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Appointment of Elsie Williams as Stenographer
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport47763
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 48024
- Meeting Date
- 19-Dec-1949
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 48024
- Meeting Date
- 19-Dec-1949
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Appointment of K.F. Williams as Tax Clerk
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport48917
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 49129
- Meeting Date
- 1-Dec-1947
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 49129
- Meeting Date
- 1-Dec-1947
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Death of H.T. Williams Clerk in the Building Department
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport54591
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 70691
- Meeting Date
- 9-Apr-1941
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 70691
- Meeting Date
- 9-Apr-1941
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Illness of H.T. Williams, Clerk in the Building Department
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport54582
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 70681
- Meeting Date
- 26-Mar-1941
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 70681
- Meeting Date
- 26-Mar-1941
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Lease of Lots 21, 22, Block 69, DL 189 to Mary Williams
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport54023
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 70109
- Meeting Date
- 15-Mar-1943
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 70109
- Meeting Date
- 15-Mar-1943
- Format
- Council - Committee Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Request for Park Space - Area of Land Bounded by Williams Street and Douglas Road in the Willingdon Heights Subdivision
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport47897
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 47912
- Meeting Date
- 19-Sep-1949
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 47912
- Meeting Date
- 19-Sep-1949
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Cascades Drive-In Theatre
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark689
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Geographic Access
- Grandview Highway
- Associated Dates
- 1946
- Heritage Value
- The Cascades Drive-In Theatre was Canada's first drive-in and was started by George and William Steel and Joe and Art Johnson in 1946. Built along Grandview Highway (Canada Way) near Smith Street, the theatre opened on August 30, 1946. In 1977, the theatre was purchased by Don Soutar, Al Chappell and Norm Green and continued to operate until 1980. The property was then redeveloped as Cascades Village - a large condominium complex.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Broadview (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Cascade-Schou Area
- Street Address
- 4050 Grandview Highway
Images
Interview with John Gordon Davis November 21, 2002 - Tape 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription13082
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1940-1989] (interview content), November 21, 2002 (interview date), digitized in 2020
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Oral History collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 audio cassette (50 min., 53 sec)
- Scope and Content
- Recording is an interview with (John) Gordon Davis conducted by Mabel F. Nichols with her husband Jack Nichols. Mabel is interviewing Gordon as part of a research project to provide background information to the Burnaby Village Museum who are accepting a donation of Gordon's wife Anne's World War I…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Oral History collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 audio cassette (50 min., 53 sec)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Mabel F. Nichols and husband Jack Nichols Interviewee: John Gordon Davis Location of Interview: New Westminster Interview Date: November 21, 2002 Total Number of tracks: 2 (side A & B of audio cassette) Total Length of all Tracks: 50 min., 53 sec.
- Scope and Content
- Recording is an interview with (John) Gordon Davis conducted by Mabel F. Nichols with her husband Jack Nichols. Mabel is interviewing Gordon as part of a research project to provide background information to the Burnaby Village Museum who are accepting a donation of Gordon's wife Anne's World War II nursing uniform. Gordon provides background information on his family history and describes his experiences while serving overseas during World War II (WWII) including his experiences as a radar operator and working at a military air squadron repair depot. Gordon also provides biographical information about his wife Anne Davis (nee Williams) and her experiences serving as a military nurse during WWII and their life in Burnaby. Interviewer, Mabel and Jack Nichols also provide anecdotal stories about their own life in Burnaby during the interview. Track 1 - Side A (30:34) 00:00 - 30:34 Interview opens with discussion between interviewer Mabel F. Nichols and Gordon Davis about his wife, Anne Davis' experience working in the nursing corps. Mr. Davis provides background information about working in mining between 1933 and 1940 before training in Ontario to become a radar operator during World War II. Gordon also describes his parents origins and how they moved to Burnaby in 1940 while Gordon headed off to Nova Scotia to serve with the RCAF. Gordon also shares information about his sister Anne Davis who married George L. Davis from Kirkland Lake and how they lived with Gordon's parents in the auto court in Burnaby. He tells of how George L. Davis worked for Dominion Bridge Co. and later as a meat cutter for Safeway near 6th Avenue and Kingsway in Burnaby. Mabel shares her own husband Jack's experiences growing up in Burnaby as the son of butcher, George Nichols, his career as a deisel mechanic and later in the GVRD Engineering Department. Gordon shares that his father, Gilbert died in 1957 and his mother Elizabeth died in 1968 and his older sister Ruth died in 1990. Gordon recollects his wedding day and honeymoon in North Wales in 1945 with his wife Anne. Track 2 - Side B (29:19) 00:00 - 14:37 Gordon continues with his recollections about his wedding and honeymoon in North Wales in 1945. The interviewers, Mabel and Jack discuss the geography of the area sharing their own experiences travelling in 1981 and try to get an idea of where Gordon and his wife were married. They agree that the place was Llandudno. He tells of signing up for another year of Military Service since his wife was still serving in the nursing corps. and describes working North of London at a Military facility to repair aircraft including mosquito bombers. 14:38 - 21: 53 Gordon shares information about working in the Middle East in 1943 while his wife Anne survived the bombing of the Dutch passenger ship, the Marnix that she was travelling on. Gordon tells of how Anne couldn't swim but had a life jacket on and was picked up by a life boat. Anne corresponded with Gordon to let him know that she was alright but had to be cryptic since all letters were censored. Gordon tells of how Anne then travelled to India. Interviewer, Mabel, speaks of her own brother Bill who was picked up in Gibralter and taken to England. 21:54 - 26:18 Gordon recollects first meeting his wife Anne in London and the bombing that occurred during WWII. He tells of how Anne trained as a midwife at the Royal College of Midwives in Yorkshire and how he attended Radio college in Ontario. 26:19- 29:19 Gordon speaks about his experience travelling east on the Queen Mary in World War II and how full the ship was. He says that they were 30 days at sea from May to June in 1942.
- History
- Interviewee biography: John Gordon Davis was born to Elizabeth Ann Vert (nee Eyres) and Gilbert Davis on September 13, 1913 in North Cobalt, Ontario. Gordon was the second youngest of six children. After graduating from high school he attended Radio College in Toronto. He spent two years prior to World War II working in radio on British ships. In 1940, after retiring, his parents moved to British Columbia. They purchased the Flowerland Auto Court in 1941 at 4212 Douglas Road, Burnaby. During this time, Gordon moved to Ontario and sought employment in radio range stations that were dealing with new technology throughout Europe. He joined the RCAF in 1941. While in London, in May of 1941, he met his future wife Anne Williams. In World War II, Anne served as a nurse in Queen Alexandra's Imperial Army Nursing Corps. In November 1943, Anne survived the bombing of the Dutch passenger ship, SS Marnix while it sailed in a convoy from England to the Mediterranean. Gordon did many tours throughout the Middle East, Turkey, Egypt, Italy, the Battle of the Bulge, Sarnia before he was known as “surplus to requirement”. Since Anne was still in the nursing corps, Gordon signed on for another year and was sent north of London to a Repair Squadron where he worked on operational repairs of Mosquito bombers which were manufactured in Canada. Anne and Gordon continued their correspondence and eventually married in North Wales on January 23, 1945. Gordon was shipped back to Canada in October of 1945 and moved in with his parents at their auto court on Douglas Road in Burnaby. Anne joined Gordon in Burnaby in April 1946 when her mission was completed. Anne packed up her things in a large trunk that she addressed to Gordon’s parents on Douglas Road. Gordon moved around British Columbia in his work for BC Electric and eventually retired with HB Contracting Ltd. in Surrey working on the BC pipeline between 1953 and 1954. In the late 1950s, Gordon and Anne purchased a home in Burnaby at 1508 6th Street (now 7591 6th Street) which they lived in until 1984. In 1985, Anne and Gordon sold their house in Burnaby and moved to Hyack House in New Westminster. Anne Davis died in 1989 at the age of 76 years. Gordon's father, Gilbert died in 1957 and his mother Elizabeth Ann Verta died in 1968. Interviewer biography: Mabel F. Nichols (nee Lawrence) was one of six children born in Hope [ca.1932] to Elmer E. Lawrence and Louise (nee Pennier). Elmer and Louise married in Yale B.C. in 1916. Mabel’s mother, Louise Pennier was part of the Sts'ailes Nation (Chehalis First Nation). Elmer and Louise had three sons and three daughters. Both of Mabel’s parents died in Langley in 1960. Mabel married Jack (John) Nichols [between 1959 and 1960]. They lived at 6004 Wilson Street, Burnaby in 1959; 4910 Willingdon Avenue [between 1960 and 1962] and 4662 Hazel Street [between 1963 and 1987] before moving to Surrey. Jack Nichols' parents, George and Alma Nichols owned and operated Nichols Family Meat Market at 4018 Kingsway (later renumbered 4500 Kingsway). The family lived behind the butcher shop.
- Names
- Davis, John Gordon "Gordon"
- Davis, Anne Williams
- Davis, Gilbert
- Nichols, Mabel F. Lawrence
- Nichols Family Meat Market
- Accession Code
- BV005.37.1
- Access Restriction
- Restricted access
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- [1940-1989] (interview content), November 21, 2002 (interview date), digitized in 2020
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of sound recording
- Recording is closed due to poor sound quality
- See also: Anne Davis' (nee Williams) WWII nursing uniform- BV003.15.10 & BV03.15.11 & BV003.15.12
British Columbia Provincial Police
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1265
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1948 or 1949]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 19.5 x 22.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of six British Columbia Provincial Police officers in uniform standing in two rows in front of the British Columbia Police building at Dawson Creek. The officers are; front row (from left): Dunc Fletcher, Jack Hall and Pat Burke. Back row (from left): Ed Fairweather, Maurice Low and Bria…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 19.5 x 22.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of six British Columbia Provincial Police officers in uniform standing in two rows in front of the British Columbia Police building at Dawson Creek. The officers are; front row (from left): Dunc Fletcher, Jack Hall and Pat Burke. Back row (from left): Ed Fairweather, Maurice Low and Brian Williams.
- Names
- British Columbia Provincial Police
- Fletcher, Dunc
- Hall, Jack
- Burke, Pat
- Fairweather, Ed
- Low, Maurice
- Williams, Brian
- Accession Code
- BV997.23.4
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- [1948 or 1949]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 01-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Copyright stamp on verso reads: "British Columbia Government Travel Bureau in Victoria, B.C."
- Note on verso of photograph reads: "Dawson Creek- 1948-49/ Front. L-R: Dunc Fletcher. Jack Hall./ Pat Burke./ Rear: L-R: Ed Fairweather, Maurice Low/ Brian Williams"
Images
Winners of parade float
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription4831
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1949
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Girl Guides fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of uniformed 5th Burnaby Brownies and their leaders gathered together with a trophy as first place winners for their float in the Community Day parade. Brownies and leaders are identified in the Back Row L to R: Dorothy Sloan, June Reimer, Betty Colelough, Patsy Coram, Barbara Bain, Marl…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Girl Guides fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 17.5 cm
- Material Details
- Handwritten annotations beside photograph read: "Winning Brownies at the 1949 float - with cup." Notes beside photograph read: "Back Row / L-R / Dorothy Sloan / June Reimer / Betty Colelough / Pasty Coram / Barbara Bain / Marlene Grant / Diane Homewood / Jacqueline Howcroft / Second Row / L-R / Mrs. Hebron (Brown) / Eleanor Barons / Dianne Smith / Maureen O'shea / Beverly Wright / Sandra Williams / Mrs. Reimer (Tawny / Front Row / L - R / Judy Beatty / Marilyn Cooper / June Walker / Bonnie Burke / Joane Pate."
- Handwritten annotations below photograph read: "Winning Brownies at the 1949 float- with cup"
- Stamp on verso of photograph reads: "Capitol Studios / & Photo Services / 4164 Hastings St. / Vancouver, B.C."
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of uniformed 5th Burnaby Brownies and their leaders gathered together with a trophy as first place winners for their float in the Community Day parade. Brownies and leaders are identified in the Back Row L to R: Dorothy Sloan, June Reimer, Betty Colelough, Patsy Coram, Barbara Bain, Marlene Grant, Diane Homewood, Jacqueline Howcroft; Second Row L to R: Mrs. Hebron (Brown owl) , Eleanor Barons, Dianne Smith, Maureen O'Shea, Beverly Wright, Sandra Williams, Mrs. Reimer (Tawny owl); Front Row L to R: Judy Beatty, Marilyn Cooper, June Walker, Bonnie Burke and Joan Bate.
- Other Title Information
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Names
- Girl Guides of Canada
- 5th Burnaby Brownie Pack
- Hebron, Kathleen Billingham
- Beatty, Judy
- Howecroft, Jacqueline
- Steele, Lorna
- Cooper, Marilyn
- Walker, June
- Reimer, June
- Colelough, Betty
- Bate, Joan
- Sloan, Dorothy
- Coram, Patsy
- Bain, Barbara
- Grant, Marlene
- Homewood, Diane
- Barons, Eleanor
- Smith, Dianne
- O'Shea, Maureen
- Wright, Beverly
- Williams, Sandra
- Burke, Bonnie
- Accession Code
- BV015.35.181
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- 1949
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Capitol Studios
- Notes
- Photograph is a part of original scrapbook "5th Brownie Pack" 1948-1965 Item BV015.35.156
Images
Interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19348
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 3 sound recordings (wav) (75 min., 56 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (75 min., 57 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of an oral history interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning conducted by Anushay Malik with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. The interview opens with introductions and how the content of the interview can be drawn on by Burnaby Village Museum for future …
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 3 sound recordings (wav) (75 min., 56 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (75 min., 57 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Anushay Malik Co Interviewer and technical support: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Dr. Sadhu Binning Location of Interview: Love farmhouse at Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: November 25, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 3 Total Length of all Tracks: (1:15:57) Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto three separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of an oral history interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning conducted by Anushay Malik with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. The interview opens with introductions and how the content of the interview can be drawn on by Burnaby Village Museum for future exhibits and for researchers to learn more about the history of the South Asian community in Burnaby. During the interview, Dr. Binning shares his ancestral background along with his relatives' and his own personal experiences as a South Asian immigrant living and working in British Columbia and Burnaby. Dr. Binning conveys that he’s a Burnaby resident who’s lived in Burnaby since 1973 and that his children were born here. Binning shares his ancestral heritage beginning with his uncle Dhana Singh who emigrated from Punjab to British Columbia in 1931 and began working in the forest industry. He explains how Dhana Singh and another partner owned, operated and worked in small sawmills in the vicinity of Kamloops, Williams Lake and also on Vancouver Island. Binning conveys that in the beginning Dhana Singh and many other South Asian immigrants were not legal residents until 1938. In 1938, about 350 South Asian immigrants (mainly Punjabi) gathered resources to hire a lawyer to obtain permanent residency. Binning mentions that one of the notable South Asians in the group who was also a close friend of his uncle, was Darshan Singh Sangha, a trade unionist who was a founding member of the International Woodworkers of America (IWA) union and an active member of the Communist Party of Canada. Binning conveys how Darshan Singh Sangha returned to India in 1947 to be a part of the revolution, how he was very active in the communist movement in India. While in India, Darshan Singh Sangha, was known as Canadian and thereby adopted “Canadian” as his surname, becoming “Darshan Singh Canadian”. Binning further explains that his uncle Dhana Singh Sangha returned to India in 1951, married and came back to B.C. in 1957 bringing with him, his wife and children. In 1960, with the support of his uncle, Binning’s father, Jit Singh Binning immigrated to British Columbia and began working in sawmills in the lower mainland, Kamloops, Quesnel and on Vancouver Island. Binning clarifies that his uncle, Dhana Singh was able to immigrate to Canada with the support of his cousins from the Tarker Singh Bains family. Binning further describes Darshan Singh Sangha’s involvement with the Communist party and the IWA and how the majority of the members were from the forest industry. As an active and prominent member of the labour movement, Darshan Singh Sangha fought for the rights of South Asians and Chinese who working in the industry and facing racism, unfair wages and discriminatory practices. Binning describes how Darshan Singh Sangha wrote a book in English in 1943, titled “Rise of the New Asia”. Binning conveys how immigrants of Chinese and South Asian decent didn’t have the right to vote in British Columbia and how Darshan Singh Sangha was instrumental in obtaining the right to vote in British Columbia, although he was never given the credit. Binning describes his uncle Dhana Singh as a likeable guy with many friends, first living in Kamloops before moving to Vancouver. Binning imparts how the sport of wrestling is a popular Punjabi sport along with Punjabi kabaddi. He conveys that his uncle became involved in wrestling while working in sawmills. South Asian immigrants had to do physical labour working in sawmills, the work could be tough and could often lead to physical fights. A number of South Asian immigrants working in the mills already had experience as wrestlers from back home. Dhana Singh later left the lumber industry to work in the agriculture sector. Binning explains how immigration rules changed in the 1960s which lead to larger numbers of South Asians immigrating to Canada. Many of these new immigrants were educated and politically conscious. All of these new immigrants faced racism but being politically conscious from an independent India and with the ability to speak English they organized themselves to fight for their rights. Binning imagines the items that his uncle and his father may have brought with them in their suitcase when immigrating to Canada. Binning describes three items, including a rajai (a blanket with cotton inside that is sewn together), a bistra (small attaché case or trunk) and a piece of cloth to lie on. Binning further describes the roles in Indian society as caste divisions and that it was usually women’s work in making the rajais. Binning recollects the locations that his father and his family lived after coming to Vancouver. Binning explains that a few years after living together in Vancouver, he and his family moved to Burnaby in 1973 to be closer to his Dr. Binning’s wife, Jagdish Binning’s family. Dr. Binning and family lived in a house in Burnaby located on Irmin Street near Royal Oak between 1973 and 1987. While living at this house their children attended McPherson Park Junior High School and later Burnaby South Secondary School. Binning reflects on some of the racism that he and his family have faced while living in Burnaby which led him to write a poem that he published in 1994 titled “No More Watno Dur”. Binning explains the meaning of the title “Watan” meaning “country and everybody” “a country far way from the motherland”. Binning explains the origins of the magazine “Watan” that was started by a friend in 1973. The magazine got its roots in Vancouver in 1973 from an organization called the “Punjabi Literary Association”. Binning became the editor of the magazine in 1976 and his friend joined him as assistant editor in 1978. Binning continued to work as editor until 1983 or 1984 when he returned to school to complete his Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree. Binning describes the origins of the “Vancouver Sath” that was formed by a small group of South Asians around 1982. Binning was a founding member of the organization and held meetings and rehearsals at his house in Burnaby. Vancouver Sath first started out as an informal discussion forum by a group of politically conscious Punjabi writers and activists. Binning talks about issues and problems that Vancouver Sath addressed including; racism as well as domestic violence in the South Asian community. Binning explains how he and Sukhwant Hundal wrote articles on these issues and others that were happening in the South Asian community in Canada. Binning talks about how in 1983, the group was inspired to begin performing theatrical works after consulting with Gursharan Singh who was from a well known theatrical group from Punjab who were performing in Vancouver. In the beginning the Vancouver Sath’s plays were focused on the problems in Punjab but they soon decided to address social issues in their own South Asian community here in Canada. Binning summarizes and draws attention to, some of the plays that Vancouver Sath has written and performed including; “Picket Line”, about Punjabi women farmworkers’ rights; “Lattan de Bhoot”, about domestic abuse; “A Crop of Poison”; “Kihda Viah” (English translation- “Whose Marriage”) about arranged marriage and others about social issues in the South Asian community. The plays were performed in public schools and community centres in Vancouver and Richmond, Simon Fraser University and some were also performed in Toronto, Calgary and Williams Lake. Binning mentions some of the traditional foods that he likes to eat and where he and his family have shopped to find ingredients. He recalls how his mother, Gurmaje Kaur Binning did all of the cooking and was often cooking all day long. In the sixties, the Binning family address on 13th Avenue in Vancouver was also used as a postal address for many friends and family who’d recently immigrated. When these friends dropped by to pick up their mail, his mother often provided them with tea and food. After Binning and his wife, Jagdish moved to their own home in 1973, he shared in some of the shopping and cooking but his wife did the majority of the work due to his busy schedule. The interview closes with Binning providing an explanation of how “Watno Dur” magazine changed it’s name to “Watan” magazine. Binning reflects on how this came to be, when he made the decision to get an education in Canada and to stay here, not just as a “Canadian” but as a “Punjabi Canadian.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Dr. Sadhu Binning was born on May 10, 1947 to mother Gurmej Kaur and father Jeet Singh Binning. Due to lack of proper records management in India at the time of his birth, it is believed that he was actually born sometime in December of 1947. He grew up alongside two brothers and one sister in a village located in Kapurthala, Punjab. Dr. Binning attended secondary school in the nearby city of Phagwara, Punjab although he did not complete his education here. Throughout his childhood, he enjoyed reading both Punjabi and Hindi novels and learned how to read Urdu as well. Dr. Binning’s uncle, Dhana Singh immigrated to Canada in 1933 and returned to India in 1953. When Dhana Singh returned to Canada in 1957, he sponsored Dr. Binning’s father, Jeet Singh Binning to immigrate. Dhana Singh co-owned a few saw mills in British Columbia and also worked in the truck driving industry. Dr. Binning remembers that some people who had lived in Canada would visit their village and that they appeared to be strong and healthy and looked happy. He also noticed that they would eat meat, so whenever they would visit there would be meat available. In 1967, when he was nineteen and a half years old, Dr. Binning immigrated Canada to join his father. He recalls his father and uncle and a friend arriving at the airport to pick him up. During his first few days, Dr. Binning made the decision to remove his turban and beard upon receiving advice from his uncle. Dr. Binning first obtained work on a farm in Abbotsford, working alongside his mother. While working, Dr. Binning also attended English classes in Vancouver. Dr. Binning’s Uncle Dhana Singh worked in a Vancouver saw mill and tried to help find work for his nephew but was unsuccessful. Dr. Binning soon found work at a saw mill in Avola and worked there until the end of the summer until a friend helped find him work in a saw mill in North Vancouver. During his free time, he enjoyed camping with friends. In 1970, Dr. Binning left the saw mill after obtaining a job at the post office. The post office offered lower wages than working at the mill but Dr. Binning believed that he would become more educated working here. While working as a postman, Dr. Binning recalls facing a lot of discrimination and racism and was often referred to as a ‘Paki’ multiple times a day. In 1973, Dr. Binning married Jagish Sihota. Sadhu and Jagdish originated from nearby villages in India and met each other in Canada. Dr. Binning’s wife, Jagdish worked at the Royal Bank of Canada for thirty years until her retirement. While working, she also looked after the household and their son and daughter. Jagdish also handwrote a magazine, “Watno Dur’ (English translation: ‘away from homeland’) which was distributed in the community. In 1976, Dr. Binning became the editor of the magazine and the name was later changed to “Watan’ as they had accepted their new homeland of Canada. While working at the post office, Dr. Binning also attended night school starting in eighth grade. After receiving his high school diploma, he was accepted to Simon Fraser University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Anthropology and Sociology and in 1986 he obtained a Masters degree from Simon Fraser University. While attending university, Dr. Binning was very active within the community and wanted to work to improve society. He first thought that he would return to India to contribute and improve rights in his homeland but upon seeing the prevalence of the movements in Canada, he realized that work needed to be done here too. In 1983, Dr. Binning became a founding member and contributor to a theatrical collective known as “Vancouver Sath”. The theatrical group produced plays that represented societal issues and were invited to perform at multiple conferences throughout British Columbia and Canada. The group focused and acknowledged the many issues in Punjab and in Canada. One of the plays that the group produced focused on the exploitation of Punjabi women who worked on farms in Canada. Dr. Binning continued to be involved as an integral member of Vancouver Sath until 1995. Over the years, Dr. Binning has strongly lobbied for Punjabi language education and between 1988 and 2008 he worked as Punjabi instructor at the University of British Columbia. He first worked as a teaching assistant at UBC under Dr. Harjot Oberoi and due to low wages, he simultaneously worked at the Post Office. In 2019, Dr. Binning received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from UBC in recognition of his work. Since 1973, Dr. Binning has lived in Burnaby and has resided in the same home that he and his wife Jagdish purchased in 1987. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, watercolour painting, travelling abroad and going on road trips. Interviewer biography: 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”.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Industries - Logging/lumber
- Industries - Forestry
- Foods
- Migration
- Organizations - Societies and Clubs
- Organizations - Unions
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Performances
- Performances - Dramatic Performances
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Names
- Binning, Dr. Sadhu
- Binning, Gurmaje Kaur
- Binning, Jit Singh
- Binning, Jagdish
- Sangha, Darshan Singh
- Canadian Farmworkers Union
- Hundal, Sukhwant
- Sangra, Harjinder
- Singh, Dhana
- Vancouver Sath
- Responsibility
- Petrusa, Kate
- Malik, Anushay
- Accession Code
- BV022.29.3
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning, [1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022
Interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning, [1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0003_004.mp3Book reading given by Pixie McGeachie January 10, 1973 - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory237
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1849-1872
- Length
- 0:09:04
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Doreen "Pixie" McGeachie's introduction of the book "Archdeacon on Horseback" by Canon Cyril E.H. Williams and herself, telling the story of Archdeacon Richard Small. She begins by reading the book's forward, as well as the beginnings of the first chapter.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Doreen "Pixie" McGeachie's introduction of the book "Archdeacon on Horseback" by Canon Cyril E.H. Williams and herself, telling the story of Archdeacon Richard Small. She begins by reading the book's forward, as well as the beginnings of the first chapter.
- Date Range
- 1849-1872
- Photo Info
- Pixie McGeachie (left) and Florence Godwin, 1992. Item no. 330-003
- Length
- 0:09:04
- Interview Date
- January 10, 1973
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of a book reading given by Pixie McGeachie on January 10, 1973 to the Burnaby Historical Society from the book "Archdeacon on Horseback" by Canon Cyril E.H. Williams (then archivist in the Vancouver School of Theology, University of British Columbia) and Pixie McGeachie.
- Biographical Notes
- Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie was a resident of Burnaby for over sixty years. Pixie married John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie and raised their children Kathi (Dunlop) and David McGeachie in the house the couple built themselves in 1947. Pixie served as the editor for the Burnaby Examiner newspaper and wrote a column entitled "Burnaby History" for The News. In 1974 she authored her first book titled "Bygones of Burnaby" which was one of the first to develop anecdotal stories about pioneer life in Burnaby. She authored "Burnaby - A Proud Century" in 1992 and in 2002 she wrote a biography of the city's namesake in the book "Land of Promise: Robert Burnaby's letters from Colonial B.C." She also contributed many hours of volunteering; helping to establish Burnaby's first museum Heritage Village in 1971, serving as President of the Burnaby Historical Society from 1991-1993. She served a six year term on Burnaby's Heritage Commission leading the charge to preserve many historic sites throughout the city, and during her twenty years as the Community Archives volunteer archivist for the historical society, she succeeded in gathering thousands of rare and valuable historic photographs and documents which now forms the core of the photograph collection on the Heritage Burnaby website (as these items were donated by the Society to the City Archives in 2007). The City of Burnaby awarded Pixie McGeachie the Kushiro Cup as Citizen of the year in 2002. In 2006 she received a Heritage BC project award for leading the Friends of Interurban 1223 project, and in 2008 Heritage BC recognised her again by presenting her with the Ruby Nobb Award. John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie died October 12, 1981 at the age of sixty-seven. Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie died August 14, 2010 at the age of eighty-nine.
- Total Tracks
- 6
- Total Length
- 0:54:31
- Interviewee Name
- McGeachie, Doreen “Pixie”
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Oral history subseries
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track one of recording of a book reading given by Pixie McGeachie
Track one of recording of a book reading given by Pixie McGeachie
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-017-2/MSS137-017-2_Track_1.mp3Book reading given by Pixie McGeachie January 10, 1973 - Track 2
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory238
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1803-1884
- Length
- 0:09:29
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Pixie McGeachie's continued reading of "Archdeacon on Horseback" by Canon Cyril E.H. Williams and herself. This section of the reading describes the earlier the impact of the gold rush on British Columbia and the formation of Lytton, BC.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Pixie McGeachie's continued reading of "Archdeacon on Horseback" by Canon Cyril E.H. Williams and herself. This section of the reading describes the earlier the impact of the gold rush on British Columbia and the formation of Lytton, BC.
- Date Range
- 1803-1884
- Photo Info
- Pixie McGeachie (left) and Florence Godwin, 1992. Item no. 330-003
- Length
- 0:09:29
- Interview Date
- January 10, 1973
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of a book reading given by Pixie McGeachie on January 10, 1973 to the Burnaby Historical Society from the book "Archdeacon on Horseback" by Canon Cyril E.H. Williams (then archivist in the Vancouver School of Theology, University of British Columbia) and Pixie McGeachie.
- Biographical Notes
- Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie was a resident of Burnaby for over sixty years. Pixie married John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie and raised their children Kathi (Dunlop) and David McGeachie in the house the couple built themselves in 1947. Pixie served as the editor for the Burnaby Examiner newspaper and wrote a column entitled "Burnaby History" for The News. In 1974 she authored her first book titled "Bygones of Burnaby" which was one of the first to develop anecdotal stories about pioneer life in Burnaby. She authored "Burnaby - A Proud Century" in 1992 and in 2002 she wrote a biography of the city's namesake in the book "Land of Promise: Robert Burnaby's letters from Colonial B.C." She also contributed many hours of volunteering; helping to establish Burnaby's first museum Heritage Village in 1971, serving as President of the Burnaby Historical Society from 1991-1993. She served a six year term on Burnaby's Heritage Commission leading the charge to preserve many historic sites throughout the city, and during her twenty years as the Community Archives volunteer archivist for the historical society, she succeeded in gathering thousands of rare and valuable historic photographs and documents which now forms the core of the photograph collection on the Heritage Burnaby website (as these items were donated by the Society to the City Archives in 2007). The City of Burnaby awarded Pixie McGeachie the Kushiro Cup as Citizen of the year in 2002. In 2006 she received a Heritage BC project award for leading the Friends of Interurban 1223 project, and in 2008 Heritage BC recognised her again by presenting her with the Ruby Nobb Award. John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie died October 12, 1981 at the age of sixty-seven. Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie died August 14, 2010 at the age of eighty-nine.
- Total Tracks
- 6
- Total Length
- 0:54:31
- Interviewee Name
- McGeachie, Doreen “Pixie”
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Oral history subseries
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track two of recording of a book reading given by Pixie McGeachie
Track two of recording of a book reading given by Pixie McGeachie
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-017-2/MSS137-017-2_Track_2.mp3Gladys Killip subseries
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription58418
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1904-1998
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Subseries
- Physical Description
- Textual records and graphic material
- Scope and Content
- Subseries consists of papers pertaining to the Killip family, primarily Gladys Killip's personal activism in the municipality of Burnaby and the causes she supported. Subseries also includes photographs of the Burnaby Council of Women taken during Gladys Killip's time as Publicity Co-Chairwoman du…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1904-1998
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Gladys Killip subseries
- Physical Description
- Textual records and graphic material
- Description Level
- Subseries
- Accession Number
- BHS1996-12
- BHS1998-11
- BHS2000-02
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Subseries consists of papers pertaining to the Killip family, primarily Gladys Killip's personal activism in the municipality of Burnaby and the causes she supported. Subseries also includes photographs of the Burnaby Council of Women taken during Gladys Killip's time as Publicity Co-Chairwoman during the 1967 Centennial Celebration festivity "100 Years of Progress in Women's Activities, Arts and Crafts" .
- History
- Gladys M. Yeomans married Alfred Charles “Charlie” Killip in St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church in Vancouver on August 16, 1947. They spent their honeymoon together at the Sunset Inn at Qualicum Beach. The Killips lived in the same house in South Burnaby for the greater part of their married lives. Their address began as 729 Marshall, changed to 729 Hazelmere Street in 1951 (due to bylaw 3133) and again to 7763 Hazelmere Street (due to 1958/1959 street re-numbering). The Killips were activists within Burnaby, writing letters to their member of Council when they felt that the citizens of Burnaby were not being treated fairly. An example of this is when they led the protest against Pacific Stage Lines for reducing its service on the Grandview Highway by making fewer stops and by changing its route. Gladys led their delegation to Council in June of 1964. Gladys was also involved in the activities of the Valley View Players and in Burnaby Little Theatre activities. She was part of the cast of “Crime at Blossoms” in 1951 and held a membership card from 1952 to 1959 for the Valley View Players Club. Among other roles, she was one of the principle actors in “You Can’t Take it With You” and “In the Shadow of the Glen” both performed in 1957. Gladys was the Burnaby Council of Women Publicity Co-Chairwoman. In this capacity she helped to organize such events as the "100 Years of Progress in Women's Activities, Arts and Crafts" for the Centennial Celebration in 1967 (the Burnaby Diamond Jubilee). She was also a founding member of the Century Park Museum Association, which created under the auspices of the Burnaby Centennial '71 Committee, to administer Burnaby's Centennial '71 Commemorative Project, Heritage Village. Both Gladys and Charles Killip were active members of the Monarchist League of Canada. Gladys’ hobby started with a small silver spoon commemorating King George VI taking the throne in 1936. Her collection includes items commemorating every Royal from Prince Edward, Queen Victoria's father, to a cup commemorating one of Prince Williams recent birthdays. Gladys opened the Silver Spoon collectors shop in Burnaby in 1974 and operated it until 1980 when she and her husband Charlie retired to Qualicum Beach and opened Chilham Village Antiques and Collectables in 1984. The Killips earned a Silver Badge of Service from the Monarchist League of Canada in 1992 for their significant contribution to the League’s work. As of November 2010, Ms. Gladys Yeomans’ collection of British Royal family memorabilia has grown so large, that she has countless of mugs, spoons, plates, t-shirts and pieces of poetry, filling a room in her basement and upstairs in her home in Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of subseries
- PC497, MSS125, MSS081, MSS085
Interview with Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19346
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1600-2022] (interview content), interviewed 7 Oct. 2022
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (111 min., 51 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (111 min., 51 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. During the interview Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar discusses and provides in…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (111 min., 51 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (111 min., 51 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewers: Anushay Malik, Rajdeep Co Interviewer and technical support: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Nadeem Parmar Location of Interview: Residence of Nadeem Parmar in Burnaby Interview Date: October 7, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:51:51 min Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. During the interview Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar discusses and provides information on; his ancestral background, his education, his employment background, his experiences of racial discrimmination as a South Asian immigrant, saw mills established by South Asian relations in Paldi (Vancouver Island), in North Vancouver and Burnaby, family relations in the South Asian Canadian community and in regions in Punjab, the caste system, his literary works, locations of family homes in Burnaby, the architectural design of his house, personal stories and anecdotal information as a South Asian Canadian living and working in Canada. 00:00 – 01:45 The framework and purpose of the interview is explained to interviewee Nadeem Parmar by interviewers Rajdeep and Anushay Malik. The interviewers explain how the information from this interview can be drawn on for Burnaby Village Museum’s future exhibits and also how researchers will learn more about the history of the South Asian community in Burnaby through residents’ stories. Interview begins with Nadeem providing his full name "Kulwant Singh Parmar". He clarifies that his name was given to him by his grandfather who was a civil engineer and that his father also worked as a civil engineer. Nadeem expresses that he was born with a “silver spoon in his mouth” as a descendent of his maternal grandfather who was a successful landlord. Nadeem explains that when the Partition of India came into effect, (1947) he was 11 years old. He and his family left the partitioned side, his native village was located in Punjab and his forefathers were located in Rajasthan. 3:20 – 4:57 Nadeem explains further about his forefathers who came from Rajasthan. He shares information about his ancestor on his father’s side, named Vijay Singh who was friends with Emperor Jahangir. When fighting began against Jahangir he left the area to head to the middle of central India, then to the Punjab area with small states. As a clan, as a Parmar, he conveys there were about eleven or twelve villages with the same name. Interviewer, Anushay helps Nadeem to clarify the time period of this information. Nadeem refers to the time period being similar to the epic historical film “Moghal-e-Azam” and Anushay confirms the time period being the 1600s when they left Rajasthan. 4:58 – 10:59 Interviewer Anushay asks Nadeem to about his migration to Canada. Nadeem conveys that his first ancestor on his in-laws side of the family migrated around 1889. Further discussion ensues about reading Punjabi and how interviewer Rajdeep can read Punjabi and that she comes from the village of "Lakhpur" in Punjab. Rajdeep notes that “Lakhpur” is near "Phagwara". Nadeem clarifies that his village is "Panchat" and this family used to live in "Phagwara". and Nadeem and Rajdeep compare their familiarity and memories of the area. Nadeem conveys some of his comments in Punjabi and then changes to English. Nadeem recollects when the Japanese bombarded Shillong, he was around seven years old and attended missionary school. The only languages that were taught were English and Persian. Nadeem conveys that his mother had hopes of Nadeem becoming an army officer and moving up the ranks but Nadeem wasn’t interested. Nadeem attended college, graduated with a Bachelor of Science, BSC with Physics and Chemistry, followed by another Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and finally a degree in his favourite subject in the language of Urdu. He completed these degrees in Punjab in Doaba College, Jalandher. Nadeem recollects how he started teaching but wasn’t getting paid very well. When he was at college, with encouragement from his professor, Veer Pankalia [sic] he began writing poetry and short plays. His professor also introduced him to a famous poet of Punjab, Mila Ram Offa [sic] and he gave him the name of Nadeem. Nadeem explains the meaning of the name “Nadeem” “…the one who know about it, inside out…” even though we generally think of the meaning being “friend” it’s not just about friend. 11:00 -24:48 Nadeem provides background information on how he ended up marrying his future wife who was born in India and immigrated to Canada with her family. Nadeem explains how the marriage was arranged through family relations that were already established in Punjab over a century ago. One of his wife’s ancestors, head of the family called “baniye” (traders) immigrated to Canada in [1899]. This relation returned to Punjab where he had nephews, the youngest of the nephews was Nadeem’s father (Lashman Singh Manhas) in law’s father (Sher Singh Manhas). He expresses that his wife’s ancestor couldn’t bring Nadeem’s father in law’s father since he was only 12 or 13 years old but he brought three of the nephews back to Canada with him. The nephews were named, Pola Singh, Ginaya Singh and Doman Singh (also named Dolmans). He describes how the group left India but it took them two to three years before they arrived in Canada. The group travelled to Burma, Indonesia and Hong Kong before landing in San Francisco. From San Francisco they walked and worked on the rail line before entering Canada and arriving in Grand Forks. The men got work on the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and eventually made their way to the lower mainland. Nadeem conveys that the younger brother of Ginaya Singh, Maya Singh joined the others in Canada taking the same route, arriving in Bridal Falls where they were working at a saw mill and in CP rail construction. He describes Maya Singh as business minded and since he was too young to work in the mill, he began working as a cook and then began growing potatoes on land that he leased from a Dutch land owner. The local mill at Bridal Falls was facing bankruptcy and Maya Singh arranged to lease the mill, eventually buying it. From there the group moved their business to Strawberry Hill in Surrey and when the sale of logs declined, they moved over to Vancouver Island and established a sawmill with Doman Singh in the community of Paldi (originally known as Mayo Lumber) near Duncan. He explains further how the South Asian community helped each other like they did back home. He clarifies that his father in law’s father is the youngest cousin of Ginaya and Doman Singh and when he died, his father in law’s younger brother started Kashmir Lumber. Eventually his father in law (Lashman Singh Manhas) and the rest of the whole family including cousins and nephews were sponsored by their relations and immigrated to Canada. Nadeem explains how in 1959, his brother in law returned home to Punjab to get married, bringing his family with him. He tells of how during this time period, a marriage was arranged by his parents for him to marry his future wife. Nadeem recollects how this came to be. Nadeem and his wife Surjeet married in Punjab in December 1960, Nadeem was 24 years old and his wife was 18 years old. 24:49 – 39:42 Nadeem describes how he obtained his teaching degree from Ramgarhia College in Phagwara (located in the Kapurhtala district of Punjab) and after a disagreement with a teacher at home, he decided to go to England. He explains how he joined his brother who had moved to England and was working as a labourer. Nadeem tells of the difficulties he faced applying for a teaching job in England and how he had to go back to school to help with his English pronunciation. Nadeem explains that after taking this course, he got work teaching Grade two students which he felt was below his qualifications (he mentions that while living in Punjab, he was a Secondary School teacher) and the pay was very low. He discovered that his brother was making more money working as a labourer so Nadeem became discouraged and quit. When Nadeem couldn’t find work as a labourer, his brother advised him to shave off his beard. Nadeem conveys how difficult it was for him to shave off his beard and how once he was clean shaven he got work as a sweeper in a factory. He shares his experience of working in the factory and of how with his former education he got himself promoted to a more technical position. With encouragement from his employer, Nadeem enrolled in technical courses which lead to him obtaining an HNC Engineering Degree. He completed the course work in two years, obtaining skills in microwave communication becoming the senior test engineer at the factory. While working in this position, Nadeem shares how he suffered discrimination when he was passed over for a senior chief engineer position at the factory by a less educated and experienced employee. 39:43 – 53:38 Nadeem recollects how things changed for him in the 1970s. It began with his father in law (Lashman Singh Manhas) passing away in 1970 while he and his family were living on 18th Street in Burnaby. His father in law had been working at the saw mill, Kashmir Lumber Company in North Vancouver that was owned by his father in law’s younger brother (Kashmir Singh Manhas). The mill had burnt down and many of the workers lost everything. Nadeem confides that during this time, his wife was suffering from depression and wanted to be with her mother back in Canada now that her father had passed away. Nadeem emphasizes how his wife’s family (over 300 relatives) in Canada often get together every year on July 1st in Paldi near Duncan. In 1972, Nadeem arrived in Canada on his own to find work but was unsuccessful so he and his wife made plans to move to Uganda where he was offered a job. In 1973, when his visa didn’t come through for Uganda, Nadeem, his wife and two children decided to come to Canada. Nadeem describes that after several unsuccessful experiences to find skilled work in Canada, he eventually found work at Canadian National Telecommunications. During this time, Nadeem and his family lived with his father in law’s family at 5216 Pandora Street in Burnaby and in 1974, Nadeem purchased a house at 131 Fell Avenue in Burnaby. Nadeem provides further details of when the families lived at these different addresses and how in 1983 he had a house built on Woodsworth Street where he is still living now. He conveys some of the history of the lot where his current house resides including details on the lot subdivision, lot ownership and the cost of building his new house. Nadeem tells of how he designed his home with help from his son who was working as an apprentice with architect Arthur Erikson at the time. He describes the architectural interior as an open concept design, in an “L” shape in honour of his father “Lakhmir Singh”. Nadeem shares information on his mother’s name which was Jamna (prior to her marriage) and became Davinder Kaur after she was married. (Note: Jamna was her name before marriage. Traditionally after a woman is married, her husband’s family changes her first name because she is now considered a part of a new family). 53:39 – 58:56 Nadeem provides information on his career working as CNCP technician working with CPIC systems and how he was promoted to a new position. Nadeem inserts a quote from a Punjabi poem which he translates to English as “Somebody asked the blind people. What do you need? He said, do you need two eyes?, he said, what else do I need?”. Nadeem conveys how in 1986 his mother passed away so he went back home to the village of Lakhpur where his father and younger brother were living. His father and younger brother were on their own and in 1986 they decided to demolish the family home. He explains that there’s a college there now and that a library was built at this location in the name of his grandfather. 58:57 – 1:04:38 Nadeem shares how he suffered a heart attack in 1990 during the marriage ceremony of his son in Williams Lake. Nadeem talks about the complicated relations of the South Asian families and the saw mill owners in Paldi and comments on the problems with the caste system that provokes discrimination within the South Asian community. Nadeem refers to disputes that arose amongst mill owners and investors that included Kapoor Singh Siddoo, Mayo Singh, Gurdial Singh Teja and Ginaya Singh which caused problems amongst his family and also lead to Kapoor Singh selling his portion of the mill. Nadeem spells “Ginaya” Singh’s name and explains that this name is the nickname for “Krishna”. Nadeem provides his insight into the joint ownership of the saw mills located in Paldi and how the the joint ownership was dissolved in 1952. Nadeem clarifies that Ginaya Singh also left Paldi and that Ginaya Singh’s wife is his mother in law’s aunt and that he also moved to Burnaby. Nadeem explains the proper name spelling of mill owner “Mayo Singh” and that the correct spelling is actually “Mayan Singh” but he changed it to “Mayo” when it was mis-pronounced. Nadeem also comments on the problems that he encountered in 1970 on the pronunciation of his own name while living in England and at one point his employer referred to him as “Paul”. 1:04:39 – 1:18:50 Nadeem relays that when he emigrated from India and to Canada that he carried his personal possessions in a small suitcase made from cardboard since the weight limit on the airplane was just three pounds. He conveys that many of his relations have all suffered from heart problems including Ginaya Singh and his children. Nadeem shares that Ginaya Singh’s three sons all lived in Burnaby. Nadeem conveys that many South Asians lived in Burnaby and many worked at saw mills in North Vancouver and in the L&K sawmill near Pemberton. Nadeem explains further about the how the disagreements came to be between Mayo Singh and Kapoor Singh. He describes how each had a different business strategy in harvesting lumber and that there were feuds amongst the families. Nadeem provides further details on the root of the family feuds. Nadeem provides definitions for certain Punjabi terms that he’s using including “Mehta”(meaning lowest class of farmers, foreigner as well head as a title given to people of a clan living in the area) and ‘Panchat”, the name of his family village that was built and founded by five brothers and one nephew (Panj- meaning five and the sound “cht” meaning six). Nadeem explains that these terms were given to people from his own clan living in the area because it was small. Nadeem explains further about status that is based on money and the Punjabi terms “Parsu”, “Parsa” and “Pasaram” that are often used to describe a person. When you are poor the term “Parsu” is used and when you become rich the term “Pasaram” is used. Nadeem refers to Mayo Singh as a Pasaram as the second most successful millner in British Columbia, second to Frederick John Hart. Nadeem mentions that Ginaya Singh, elder brother to Mayo Singh helped provide the finances to start the mill and when there was a disagreement, Ginaya Singh left the mill business, moved his family to Burnaby and began working in insurance. Nadeem shares the sad story of Ginaya Singh’s sudden death (in 1953). Nadeem states that many of the people who left the mills at Paldi went to work at the Kapoor Mill in Burnaby and some relocated to the Interior of British Columbia. Nadeem mentions that his father in law (Lashman Singh Manhas) was able to purchase a house on 18th Street in along with other residences that he bought with his hard earned money working in the farms and mills, 16 hours per day, seven days a week. 1:18:51 – 1:32:04 Nadeem explains why he thinks that most South Asian people worked in the mills in the earlier days. Nadeem conveys that since Sikh men wore beards and turbans they encountered discrimination and were unable to get work in the business community. Nadeem shares his own personal experiences of wearing a turban and the discrimination he’s encountered while living in Scotland and Canada. Nadeem mentions that a defense committee was formed to protect the Gurdwaras and people’s homes from being vandalized due to racial discrimination. Nadeem describes some of the troubles that he’s encountered in his own neighbourhood when he had to call the police. Nadeem shares a personal experience just after 9/11 where he was the target of racial discrimination in the parking lot of Burnaby Lake. Nadeem emphasizes that he has experienced many incidents of racial discrimination, especially in the workplace and that this was not unusual for him. 1:32:05 – 1:36:19 Nadeem talks about his interest in writing and his many literary works including 12 novels that he’s written in Punjabi. Nadeem highlights a few books that he’s written including a book titled “Rape” and another one titled “Sponsorship” which conveys the complex nature of people immigrating to Canada. Nadeem mentions a particular book about AIDS, titled “Wide Net” that he’s been trying to get published. Nadeem speaks to the challenges and high costs of trying to get his works published. Nadeem provides a brief synopsis of his book “Wide Net”. Nadeem relays that this is a personal account of a gay couple that he knew where one of the partners died of AIDS and that the couple gave Nadeem permission to tell their tragic story. 1:36:20 – 1:51:51 Nadeem talks about his children and compares their experiences to his own as a South Asian immigrant. Nadeems talks about the accomplishments of his son, his daughter and grandchildren including their education and careers. Nadeem says that his children are well educated and well established in their careers. Nadeem’s children attended Capitol Hill Elementary School and North Burnaby High School in Burnaby. Nadeem shares specifics of his son’s career history. Nadeem expresses that he still considers Canada to be the best country for opportunities and that he prefers to live in Burnaby rather than Surrey and shares some personal anecdotes. Nadeem lists some local places that he’s shopped for South Asian groceries and spices rather than travelling to Surrey. He mentions shopping at Kelly Douglas, stores in Chinatown, small grocers on Capitol Hill, Patel’s on Commercial Drive and Main Street. As an aside Nadeem mentions that he worked as a security guard and the wages that he earned. Nadeem comments that he has been awarded various certificates and certifications from his education and career over the years, including a Bachelor of Science. The interviewers further express their interest in seeing the cardboard case that Nadeem brought with him when immigrating to Canada. In closing Nadeem states that his favourite food from back home was kheer (rice pudding).
- History
- Interviewee biography: Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar was born June 9, 1936, Chuck 138 in Lyalpur (India before 1947) to parents Lakhmir Singh Parmar and Davinder Kaur Jamana Parmar. Nadeem grew up in the village of Panchat in the northern region of Punjab, India. Nadeem married his wife Surjeet in Punjab in 1960. After marrying the couple immigrated to England where Nadeem was already working. While living in England, Nadeem and Surjeet had two children. After Surjeet's father died in Canada in 1972, Nadeem, Surjeet and their two children immgrated to Canada, joining Surjeet's family who were living in Burnaby. After Nadeem immigrated to Burnaby in 1973 he worked various jobs before working with CN/CP Telecommunications. Nadeem holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Teaching from Punjab University and a diploma from the London Board of Education (L.B.E.) and a P.Eng. from Lancaster. He has seven books published in Punjabi, three in Urdu and is published in eight anthologies. He is fluent in Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi. 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
- Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores
- Buildings - Industrial - Saw Mills
- Buildings - Industrial - Factories
- Education
- Employment
- Industries - Logging/lumber
- Migration
- Occupations - Engineers
- Occupations - Millworkers
- Occupations - Teachers
- Occupations - Writers
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Names
- Parmar, Kalwant Singh "Nadeem"
- Kapoor Sawmills Limited
- Siddoo, Kapoor Singh
- Teja, Gurdial Singh
- Parmar, Surjeet Kaur
- Manhas, Ghania Singh
- Singh, Mayo
- Manhas, Kashmir Singh
- Manhas, Sher Singh
- Manhas, Budhan Kaur
- Manhas, Lashman Singh
- Responsibility
- Malik, Anushay
- Rajdeep
- Geographic Access
- Woodsworth Street
- Accession Code
- BV022.29.1
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1600-2022] (interview content), interviewed 7 Oct. 2022
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Capitol Hill (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Capitol Hill Area
- Related Material
- See also BV022.29.5 - Interview with Surjeet Kaur Parmar
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Spelling of "Ginaya Singh" found as "Ghania Singh Manhas" in obituary and death certificate
- Interview is conducted in English with various segments of discussion in Punjabi
- Transcript of interview available upon request
Audio Tracks
Interview with Kalwant Singh
Interview with Kalwant Singh
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0001_003.mp3In the Shadow by the Sea subseries
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription64574
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1925-1971 (date of originals), copied 2003-2006
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Subseries
- Physical Description
- Photographs
- Scope and Content
- Subseries consists of copies of family photographs of early Barnet residents compiled for the publication, "In the Shadow by the Sea: Recollections of Burnaby's Barnet Village". Families involved in the project include: Brichmore, Blake, Burkmar, Calihou, Cary, Charters, Cordy, Dean, Drummond, Eva…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1925-1971 (date of originals), copied 2003-2006
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- In the Shadow by the Sea subseries
- Physical Description
- Photographs
- Description Level
- Subseries
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-01
- Scope and Content
- Subseries consists of copies of family photographs of early Barnet residents compiled for the publication, "In the Shadow by the Sea: Recollections of Burnaby's Barnet Village". Families involved in the project include: Brichmore, Blake, Burkmar, Calihou, Cary, Charters, Cordy, Dean, Drummond, Evans, Fish, Fraser, Hall, Hope, Irwin, McNie, Johnston, Kask, Keys, Kitchener, McNie, LaFavor, Laine, Laleune, Lauder, Lorenz, Marshall, Mathewson, Moore, Pert, Philbrook, Pruden, Rex, Rutherford, Siddoo, Stemo, Stewart, Teja, Traff (Trafinenkov), Urbanovits, Wells, Williams, Wilson, Woolsey and Yatsui.
- History
- Personal memories and family photographs from early Barnet residents were complied and developed into a book entitled "In the Shadow by the Sea: Recollections of Burnaby's Barnet Village" under the direction of the Community Heritage Commission. Community Heritage Commission volunteer Harry Pride was the driving force behind this project.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Creator
- Community Heritage Commission
- Notes
- PC512
- Title based on contents of subseries
Quon Lip Lee fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription16725
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1921-1988 (date of originals), copied 2021
- Collection/Fonds
- Quon Lip Lee fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 8 photograph (tiffs)
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs pertaining to personal records of Quon Lip Lee including his immigration and citizenship documents, his family, business and involvement as a member with Lee's Benevolent Associaton of Canada.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Quon Lip Lee fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 8 photograph (tiffs)
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs pertaining to personal records of Quon Lip Lee including his immigration and citizenship documents, his family, business and involvement as a member with Lee's Benevolent Associaton of Canada.
- History
- Quon Lip Lee immigrated to Canada in 1921 from Sun Woy county, Guangdong at the age of 12 and found work as a housekeeper. In his adult years, Lee travelled back to China several times and fathered two sons and two daughters in China, including Tim Lee who was born in 1949. Quon Lip Lee purchased two acres of farmland in Richmond and operated a poultry farm in the No.3 Road and Williams Road area. He brought his wife and most of his children from China to Canada in 1952, with the exception of one daughter who was already married. When the poultry industry began to decline, Lee purchased a grocery store business in Burnaby and the Lee family moved to Burnaby in 1962. The shop was named C&L Grocery, which stood for Cheng (his son-in-law’s surname) and Lee. The property was located at 6912 Kingsway on the corner of Kingsway and Griffiths and had three store fronts and a house in the back where the family lived. The family grocery store sold groceries and canned goods and was in operation for approximately fifteen years. Quon Lip Lee was a member of Lee's Benevolent Association of Canada. In 1988, Quon Lip, received a service award for his many contributions as an advisory board member and board secretary of Lee's Benevolent Association magazine. As a child, Tim Lee attended Stride Avenue School, Edmonds School and Burnaby South Secondary School. Tim co-owned an architectural mill work company named New Image Millwork Ltd. in Surrey for 30 years before his retirement. The company renovated locations including the Burnaby Village Museum, Burnaby’s Winners store, and other businesses. Tim sold the business and retired in 2019.
- Creator
- Lee, Quon Lip
- Accession Code
- BV021.18
- Date
- 1921-1988 (date of originals), copied 2021
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
Westerman family fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription13679
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1917-1959]
- Collection/Fonds
- Westerman family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 17 photographs
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs documenting Walter "Wally" Westerman's life while growing up in Burnaby, his time spent in California while training as an engineer, his time in Montreal during his service with the R.C.A.F., Wally with his wife Gwendolyn (nee Brocklesby) Westerman and Wally in his lat…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Westerman family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 17 photographs
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs documenting Walter "Wally" Westerman's life while growing up in Burnaby, his time spent in California while training as an engineer, his time in Montreal during his service with the R.C.A.F., Wally with his wife Gwendolyn (nee Brocklesby) Westerman and Wally in his later years outside of his home in Burnaby.
- History
- Walter "Wally" William Westerman was born in London, Ontario in 1916. A few years later he moved with his parents to Vancouver. Around 1921 his parents, Albert Edwin and Louisa (nee Williams) Westerman bought a double lot at 4797 Georgia Street in District Lot 122 in Burnaby. On the lot they built a house and bowling green. Wally's father Albert worked as a proof reader for the Daily Province newspaper and retired in 1938. Walter attended Gilmore Avenue school and North Burnaby High School. After graduating from highschool he enrolled in engineering school in Glendale, California. Wally was married to Margot Florence Patry from 1943 to 1952. When World War II began, Wally joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. Wally suffered from arthritis and after being declared unfit for combat he was discharged. He returned to Burnaby and became a foreman in the engineering department of Boeing Aircraft of Canada. In 1944, while employed by Boeing, Wally was recoginized with awards for his ingenuity of "Jig Design for Bomb Torpedo Adaptors" and "Bomb Release Scissors". When Wally's father Albert became ill and had to have his leg amputated, Wally attended to his needs and sold the family's Georgia Street house to a buy a house at 5277 Spencer Street in Vancouver. Wally's father died in 1944 and his mother died in 1966. Following his first marriage, Wally met Gwendolyn "Gwen" Brocklesby and they developed a long term relationship eventually marrying in 1969. Gwen had a daughter named Barbara from her first marriage and Wally became her step father. Between 1960 and 1963, Wally was admitted to membership in the Canadian Power Squadrons with qualifications in seamanship, engine maintenance and weather and Gwen was awarded a certificate of qualification in piloting and seamanship. In 1969 Gwen, Wally and Barbara moved to a brand new home at 2171 Duthie Avenue in Burnaby which was within walking distance to Lenkurt Electric on Lougheed Highway where Wally worked. Wally was a machinist and foreman of the sheet metal shop at Lenkurt and later at Microtel. Walter Westerman died in Burnaby in 2000 and his wife Gwen died in Burnaby in 2016.
- Responsibility
- Westerman, Walter "Wally"
- Accession Code
- BV020.17
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1917-1959]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
William Holmes fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription10416
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1841]-1994
- Collection/Fonds
- William Holmes fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 2 photographs (calotype) + 1 photograph : b&w + 6 photographs : col. + 5 p. textual records + 1 newspaper clipping
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs pertaining to the William Holmes family, family grave markers in cemetery in Ireland along with original correspondence, land title certificates and a newspaper clipping. Fonds is arranged in series: 1) William Holmes family photographs series 2) William Holmes family…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- William Holmes fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 2 photographs (calotype) + 1 photograph : b&w + 6 photographs : col. + 5 p. textual records + 1 newspaper clipping
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs pertaining to the William Holmes family, family grave markers in cemetery in Ireland along with original correspondence, land title certificates and a newspaper clipping. Fonds is arranged in series: 1) William Holmes family photographs series 2) William Holmes family records series 3) Holmes family cemetery photographs series
- History
- William Holmes was the first non-Indigenous resident of Burnaby and was born in Kilkenny Ireland January 4, 1812. In 1833, at the age of 20 yrs, William Holmes immigrated to Canada from Ireland in with his parents, Joseph and Jane (McCullough) Holmes and ten other family members including two of his married brothers and their wives, two sisters with their husbands and two unmarried brothers. This was the first group of thirteen to leave Ireland and set up homesteads in Canada near the shores of Lake Huron. The family settled on land concessions in Huron County, Ontario about 14 km southeast of Goderich. The area in Huron County was first founded in 1832 by John and Samuel Holmes and the community was known as Holmes Hill before becoming Holmesville [ca. 1850]. In 1837, William Holmes is noted as owning Lot 23, Concession IX, Goderich Twp. Much of the village of Holmesville grew up around the five road concession near the border of his brother’s farm so William decided to open a store. The Holmesville post office opened on March 1, 1855 and William was appointed the first post master which he operated until May 1857. William met and married Mary Richardson in 1841 and the couple had three daughters: Jane (1844-1926) (married Charles Studdert Finlaison in New Westminster in 1863); Anne Maria (Annie) (1846-192?) (married John Gunther Jennings in New Westminster in 1865 and married Robert Johnson in New Westminster in 1877) and Elizabeth (1848-1934) (married Thomas Carrington of Lakes District in 1867). William’s wife, Mary (Richardson) Holmes died in Holmesville sometime between 1848 and 1853. Following the death of his first wife, Mary, William married Charlotte McCullough (McCulloch). The couple had four daughters; Arabella Charlotte Amelia (1854-1943) (married Arthur Robert Green in 1887); Laura (1855-1867); Arabella Henrietta (1857-1929) (married Clark Wesley Gillanders in 1880) and Mary (1863-1864). During the late 1850s, William became aware of the gold rush and opportunities opening up in British Columbia so left for the west coast in 1858 at the age of 46 yrs. In preparation for his move to the west coast of Canada, William obtained a letter of introduction from top government officials of Canada. William Holmes arrived in British Columbia in 1859. Upon arriving, he first worked running pack trains from Harrison Mills to Lillooet. After earning some money, he decided to re-invest it in land. His first pre-emption of land occurred on January 21, 1860 for 160 acres situated on North Road from the Military Camp to Burrard Inlet and distancing 25 chains south of the Brunette River and 20 chains south of the river with the land extending in a westerly direction. On March 17, 1860, Holmes received a Crown Grant for this and other land in the immediate area totalling 415 acres of which was known as Lot No. 1, Group 1, Rural Land, New Westminster District. The balance of land was situated on the east side of the Brunette River – Lot 13, with 344 2/3 acres of which he made an application to purchase on June 26, 1860, and a Crown Grant dated March 16, 1861 covering 86 acres. Holmes also pre-empted land in Port Moody and Pitt Meadows in 1860 and 1861. The name of “Brunette River” is officially attributed to William Holmes who referred to the river as “Brunette” due to it’s dark colour originating from the peat lands above the lake. Following his purchase of property, he sent for his wife Charlotte, their three daughters and her three step daughters (from William’s first marriage). Charlotte and the six children made the long trip to B.C. by ship and rail, crossing the Isthmus of Darien at Panama. They arrived in B.C. in October 1861 and moved into a one room log cabin built by William. The cabin stood on the North Road at the foot of Sapperton, on a bluff overlooking the Brunette River. Eventually the family moved to a larger dwelling but the original cabin remained on the site until the 1890s when it was burned after being used as a sick house. Mr. Holmes was instrumental in organizing the first Orange Lodge in British Columbia. He was a prominent Orangeman who joined the order in 1840 and was the first master in the order of the City of New Westminster when the Lodge No. 1150 was established there. Charlotte Holmes died in New Westminster in 1893 at the age of 70 years and William Holmes died in New Westminster September 11, 1907 at the age of 95 years.
- Responsibility
- Holmes, William
- Accession Code
- HV971.46
- BV997.50
- Date
- [1841]-1994
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Textual Record
- Related Material
- See also: Reference file: Persons - Holmes, William
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
Elaine A. Myers fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription88370
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1948-1961 (date of originals)
- Collection/Fonds
- Elaine A. Myers fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 4 photographs (jpeg) : sepia ; 96 dpi
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of four digital copies of photographs; two are Elaine Myers' class portraits while attending Kingsway West and two are of Elaine's father, William Myers, next to the pulpit and the altar of St. Andrews Church.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1948-1961 (date of originals)
- Collection/Fonds
- Elaine A. Myers fonds
- Physical Description
- 4 photographs (jpeg) : sepia ; 96 dpi
- Material Details
- Jpegs are copies created by the donor of sepia originals.
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Accession Number
- 2013-26
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of four digital copies of photographs; two are Elaine Myers' class portraits while attending Kingsway West and two are of Elaine's father, William Myers, next to the pulpit and the altar of St. Andrews Church.
- History
- Elaine Anne Myers was born in Bolton, Lancashire, England, in 1939 and immigrated to British Columbia with her family in 1947. She was the eldest daughter of William Sefton and Edna (nee Howarth) Myers and sister to Hermione Christine, born in 1943. Her father, William Sefton Myers was born in Bolton, Lancashire, England, in 1905 and was one of six children. He married Edna Howarth on July 29, 1933. Before immigrating to Canada, William worked as a purchasing agent at Walkers Tannery in Bolton and later became a cabinet maker in the 1930s, building and designing most of the family’s furniture. In September 1947, he and his family immigrated to Canada along with his younger brother, Hermann, and his wife and daughter. The family were granted landed immigrant status upon their arrival at Dorval airport in Montreal on September 25, 1947, and travelled to Vancouver by train, arriving in early October. They shared their first home on Imperial Street in Burnaby with William’s brother Hermann and family, but after several months were able to purchase their own new home on MacKay Avenue just below Victory in South Burnaby. William’s first job was working as a night janitor at the Woodwards Department store in Vancouver. He was later hired as a purchasing agent for the Seagrams Distillery in New Westminster, where he stayed until his retirement in 1970. Elaine’s mother, Edna (nee Howarth) Myers worked in the offices of Pacific Veneer Canadian Forest Products in New Westminster, retiring from there in 1967. The family moved again in the 1950s to a house on the corner of Sussex and Victory and Elaine and Christine attended a variety of Burnaby schools including; Kingsway West, Nelson Avenue and McPherson Park Junior High. The family were parishioners of All Saints Anglican Church in Burnaby where Elaine also attended Girl Guides. Elaine’s father fulfilled his dream of designing and building the family home when he purchased property on London Street in New Westminster. The family moved to New Westminster and lived in a small house on the property while William spent three years completing their new home. Elaine commuted to Burnaby by the Interurban train in order to complete her studies at McPherson Park Junior High before enrolling at Duke of Connaught and graduating from Lester Pearson in New Westminster in 1957. In 1961, William Myers built the sanctuary lectern, pulpit, and altar for St. Andrew’s Church on Smith Avenue in Burnaby his brother Hermann’s parish. By the mid-1960s, William and Edna Myers moved from their home in New Westminster to White Rock. Edna Myers died on April 23, 1969. William built the ambry for the church of St. Mark as a memorial. William remarried Ruth, a widow, in 1971, and they resided in White Rock until Ruth’s death in 1983. William died in White Rock March 26, 1991. Elaine Myers married Gordon Wilfred Atkinson in 1961; they had four children and lived in the Dunbar area of Vancouver before they separated ways in 1988. Elaine completed her Bachelor of Arts degree as a mature student at University of British Columbia in 1984 followed by the completion of her Master’s degree at University of Toronto in April 1996, and PhD (Doctorate of Philosophy) in 2007. She has lived abroad in Jerusalem and the United Kingdom, working on a variety of research projects. Elaine Anne Myers passed away on February 19, 2015.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Creator
- Myers, Elaine A.
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
- Photo catalogue 580