- Collection/Fonds
- Peers Family and Hill Family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- ca. 1200 photographs and other material
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of records, primarily photographs, compiled by various members of both the Hill and Peers families that document their lives during the early days of settlement in Burnaby. The fonds includes records of citizenship, wills and other official papers pertaining to the life and activitie…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1880-1980]
- Collection/Fonds
- Peers Family and Hill Family fonds
- Physical Description
- ca. 1200 photographs and other material
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Accession Number
- 2007-12
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of records, primarily photographs, compiled by various members of both the Hill and Peers families that document their lives during the early days of settlement in Burnaby. The fonds includes records of citizenship, wills and other official papers pertaining to the life and activities of L. Claude Hill; photographs of the Peers family’s Burnaby Lake home, Greyfriars, and pictures taken by Arthur Peers during his work and travels throughout British Columbia in the first part of the 20th century; and photographs of the family of Claude Hill, early Burnaby Lake residents and scenes, and pictures Kitty took as an adult documenting the growth of her own family. Also included in this fonds are a number of photographs showing Yellow Point, Vancouver Island, where the Peers and Hill families often vacationed.
- History
- Bob Peers was born William John Peers, the son of real estate broker and early Burnaby resident, Francis John Peers and his wife Elizabeth Frisby. Originally from England, the family moved to Vancouver in 1905 and soon after settled at Burnaby Lake. The family included one daughter (Mary Elizabeth Dora) and four boys (Arthur Francis, William John “Bob”, Geoffrey Hugh, and Richard Dominic). When they arrived in Burnaby, Francis Peers purchased a piece of land from another early settler, Claude Hill, and built the family home “Greyfriars” near Deer Lake. The children attended school in the home of Miss Harriet Woodward, the first school to be held in the Burnaby Lake area. In 1925, Bob married Claude Hill’s daughter and another former pupil of “Miss Harry’s,” Kitty Hill. Kitty (born Katherine Maude Hill) was the only child of Burnaby pioneers L. Claude Hill and Annie Sara Kenrick. Having moved to the Burnaby Lake area in the early 1890s, Claude went on to operate a successful strawberry farm and soon became active in the political development of Burnaby – being elected to the first Burnaby Council and serving from 1892-1894 and again from 1909-1910. The first Hill family home, “Brookfield,” was sold around 1907 and the family moved to their new home, “Broadview,” which was also built in the vicinity of Deer Lake. In 1925, Bob and Kitty were married and they went on to have three children, Robert C.K., Barbara (later Barbara Jeffrey), and Anne (later Anne Latham).
- Formats
- All photographic records have been scanned and are saved in jpeg format on the City of Burnaby network. Archival master copies have also been produced in tiff format and have been burned to CD for preservation purposes.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Creator
- Peers family
- Hill family
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
Robert Prittie collection
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97231
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1955-1992
- Collection/Fonds
- Robert Prittie collection
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 20 cm of textual records and 120 b&w and col. prints.
- Scope and Content
- Records consist of papers created and collected by Robert Prittie, former Mayor of Burnaby. Records include photographs of Mayor Prittie during official City functions as well as the textual records that he created and collected during his political career, including election materials.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1955-1992
- Collection/Fonds
- Robert Prittie collection
- Physical Description
- 20 cm of textual records and 120 b&w and col. prints.
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Accession Number
- 2009-13
- Scope and Content
- Records consist of papers created and collected by Robert Prittie, former Mayor of Burnaby. Records include photographs of Mayor Prittie during official City functions as well as the textual records that he created and collected during his political career, including election materials.
- History
- Born in North Vancouver on December 5, 1919, Robert “Bob” William Prittie was the first of four sons born to Wilmot Prittie and Mary Adair. As a child, his health was weaker than younger brothers Bill, Eric, and Halford, as he suffered from Polio and asthma. Bob was an industrious youth who left school early to work in a department store warehouse. At the outbreak of World War II, Bob enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force and spent the duration of the war serving on the ground in Canada at the Patricia Bay Air Force Base and the No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School in Manitoba, completing his high school education through correspondence courses. While at the Patricia Bay Air Force Base, he met pre-school teacher Grace King of Sidney, Vancouver Island. By 1940, they were married and soon after, had their first son, Robert King. In 1945, Bob was discharged from the air force with the rank of sergeant and entered the University of British Columbia, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree with honours in history. After the war, Bob spent a few years working in Ottawa as a foreign-service officer, but he returned to UBC in 1949, receiving a diploma in education (post-graduate studies at Laval University and Western Washington State College). Bob returned to Burnaby in 1950, following the tragic death of their son. Bob immediately began teaching. Over the next 13 years, he taught at Sperling Avenue School, McPherson Park Junior High School, Burnaby South High School, and Burnaby North High School. He and Grace went on to have three more children: Heather in 1951; Bruce in 1953; and Ian in 1955. In 1959, he was elected to serve as a member of the municipal Council, re-elected and serving until the end of his term in 1962, when he left to serve as Member of Parliament for the Burnaby-Richmond riding. He held that office until 1968. In January 1969, Bob first took office as Mayor of Burnaby and in that capacity served on the GVRD as a Director for a number of years. In May of 1973, Bob decided to resign as Mayor of Burnaby in order to take up a position as Assistant Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs. In 1975, he was appointed as the Minister of Municipal Affairs, a post he held for a short time. After his tenure as Minister, Bob retired from public life and he and his second wife Isobel Pothecary moved to Victoria. Isobel had three children from a previous marriage: Alan; Deirdre; and Fiona. Bob left an enduring legacy for the citizens of Burnaby as a champion of schools, libraries, and parks and recreation programs. In 1978, he was awarded the title of Freeman of the Municipality. In 1991, a new branch of the Burnaby Public Library was opened and named after him. His status as Freeman and the naming of the library in his honour are testament to his record of service and dedication to the community and its citizens. Bob died on January 14, 2002.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Notes
- Photo catalogue 505, MSS128
Small family fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription91819
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1922-2016
- Collection/Fonds
- Small family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 75 photographs : b&w & col. + 1 plan
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs documenting the transformation of the Burnaby Lake area of Burnaby, B.C. from semi-rural in the 1920s to urbanized in 2016. Photographs depict the land and houses located on the corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street as the property was rezoned and its density quad…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1922-2016
- Collection/Fonds
- Small family fonds
- Physical Description
- 75 photographs : b&w & col. + 1 plan
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- Open access
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Accession Number
- 2017-01
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs documenting the transformation of the Burnaby Lake area of Burnaby, B.C. from semi-rural in the 1920s to urbanized in 2016. Photographs depict the land and houses located on the corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street as the property was rezoned and its density quadrupled. Fonds also includes photographs of the Small family house being moved to 5496 Dominion Street and the original landscape plan for 5118 Douglas Road.
- History
- In 1915, John W. Roberts and his wife Mary Allen Roberts moved from the United States to Canada along with their daughter, Lauretta. On first moving to Canada, the family lived in a rented house in Vancouver and John worked as a movie projectionist in the city. The couple had three more children, all sons: John A., Edward, and Roland. Circa 1921, John purchased a large parcel of land at the corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street in Burnaby. This parcel encompassed the equivalent of at least six 66-foot lots along the south side of Dominion Street and the same along the north side of Norfolk Street. On their property, a barn and small living quarters were built. The family moved in, raising goats and growing potatoes to supplement their income. They also planted cherry, apple, and pear trees; hazelnut and walnut trees; raspberries; and a large vegetable garden, the fruits of which Mary preserved for year-round use. At this time, agricultural activities were common for families in the area: the Roberts' neighbours kept chickens for personal use and for selling eggs; grew mushrooms for commercial sale; and sold manure from an old buckboard drawn by Clydesdale horses. John built a new house in the middle of the Roberts’ lots on the southwest corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street. The house faced Douglas Road and overlooked a large, well-landscaped front yard to the east and a full-sized, clay tennis court to the north. The family moved into this new house in 1925. When the Roberts ceased raising goats, the barn and original living quarters were reduced to a double-car garage with storage space plus a sawdust-insulated “root cellar”. John also built a house on the northwest corner of the lot at Douglas Road and Dominion Street (3093 Douglas Road), which was purchased by the Hardy family. In 1957, part of this property (3071 Douglas Road) was sold to the Brocklebanks who built a house and lived there. In addition, John built a house at the northwest corner of Douglas Road and Norfolk Street (5106 Douglas Road). The original purchaser of this house is unknown, but in 1949, it was bought by the Meyers family. In 1952 or 1953, the Meyers sold part of this property and the Manahans built a house on it, facing Douglas Road. Several other lots that John owned were also sold off over the years. By the 1950s, John owned only five 66-foot lots from Douglas Road west, along the south side Dominion Street. In 1954, John sold the lot furthest from Douglas Road (5486 Dominion Street) to a builder who built a “ranch-style” house and put it up for sale. John retired from his career as a movie projectionist in the 1950s. He, Mary, and Lauretta retained their US citizenship all their lives, although they never returned to the USA except for brief visits. John A., Edward, and Roland who, as children of US citizens, also had US citizenship, eventually moved to the US, where they remained for the rest of their lives. In 1945, Lauretta married Frederick Small. The couple lived in a rented house in Vancouver for a few years before moving in with John and Mary in Burnaby. The couple had four children: Elizabeth, Kathryn, Charles, and Martin. In 1955, Frederick purchased the rancher at 5486 Dominion Street and the family moved in. The Small children grew up enjoying the freedom of having their grandparent’s large property in addition to their parent’s yard to play in. The back lane that ran between Dominion Street and Norfolk Street was filled with trees and bushes, creating a narrow bit of “forest” to explore. In 1957, John died. Mary died in 1969, as did Frederick. Lauretta was executor for her mother’s and husband’s estates. After much consideration, she decided to sell the house at 5486 Dominion Street and move back into her childhood home. By doing so, she was able to settle her mother’s estate to the satisfaction of her brothers. Elizabeth married and moved away. Over the next few years, the “Roberts” house was home to Lauretta, Kathryn, Charles, and Martin, with the three grown children moving in and out several times during the 1970s. In 1981, Lauretta died. Her children discussed at length how to divide up the property, which consisted of four 66-foot lots, according to her will. None of her children wanted to see the old family house destroyed but the house straddled two lots. They finally decided that if one of them wanted to pay to move the house to sit on one of the lots, the “value” of the house would not enter into the settlement of the estate. Kathryn chose to do this. In 1982, the old house was moved to 5496 Dominion Street and Kathryn continued to live in it. Martin died in 1982. Elizabeth and Charles each inherited one lot and the last lot, which would have gone to Martin, was sold, the funds divided equally between Elizabeth, Kathryn, and Charles. The three lots between 5496 Dominion Street and Douglas Road were subdivided into 33-foot lots and six new houses were built. In 1993, the Meyers property and the Manahan property were subdivided into 33-foot lots facing Norfolk Street and the old houses were torn down and four new houses were built.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Technical Drawing
- Creator
- Small family
Fire Department fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription47
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1920-2019
- Collection/Fonds
- Fire Department fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 m of textual records, graphic material, and cartographic material
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of news clippings; notes correspondence; and layout and research materials used in the development and creation of the Burnaby Fire Department history entitled “Follow that Fire.” Also consists of administrative records created by the Fire Department related to its management, direct…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1920-2019
- Collection/Fonds
- Fire Department fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 m of textual records, graphic material, and cartographic material
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- Subject to FOIPPA
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproductions subject to FOIPPA
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of news clippings; notes correspondence; and layout and research materials used in the development and creation of the Burnaby Fire Department history entitled “Follow that Fire.” Also consists of administrative records created by the Fire Department related to its management, direction, coordination, training services, and planning, including daily record books, emergency preparedness pamphlets, a departmental practice manual, procedural directives, scrapbooks, and an orthophoto map (in 63 pieces) of the City of Burnaby.
- History
- Serving the City since 1911, the Burnaby Fire Department is committed to providing timely, professional, and effective fire-related emergency services to save lives, property and the environment. Their dedicated staff serves the City via seven fire stations located strategically across Burnaby. Each of our stations is equipped with up-to-date vehicles and equipment. Their highly skilled and trained team of men and women provide many services, including fire suppression and prevention, investigation, inspection, training, medical, vehicle extrication, technical and other speciality rescues, hazardous materials response and public education services. The following information pertains to the publication "Follow That Fire": Communities have always lived with the threat of fire. Early Burnaby residents banded together to extinguish out-of-control brush fires. In the 1920s, the Municipal Police were responsible for fire-related matters, earning three dollars for attending a fire. Donations to the Vancouver and New Westminster Fire Departments' Benevolent Funds brought the first fire engines to Burnaby's rescue. As the population increased, by-laws were enacted to develop a full-time fire service. Several members saw the value in jotting down recollections of their experiences as Burnaby firemen, which sparked an interest in completing the History of the Burnaby Fire Department. While researching this project, the author was fortunate in being able to draw from the resources of retired chiefs Fred Blake and Lewis Auvache, who were original members of the Department. The Department's progression includes heated and sometimes humorous debates regarding who should be responsible for fire protection, deciding if there was a need for a fire services, and how taxes would be levied to support the service. Photographs throughout the text represent stages of development which include a pictorial record of Burnaby fire trucks from 1923 to the present platform ladder trucks. From its humble beginning as two separate fire departments operating from a converted police horse stable and a water pumping station, the Burnaby Fire Department has developed into a professional organization serving its citizens from six fire stations.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Cartographic Material
- Creator
- City of Burnaby
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds.
Mary Forsyth fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription87823
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1893] (date of original) -2004
- Collection/Fonds
- Mary Forsyth fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- Textual records, graphic material and cartographic material
- Scope and Content
- Records consist of material created and collected by Mary Forsyth. Records include correspondence, photographs, a map, presentation notes, and reviews along with research for historical and biographical essays pertaining to pioneering families, organizations, and the geographical area of South Burn…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1893] (date of original) -2004
- Collection/Fonds
- Mary Forsyth fonds
- Physical Description
- Textual records, graphic material and cartographic material
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Accession Number
- 2014-27
- Scope and Content
- Records consist of material created and collected by Mary Forsyth. Records include correspondence, photographs, a map, presentation notes, and reviews along with research for historical and biographical essays pertaining to pioneering families, organizations, and the geographical area of South Burnaby. One of her major research projects consists of "A Walking Environment for South Burnaby," which also became a proposal to The Corporation of the District of Burnaby. Historical information and photographs pertaining to South Burnaby pioneer families and organizations were compiled from interviews with the intention of publishing a book.
- History
- Mary Gertrude (Bolton) Forsyth was born at her parents' home in Burnaby on March 5, 1923, and was the daughter of Richard Bolton and Gertrude (nee Hern). Mary's father, Richard, immigrated to Canada from Sunderland, England, in 1911. He lived with his brother George in New Westminster prior to purchasing property in South Burnaby in 1916 and built a bungalow located at 859 Marine Drive. Richard Bolton was employed as the municipal treasurer for the Corporation of the District of Burnaby and, in 1919, he returned to Sunderland with three months leave of absence to marry Mary Gertrude Hern, daughter of Captain and Mrs. John Hern. Mary grew up with her parents and sister Nancy in the house that her father built on Marine Drive. She married Lloyd Forsyth in 1946 and they had two children, Diane and Robert. Mary and her husband raised their family in Burnaby and built a house at 855 Marine Drive, on the lot originally purchased by her father, and moved later to a house located at 6457 Marine Drive. In 1964, after her children were grown, Mary completed her teaching degree at Simon Fraser University and went on to teach kindergarten at Nelson Elementary School. While a teacher within the Burnaby School District, Mary was instrumental in adopting ballet as part of the school curriculum. Mary was an active member of the Burnaby Historical Society, participating and leading local events and seminars. She was inspired by the idea of the 'Housewives Holiday', originally initiated by the Vancouver "Y’ S". In February 1960, she was integral in forming a committee in South Burnaby, working alongside Ruth Turner, Faye Treagh, and Dorothy Turnbull. The "Housewives Holiday" committee (a branch of the Clinton-Glenwood Recreation Association) planned several events at Bonsor Hall for Burnaby housewives from October 6 to December 8, 1960. After her retirement from teaching, Mary returned to Simon Fraser University to do further studies and, in 1983, she wrote an essay for an Environmental Education course, titled "A Walking Environment for South Burnaby". The essay was conducted as a feasibility study to provide a walking environment in her community and included a formal essay, a media book, a map, and a slide presentation which was presented to a variety of local community groups. In 1984, Mary was the recipient of the North Fraser Harbour Commission Award to further her work on this project. In October 1986, her essay was adapted as a proposal to The Corporation of the District of Burnaby for a walking and cycling trail system for South Burnaby. Her proposal was taken into consideration by council and was later adopted by the Parks and Recreation Commission. Mary was very much interested in the history of South Burnaby and spent time between 1990 to 2004 conducting research through the Burnaby Historical Society, The City of Burnaby Archives, and several pioneering families who agreed to share their family records and be interviewed. Mary compiled her research into short historical and biographical essays by geographical area, family name, and organization. Mary (Bolton) Forsyth lived her whole life in South Burnaby and was an active and committed member of her community. She died on November 10, 2010.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Cartographic Material
- Creator
- Forsyth, Mary
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
- Photo catalogue 572, MSS185
South Burnaby Garden Club fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97232
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1983-2012
- Collection/Fonds
- South Burnaby Garden Club fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 11.2 cm of textual records; 180 col. prints; 119 col. neg.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs and documents created and collected by the South Burnaby Garden Club, detailing Club activities including the Fall Fair.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1983-2012
- Collection/Fonds
- South Burnaby Garden Club fonds
- Physical Description
- 11.2 cm of textual records; 180 col. prints; 119 col. neg.
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Accession Number
- 2008-17
- 2014-14
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs and documents created and collected by the South Burnaby Garden Club, detailing Club activities including the Fall Fair.
- History
- The South Burnaby Garden Club was formed in 1901 when a group of Central Park residents met to form a Farmers’ Institute. They leased 17 acres of Central Park from the Provincial Government and with the support of government grants constructed a two-story building on the property. The building was constructed in time for the first annual Fall Fair in September 1901. In 1903, the Institute amalgamated with the South Vancouver and Burnaby Agricultural Society to become the Central Park Agricultural Association & Farmers Institute. In 1907, the membership doubled to 520 members. Increasing urbanization and the First World War saw the last exhibition in 1919, and then lease on the building expired in 1921. The Society continued to meet and hold small exhibitions in rented halls under the South Burnaby Horticultural Association name. After several name changes, the association became the South Burnaby Garden Club in 1958 and continues to this day.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Photo catalogue 489
- MSS124
- MSS182
Harold H. Johnston fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription47202
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1958-1983
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold H. Johnston fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 106 photographs (jpeg) : b&w
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of 106 photographs depicting locations in Burnaby and its environs.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1958-1983
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold H. Johnston fonds
- Physical Description
- 106 photographs (jpeg) : b&w
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- Open access
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Accession Number
- 2008-08
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of 106 photographs depicting locations in Burnaby and its environs.
- History
- Harold Henry (Hal) Johnston (September 15, 1930 - January 15, 1985) was born in Ardreagh, Northern Ireland, trained as a plasterer, and immigrated to Canada in 1951. Settling in Edmonton in 1952, he married Frances Henriette Coulombe (born July 29, 1932) in June 1955. He worked as a plasterer in Edmonton until late 1957, when they moved to Burnaby, British Columbia. They purchased, renovated and occupied 4447 Venables Street. They had two children, Sean Francois Johnston (born October 30, 1956) and Wendy Marie Johnston (born October 9, 1959). In Burnaby, they attended Holy Cross Primary School (1450 Delta Avenue), Alpha Secondary School (4600 Parker Street) and Simon Fraser University, later completing PhDs at the University of Leeds and Universite de Montreal, respectively. Harold Johnston continued to work as a plasterer, serving in 1969 as business agent for the Plasterers' and Stonemasons' Union, and then self-employed as A&H Plastering and Stucco from 1970 until his death in 1985. Frances Johnston worked part-time as secretary for Holy Cross parish rectory. Harold Johnston was a serious photographer and camera collector, recording some 1500 rolls of black and white slide film in 35mm and other formats on a variety of cameras from the early 1950s until 1984, mainly of locations in the Lower Mainland and Pacific Northwest. From 1960, he processed and printed the negatives himself in a home darkroom. From 1970, Johnston recorded a number of artists, illustrators and sculptors working in Vancouver's downtown eastside, notably Wil Hudson (fine printer and typographer), Keith Shields (sculptor), Frits Jacobsen (illustrator), Charles Butler (wood sculptor) and Bill Shoebotham (primitive artist). **This biographical sketch was based on information prepared by Dr. Sean Johnston and provided to the City of Burnaby Archives in April 2008.**
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Creator
- Johnston, Harold H.