Search Results | Heritage Burnaby

Loading Strawberries, BCERy, Douglas Road, Burnaby BC

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription66211

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1894

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 13 x 18 cm on cardboard 22 x 27.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a group of farmers loading their crates onto a railway car. Identified (left to right), Bernard R. Hill, Louis Claude Hill, Charles Frederick Sprott, George E. Clayton, and Louis "Edgar" Sprott, who are loading up their strawberries on a street car. The farmers are lined up in a row,…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1894

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Series: Kitty Hill Peers family photograph series

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 13 x 18 cm on cardboard 22 x 27.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 477-938

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: 2007-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of a group of farmers loading their crates onto a railway car. Identified (left to right), Bernard R. Hill, Louis Claude Hill, Charles Frederick Sprott, George E. Clayton, and Louis "Edgar" Sprott, who are loading up their strawberries on a street car. The farmers are lined up in a row, each sitting in their own horse and cart as they bring their strawberries to the station.

Subjects: Agriculture - Fruit and Berries; Transportation - Electric Railroads; Transportation - Horses; Transportation - Carts; Occupations - Farmers; Transportation - Wagons; Officials - Mayors and Reeves

Names: British Columbia Electric Railway Company; Hill, Louis Claude "Claude"; Hill, Bernard R.; Every-Clayton, George; Sprott, Louis "Edgar"; Sprott, Charles Frederick

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Caption on recto of photograph reads: "Loading Strawberries, B.C.E.Ry., Douglas Rd., Burnaby, B.C."

Geographic Access: Douglas Road

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Images

Loading Strawberries, BCERy, Douglas Road, Burnaby BC, 1894 thumbnail

William Brenchley farm

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34864

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1890 and 1895] (date of original), copied 1985

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.8 x 12.5 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of a farm hand and horse team inside a large stump, taken on William Brenchley's farm. The farm was located at the northeast corner of Kingsway and 10th Avenue.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1890 and 1895] (date of original), copied 1985

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: W.E. Brenchley subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.8 x 12.5 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 146-002

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1985-16

Scope and Content: Photograph of a farm hand and horse team inside a large stump, taken on William Brenchley's farm. The farm was located at the northeast corner of Kingsway and 10th Avenue.

Subjects: Agriculture - Farms; Transportation - Horses; Plants - Trees; Occupations - Farmers

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Thompson, S.J.

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access: 10th Avenue; Kingsway

Historic Neighbourhood: Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Edmonds Area

Images

William Brenchley farm, [between 1890 and 1895] (date of original), copied 1985 thumbnail

Farmer Boy

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription9678

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 2016

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Film and Video collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 video recording (mp4) (6 min., 6 sec.) : digital, 25 fps, col., sd., stereo

Scope and Content: This film is created by Lester Gierarch. Part of the Gierach heritage his father instilled in him was the work ethic of “early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” This film shares Lester’s happy memories of working on the Y.Y. Sim farm, in Cloverdale, B.C., when he was 1…

1 image 1 video

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Film and Video collection

Series: Elders Digital Storytelling project series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 video recording (mp4) (6 min., 6 sec.) : digital, 25 fps, col., sd., stereo

Scope and Content: This film is created by Lester Gierarch. Part of the Gierach heritage his father instilled in him was the work ethic of “early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” This film shares Lester’s happy memories of working on the Y.Y. Sim farm, in Cloverdale, B.C., when he was 15 years old. He worked hard alongside Chinese men and women who were new immigrants to Canada as he helped to harvest lettuce and celery for 80 cents an hour. Through this experience Lester grew comfortable working with people of another culture who also knew the importance of working hard.

History: Lester Gierach has lived in Burnaby for the past 22 years.

Creator: Gierach, Lester

Other Title Information: title supplied by film maker

Subjects: Persons - Chinese Canadians; Occupations - Agricultural Labourers; Occupations - Farmers

Names: Gierach, Lester

Accession Code: BV016.37.9

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: 2016

Media Type: Moving Images

Notes: Transcribed title; The film was produced in 2016 as part of the Elders Digital Storytelling project. Digital storytelling is a form of narrative that creates short movies using relatively simple media technology. The project began in 2014 funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada (SSHRC) and AGE-WELL NCE grants. In partnership with the City of Burnaby, digital storytelling workshops were offered in Burnaby. The workshops helped older adults create short autobiographical films that tell a special story in their lives, complete with music, photos and narration. This film was produced at one of those workshops.

Images

Video

Farmer Boy, 2016

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Moving_Images/2016_0037_0009_001.mp4

Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19349

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (wav) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (49 min., 21 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of an oral history interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. Raj Chouhan shares his ancestral background and personal experiences immigrating to Canada from India in 1973 and living and working in Canada as an immigrant…

1 document 1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: South Asian Canadian Interviews subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (wav) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (49 min., 21 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewer: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Honourable Raj Chouhan Location of Interview: Residence of Honourable Raj Chouhan Interview Date: December 2, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: (00:49:21) Digital master recording (wav) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of an oral history interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. Raj Chouhan shares his ancestral background and personal experiences immigrating to Canada from India in 1973 and living and working in Canada as an immigrant and the organizations that he became involved with. Honourable Raj Chouhan recalls how he arrived in Burnaby with his family in 1973 and that his family worked in farming. Chouhan imparts his first hand experiences as a new immigrant working as a labourer in the farming industry and describes the unsafe and unfair working conditions that he and migrant workers faced. Chouhan conveys how this experience lead him to become an activist for better working conditions for migrant workers. This lead Chouhan and others to form the Canadian Farm Workers Union in 1980. Chouhan recollects his experiences flying from India to Canada with his wife, his first impressions after arriving in Vancouver and driving to Burnaby and what he brought with him. Chouhan explains his connections to Burnaby. Members of Chouhan's wife's family immgrated to Canada in 1957 and his wife and her three brothers joined them in 1970. Chouhan's father in law, Hardial Singh Grewal immigrated in 1957 and became president of the Sikh temple in New Westminster. Hardial Singh Grewal worked in a lumber mill in Vancouver and eventually bought a house in Burnaby. Chouhan married to his wife at the Sikh temple in New Westminster and lived in Burnaby for a period before moving to New Westminster where they could find more affordable housing. Chouhan shares that he first worked as a farm labourer in Abbotsford and then found a job in the sawmill which paid more. Chouhan describes the extreme racism and discrimination that he and other immigrants faced which lead to the formation of the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism under the leadership of Dr. Hari Prakash Sharma. Chouhan describes this organization that he was a part of and the Canadian Farm Workers Union that were both formed in Burnaby. Chouhan shares that he moved to Victoria in 1988 to serve on the Hospital Employee's Union and moved back to the mainland in 1993 and returned to Burnaby in 2001. Chouhan reflects on the history of South Asian immigration in Canada, how many of the migrants settled in the lower mainland including Burnaby, New Westminster and Vancouver establishing temples in Vancouver and New Westminster which became the centre for the South Asian community. He conveys how earlier occupations were limited to farming and millwork and how over time employment opportunities and education have broadened but there is still work to do. He imparts how second generation Canadians’ experiences differ from first generations providing examples of his own daughters’ and the occupations that they are working in. Chouhan provides his insights into the South Asian Canadian experience imparting “We make history every day and that history needs to be recorded and learned from.."... “People from different communities, different backgrounds who lived in Burnaby have contributed so much and South Asians are just like another community and participated in all aspects of social life, cultural, religious, economy. I'm so proud of our community, our forefathers who had that vision to fight for our rights. I'm inspired by people who struggled so much to gain basic rights, like the right to vote". Chouhan refers to these first immigrants as “Gadri Babbas” “revolutionary old people” who were also the main motivation that lead to India becoming a free country in 1947 and for fighting for basic rights here in Canada and how they made their contributions for future generations. Chouhan expresses what he imparts to students “Do not forget your past... if you remember your past then you are much more knowledgeable. Then we know what we need for the future. If we don't know the past, we don't know what the future is going to be like. To make a better future, you have to learn from the past and improve".

History: Interviewee biography: Honourable Raj Chouhan was born in the city of Ludhiana in the Province of Punjab in India and immigrated to Canada in 1973. After arriving in Canada, Raj's family settled in Burnaby. Raj grew up in Burnaby and attended schoool. Honourable Raj Chouhan was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as the MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds in 2005 and was re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2020. He was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on December 7, 2020. Honourable Chouhan is the founding president of the Canadian Farmworkers Union and the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism and has served as a director of the Hospital Employees' Union, the Labour Relations Board of B.C. and the Arbitration Bureau of B.C. Honourable Chouhan has also served as the Vice President of B.C. Human Rights Defenders since 2003 and has taught courses in Human Rights, the B.C. Labour Code and Collective Bargaining since 1987. Interviewer biography: Kate Petrusa is the Assistant Curator at the Burnaby Village Museum. In her role, she manages all aspects of the collection – including caring for physical artifacts and making their digital counterpart accessible. Before coming to Burnaby Village Museum in 2019, Kate has worked at several Museums around the Lower Mainland as a Curator and contractor since 2013.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Persons - South Asian Canadians; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism; Occupations - Agricultural Labourers; Migration; Organizations - Unions; Rights; Rights - Human Rights; Agriculture; Agriculture - Farms; Government - Provincial Government; Government

Names: Chouhan, Raj; British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism; Sharma, Dr. Hari Prakash; Grewal, Hardial Singh; Canadian Farmworkers Union; Hospital Employees Union; Khalsa Diwan Society

Responsibility: Petrusa, Kate

Accession Code: BV022.29.4

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby

Documents

2022_0029_0004_003

Audio Tracks

Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0004_002.mp3

Clearing land with a team of oxen

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription39524

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1890

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 15.6 x 23.8 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)

Scope and Content: Photograph of a team of oxen being used to clear land and haul logs on skid road. Five unidentified lumberjacks can be seen standing alongside the animals.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1890

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Series: Kitty Hill Peers family photograph series

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 15.6 x 23.8 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 477-843

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: 2007-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of a team of oxen being used to clear land and haul logs on skid road. Five unidentified lumberjacks can be seen standing alongside the animals.

Subjects: Woodworking Tools and Equipment - Logging Machinery; Industries - Forestry; Animals - Oxen; Occupations - Lumberjacks; Land Clearing; Industries - Logging/lumber

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Clearing land with a team of oxen, 1890 thumbnail

Frederick Thrussell and Peter Byrne

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36471

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1893 (date of original)

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 8.5 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of Frederick Thrussell in a three-piece suit and hat, standing in front of a large stump. A small dog stands in front of him, and a crosscut saw is to his left, propped up vertically against the stump. Peter Byrne stands on a spring board protruding from the stump, and holds on to the en…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1893 (date of original)

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Thrussell family subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 8.5 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 275-002

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1992-05

Scope and Content: Photograph of Frederick Thrussell in a three-piece suit and hat, standing in front of a large stump. A small dog stands in front of him, and a crosscut saw is to his left, propped up vertically against the stump. Peter Byrne stands on a spring board protruding from the stump, and holds on to the end of a second crosscut saw. On the other side of the stump, a man balances on a second spring board while holding on to the opposite end of the horizontal crosscut saw with this right hand. Peter Byrne went on to serve as a member of Council from 1894 to 1895 and from 1898 to 1906, and was Reeve of Burnaby from 1906 to 1910.

Subjects: Occupations - Lumberjacks; Officials - Mayors and Reeves; Industries - Forestry; Woodworking Tools and Equipment; Animals - Dogs; Industries - Logging/lumber

Names: Thrussell, Fredrick (1869-1909); Byrne, Peter

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Frederick Thrussell and Peter Byrne, 1893 (date of original) thumbnail

Pat Byrne's Threshing Machine

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38542

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1892] (date of original) copied 1980

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.2 x 14.2 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of five men standing on a flat-bottom vessel on the Fraser River. A label accompanying the photograph reads: "1st threshing outfit in Burnaby, about 1892. Owned by Pat Byrne, brother of Peter. Sold to Peter when Pat returned to Ireland to live. On Fraser River. L. to R.: Pat Byrne, C…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1892] (date of original) copied 1980

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: New Westminster Public Library subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.2 x 14.2 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 459-002

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS2003-19

Scope and Content: Photograph of five men standing on a flat-bottom vessel on the Fraser River. A label accompanying the photograph reads: "1st threshing outfit in Burnaby, about 1892. Owned by Pat Byrne, brother of Peter. Sold to Peter when Pat returned to Ireland to live. On Fraser River. L. to R.: Pat Byrne, Capt. Stewart of "Alice", Peter Byrne and another (unknown)." Peter Byrne was a member of Burnaby's municipal council from 1894-1895, 1898-1906 and served as Reeve from 1906-1910. The threshing machine (visible behind the side paddle of the scow) was loaded onto this scow for transport from New Westminster to the Byrne farm in Burnaby.

Subjects: Agricultural Tools and Equipment; Transportation - Boats; Officials - Mayors and Reeves; Geographic Features - Rivers

Names: Byrne, Pat; Byrne, Peter

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on caption

Images

Pat Byrne's Threshing Machine, [1892] (date of original) copied 1980 thumbnail

William Whiting hauling strawberries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34525

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1896]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 9.9 x 13.8 cm mounted on 17.8 x 22.7 cm cardboard

Scope and Content: Photograph of William Whiting seated in a horse-drawn wagon hauling strawberries from Burnaby to New Westminster.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1896]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Photographs subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 9.9 x 13.8 cm mounted on 17.8 x 22.7 cm cardboard

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 037-002

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS2007-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of William Whiting seated in a horse-drawn wagon hauling strawberries from Burnaby to New Westminster.

Subjects: Agriculture - Fruit and Berries; Transportation - Horses; Transportation - Wagons

Names: Whiting, William

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Annotation on back of photograph reads, "Mr. W. Whiting taking load of stawberries into New West about 62 years ago (1958)."

Images

William Whiting hauling strawberries, [1896] thumbnail

Brick Houses under Construction

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription64654

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1899 and 1910]

Collection/Fonds: Ernest Winch fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w cabinet card ; 10 x 14.5 cm, mounted on card 10.5 x 16.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of two brick houses under construction on High Street at Epping, Essex, England. These buildings were constructed by Ernest E. Winch.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1899 and 1910]

Collection/Fonds: Ernest Winch fonds

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w cabinet card ; 10 x 14.5 cm, mounted on card 10.5 x 16.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 514-003

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: 2010-06

Scope and Content: Photograph of two brick houses under construction on High Street at Epping, Essex, England. These buildings were constructed by Ernest E. Winch.

Subjects: Construction; Buildings - Residential - Houses; Construction Tools and Equipment; Occupations - Labourers

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Challoner-Courtenay, E.J.

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Brick Houses under Construction, [between 1899 and 1910] thumbnail

Frederick Thrussell and Peter Byrne by a fallen tree

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37104

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1893]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 15 x 10 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of Frederick Thrussell, unidentified, and Peter Byrne standing in front of a large fallen tree. A crosscut saw is propped up vertically against the end of the felled tree. Peter Byrne was Reeve of Burnaby from 1906 to 1910. Earlier, he also served as a member of Council from 1894 to 1895…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1893]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Byrne family subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 15 x 10 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 316-010

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1995-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of Frederick Thrussell, unidentified, and Peter Byrne standing in front of a large fallen tree. A crosscut saw is propped up vertically against the end of the felled tree. Peter Byrne was Reeve of Burnaby from 1906 to 1910. Earlier, he also served as a member of Council from 1894 to 1895 and from 1898 to 1906.

Subjects: Occupations - Lumberjacks; Officials - Mayors and Reeves; Industries - Forestry; Woodworking Tools and Equipment; Industries - Logging/lumber

Names: Thrussell, Fredrick (1869-1909); Byrne, Peter

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Frederick Thrussell and Peter Byrne by a fallen tree, [1893] thumbnail

Gilley Brothers logging operation

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36092

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1895]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.5 x 15 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of the Gilley Brothers logging operation. A donkey engine is visible on the right, and seven men are standing on a felled tree as it is pulled along the track by the power of the donkey engine.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1895]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Columbian Newspaper subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.5 x 15 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 222-015

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1989-19

Scope and Content: Photograph of the Gilley Brothers logging operation. A donkey engine is visible on the right, and seven men are standing on a felled tree as it is pulled along the track by the power of the donkey engine.

Subjects: Occupations - Lumberjacks; Industries - Forestry; Woodworking Tools and Equipment - Logging Machinery; Industries - Logging/lumber

Names: Gilley Brothers Logging Company

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Gilley Brothers logging operation, [1895] thumbnail

Interview with Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19347

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (m4a) (118 min., 39 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (115 min., 20 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of an oral history interview with Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill and their daughter, Prem Kaur Gill conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep. The interview is conducted in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu. The three members of the Gill family share the…

1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: South Asian Canadian Interviews subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (m4a) (118 min., 39 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (115 min., 20 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewers: Anushay Malik, Rajdeep Interviewees: Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill Location of Interview: Gill family residence on Warwick Avenue in Burnaby Interview Date: November 11, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: (1:58:39) Digital master recording (m4a) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of an oral history interview with Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill and their daughter, Prem Kaur Gill conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep. The interview is conducted in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu. The three members of the Gill family share their ancestral background, their personal experiences immigrating to Canada, living in Burnaby and working in British Columbia as South Asian immigrants. 00:00 – 27:34 Santokh “Gurmail” Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill share their migration stories and experiences living and working in British Columbia as South Asian immigrants and their eldest child, Prem Kaur Gill shares her own experiences as a child of South Asian immigrants and growing up in British Columbia as a South Asian Canadian. Gurmail Singh Gill was born in the District of Jalandhar and Mohinder Kaur Gill was born in Hoshiapur of the Indian state of Punjab. Gurmail describes how he moved from India to England with his family in 1957, immigrated to Canada from England in 1966, married his wife Mohinder in England in 1968 and brought his family (parents and two siblings) to Canada from England in 1970 and other relatives including his wife’s family in the 1970s and 1980s. Mohinder and Gurmail Gill recollect their arranged marriage in England in 1968, their immigration process and explain how they arrived in Burnaby residing with a cousin at 4649 Georgia Street until they were able to purchase their own home after a few years. Gurmail shares names and connections to the relatives that came to British Columbia before him. Gurmail and Mohinder tell how they lived in the basement of the house and rented out the upper floor to save money. The couple recall what they brought with them when they immigrated to Canada and Mohinder Kaur Gill tells of how before leaving India, she and her mother made a special rajai for her to take with her. Mohinder describes the process of making a rajai (a quilted blanket that was made by hand). Gurmail and Mohinder Gill talk about the challenges that they’ve experienced as new immigrants including not being fluent in English, the cold weather and not having very many family or friends nearby to provide support. They attended the Gurdwara on Ross Street or Akali Singh Sikh Society Gurdwara on Skeena in Vancouver. They explain how there was limited access to grocery stores that supplied Punjabi and Indian spices and other cooking supplies. They talk about how they used a food mill and mortar and pestle to grind their own spices and flour and how Mohinder often made traditional sweets like barfi and laddo and pakoras using pea flour when they couldn’t get Besan flour. 27:35 – 36:11 Gurmail provides more details on his family’s immigration story, including names of relatives, how his six siblings and parents all immigrated to British Columbia in 1970 and how in the early 1970s and mid 1980’s Gurmail and his family sponsored approximately 70 friends and relations from India (including Mohinder’s family) to immigrate to Canada. When Mohinder’s family arrived they lived with them in their house until they were able to purchase property next door and build their own home. Children in the families all attended elementary and high school in Burnaby which now amounts to three generations. 36:12 – 59:28 Gurmail and Mohinder Gill talk about their experiences of racial discrimination. Gurmail recalls members of the South Asian community, Dr. Hari Prakash Sharma, Harinder Mahil and Charan Gill starting the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism. Gurmail tells of how he got involved contributing some of his union dues as a member of CAIMAW (Canadian Association of Industrial Mechanical and Allied Workers Union- Local 15) and as a friend of Charan Gill and Raj Chouhan of the Canadian Farm Workers Union. Gurmail Gill explains how he was a founding member of CAIMAW and treasurer until the union merged with the Canadian Auto Workers Union (in 1991). Mohinder and Gurmail tell of how people from the South Asian community were discouraged from wearing Punjabi dresses or head coverings for fear of being yelled at with racial slurs and how it was often scary to go outside. Many from their community often avoided attending the Akali Singh Gurdwara since a head covering was required and people were afraid of being a target. Gurmail provides details about his work with A1 Steel, how different unions were formed pertaining to various skillsets and jobs per company and how he became a member of CAIMAW Local 15 (foundry workers). Mohinder recollects her experiences as a mother, the daily tasks involved and friends that she made who’d also emigrated from Punjab. Mohinder describes how she designed and sewed many Punjabi dresses using her electric sewing machine and how she learned English by attending adult classes at a church on Commercial Drive. Mohinder and her mother attended the classes for two hours per day for six years at a cost of twelve dollars for ten weeks. Once Mohinder could speak a little English, she started working and was able to practice more. 59:29 – 1:06:08 Mohinder, Gurmail and Prem talk about some of their favourite traditional foods including corn roti and spinach curry and how they grow many of their own vegetables including peppers, eggplant, saag (spinach), onions, garlic, cilantro, zucchini, squash and fenugreek. Mohinder reflects on how access to Punjabi clothing and fabric stores in Vancouver has changed and that ready made food is now more available. Traditional foods were previously made from scratch with women gathering together and cooking for hours and now it’s gotten easier but more expensive and less of a community feel. 1:06:09- 1:55:20 Mohinder and Gurmail Gill discuss and share their perspectives and experiences on raising a family in the past versus today. Gurmail imparts that all of his siblings became educated and secured professional careers while he continued to work in the trades. Prem Kaur Gill shares her own experiences growing up and attending school in Burnaby. Gurmail and Mohinder Gill recall the type of suitcase that they brought with them when they immigrated and how they recently they got rid of it. Gurmail and the group reflect and discuss the confusion with racial identity terms that have been used in this country. They comment that South Asians were referred to as “Hindu” and “East Indian” and Indigenous peoples were referred to as “Indian” and the controversy and racism behind some of these terms. The group discusses the impact of the caste system and other discriminatory experiences and compare their experiences of living in England to living in Canada. Prem comments on how it’s just recently that South Asian customs, celebrations and practices have been recognized and celebrated here in Canada, like Diwali and yoga. They comment on how much of the language, culture and customs have been retained in Surrey where many can still communicate in Punjabi and don’t need to be fluent in English. The group discusses how many South Asians immigrants first lived and worked in Vancouver but with rising property prices many moved to Surrey expanding and establishing a much larger South Asian community with resources. The group discusses and compares the differing travel routes that many of them and their relatives took when immigrating and travelling between India and Canada. The group talks about Rajdeep’s ancestral village in India which is near the Gill village of Firozpur. Gurmail explains the origins and details behind his family name that was changed from “Shergill” to “Gill” and the name “Santokh” from his maternal side.

History: Interviewees' biographies: Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill was born in the District of Jalandhar in Punjab, India. Gurmail moved to England with his family in 1957 and immigrated to British Columbia in 1966. Gurmail married his wife, Mohinder Kaur Gill in England in 1968 and she immigrated to British Columbia from England soon after. Gurmail first lived with a cousin in Burnaby before purchasing a home of his own in Burnaby where he raised his family. Gurmail worked in the steel industry and was a member and treasurer of the CAIMAW before the union merged with the Canadian Auto Workers Union. Mohinder Kaur Gill was born in the Hoshiapur in Punjab, India. She married her husband Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill in England in 1968 and immigrated to Burnaby, British Columbia to join her husband. Mohinder and Gurmail Gill have four children, all born in Burnaby. Prem Kaur Gill was born in Burnaby in 1969 and is the eldest child of Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill. Prem grew up and attended school in Burnaby. Interviewers' biographies: Anushay Malik is labor historian with a geographical focus on South Asia. Anushay studied at the University of London and was a research fellow at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In 2014, Anushay moved back to her native Pakistan and joined Lahore University of Management Services as an Assistant Professor. In 2023, Anushay is a visiting scholar at Simon Fraser University and lives in Burnaby with her family. Anushay was a co-curator of the Burnaby Village Museum exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”. Rajdeep was born and raised in the Lower Mainland and is of Punjabi (South Asian) descent. She has an Associate of Arts degree in Asian Studies from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia. She is a student in the Restoration of Natural Systems program at the University of Victoria. Rajdeep works at Simon Fraser University as a Program Assistant and as a researcher with the City of Burnaby. At Burnaby Village Museum, Rajdeep contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Clothing; Foods; Indigenous peoples; Buildings - Religious - Temples; Food Processing Tools and Equipment; Persons - South Asian Canadians; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism; Migration; Occupations; Organizations - Unions

Names: Gill, Prem Kaur; Gill, Mohinder Kaur; Gill, Santokh "Gurmail" Singh

Responsibility: Rajdeep; Malik, Anushay

Accession Code: BV022.29.2

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcript available upon request - contact Burnaby Village Museum; Indian Family System Reference notes: Baba = informal way to say grandfather; old man Bibi = informal way to say grandmother; old woman Dada= paternal grandfather Dadi= paternal grandmother Dadke= paternal family members; paternal side (Various spellings might exist for the following terms) Thaiyya= father’s elder brother (uncle) Thaiyyi= father’s elder brother’s wife (aunt) Chacha= father’s younger brother (uncle) Chachi= father’s younger brother’s wife (aunt) Bua= father’s sister (older or younger) (aunt) Phuphar= father’s sister’s husband (uncle) Nana= maternal grandfather Nani= maternal grandmother Nanke/nanka= maternal family members; maternal side Mama= mom’s brother (older or younger) (uncle) Mami= mom’s brother’s wife (aunt) Maasi= mom’s sister (older or younger) (aunt) Maasard= mom’s sister’s husband (uncle)

Audio Tracks

Interview with Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0002_002.mp3

Women with horse and harness racing cart

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription4144

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [between 2000 and 2015] (date of original)

Collection/Fonds: Esther Love Stanley fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff)

Scope and Content: Photograph of of a horse hitched up to a two-wheeled harness racing cart inside a barn or exercise ring. There is a woman sitting in the cart and another standing behind the horse.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Esther Love Stanley fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff)

Scope and Content: Photograph of of a horse hitched up to a two-wheeled harness racing cart inside a barn or exercise ring. There is a woman sitting in the cart and another standing behind the horse.

Subjects: Animals - Horses

Accession Code: BV016.43.44

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: [between 2000 and 2015] (date of original)

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph.; Image is from a binder of family history. Binder 1, orange cover "Old Stanley Family Photo / Old Shankie Family Photos / War Photos - Echo Photos".; Digital image created from orginal photograph by donor

Images

Women with horse and harness racing cart, [between 2000 and 2015] (date of original) thumbnail

Deer Lake lumberjacks

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35339

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1899 (date of original), copied 1986

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of lumberjacks standing outside a wooden building at Deer Lake. Robert Pontifex is pictured 4th from right. Robert Pontifex came to Burnaby in 1898 and would later marry Beatrix Bond. He and his wife had seven children: Vivien, Helen, Bob, Audrey, Barbara, Basil and Hugh.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1899 (date of original), copied 1986

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Pioneer Tales subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 204-196

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1988-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of lumberjacks standing outside a wooden building at Deer Lake. Robert Pontifex is pictured 4th from right. Robert Pontifex came to Burnaby in 1898 and would later marry Beatrix Bond. He and his wife had seven children: Vivien, Helen, Bob, Audrey, Barbara, Basil and Hugh.

Subjects: Animals - Dogs; Occupations - Lumberjacks

Names: Pontifex, Robert

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Douglas-Gilpin Area

Images

Deer Lake lumberjacks, 1899 (date of original), copied 1986 thumbnail

Hickory Dickory Dock-What is the time on the clock?

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription9679

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 2016

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Film and Video collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 video recording (mp4) (14 min., 47 sec.) : digital, 25 fps, col., sd., stereo

Scope and Content: In this short film, Yasmin Jamal declares her passion for clocks and fancy watches, but confesses that she has a troubled relationship with them! From her kitchen clock that does not tell the correct time, to her collection of beautiful wrist watches that refuse to do their job, she is beginning to…

1 image 1 video

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Film and Video collection

Series: Elders Digital Storytelling project series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 video recording (mp4) (14 min., 47 sec.) : digital, 25 fps, col., sd., stereo

Scope and Content: In this short film, Yasmin Jamal declares her passion for clocks and fancy watches, but confesses that she has a troubled relationship with them! From her kitchen clock that does not tell the correct time, to her collection of beautiful wrist watches that refuse to do their job, she is beginning to question this strange relationship. Why does she hold such a love and passion for time pieces that are too stubborn to keep time? She is aware that her attraction to timepieces is about more than needing to know the time. Her touching mediation on the reasons for her attachment reminds her audience that time is a treasure and we should make the most of every moment.

History: Yasmin Jamal immigrated from Kenya over 44 years ago. She came to pursue her undergraduate degree at Simon Fraser University. She is a long-time resident of Coquitlam. However, she has always been employed in the Burnaby District. She presently works as a librarian at Burnaby Public Library. Prior to that, she was employed at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby campus. She loves Canada, but still treasures the fond memories of her childhood in Kenya. Yasmin visits Kenya every 8-10 years to feel the warm waters & white sands of the tropical beaches.

Creator: Jamal, Yasmin B.

Other Title Information: title supplied by film maker

Subjects: Timekeeping Tools and Equipment

Names: Jamal, Yasmin B.

Accession Code: BV016.37.10

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: 2016

Media Type: Moving Images

Notes: Transcribed title

Images

Video

Hickory Dickory Dock-What is the time on the clock?, 2016

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Moving_Images/2016_0037_0010_001.mp4

Interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr - Track 5

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory221

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1860-1932

Length: 0:08:48

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's description of the Linotype machine, as well as the history of his grandfather, John Foley, founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's description of the Linotype machine, as well as the history of his grandfather, John Foley, founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper.

Date Range: 1860-1932

Photo Info: Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002

Length: 0:08:48

Names: Foley, John

Subjects: Printing Tools and Equipment; Documentary Artifacts - Newspapers

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with John Burton at his residence in Surrey by Lynda Mauve Orr, August 24, 1989. This interview focuses on the history of newspaper and printing presses in Canada.

Biographical Notes: John Burton was born in 1912 in New Westminster. He went to Second Street School, then Edmonds, then Saint Anne's Convent, and St. Louis College and Connaught before graduating from Burnaby South School in 1930. While at High School, John worked at Cowan's Music Store at 716 Columbia Street in New Westminster on Saturdays and after school. John Burton's grandfather John Foley was the founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper in Orangeville, Ontario, established in 1861. He ran the paper until his death in 1882, when his son, John Foley Jr. took over as editor and publisher at the age of sixteen. Two of his daughters were involved in the newspaper; Margaret Foley was a regular contributor to the paper, and John Burton's mother was a typesetter. When John Burton was a teenager, he went to Orangeville to learn the trade from his uncle. Unfortunately, he was only there eighteen months when his uncle died December 21, 1932. The family was unable to hold on to the business and the paper amalgamated with the Orangeville Banner newspaper in 1933.

Total Tracks: 7

Total Length: 0:58:44

Interviewee Name: Burton, John

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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

Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002 thumbnail

Audio Tracks

Track five of interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-001-4/MSS137-001-4_Track_5.mp3

Mrs. Coulter-White and Mrs. Annie Dale at a spinning wheel

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription974

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [189-]

Collection/Fonds: E.W. Bateman family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 9.7 x 12.2 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of Mrs. Coulter-White and Annie Dale at a spinning wheel in front of an unidentified house. Mrs. Coulter-White is wearing glasses, and spinning the wheel while Annie Dale is assisting by her side.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: E.W. Bateman family fonds

Series: Bateman family photographs series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 9.7 x 12.2 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of Mrs. Coulter-White and Annie Dale at a spinning wheel in front of an unidentified house. Mrs. Coulter-White is wearing glasses, and spinning the wheel while Annie Dale is assisting by her side.

Subjects: Textiles; Tools and Equipment

Names: Dale, Annie

Accession Code: HV974.90.11

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [189-]

Media Type: Photograph

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 16/8/2006

Scale: 100

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Annotations on the back of the photo read, "Mrs. Coulter-White at the wheel / Aunt Annie to the right." The donor identified Annie Dale as sister to Catherine and Mary Dale Bateman

Images

Mrs. Coulter-White and Mrs. Annie Dale at a spinning wheel, [189-] thumbnail

Recording of John Burton - Track 4

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory212

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1885-1959

Length: 0:09:56

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to John Burton's description of the Linotype machine and how it functions.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to John Burton's description of the Linotype machine and how it functions.

Date Range: 1885-1959

Photo Info: Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002

Length: 0:09:56

Subjects: Printing Tools and Equipment

Scope and Content: Recording is of John Burton discussing the history of the weekly newspaper and of the types of printing presses that have been used in Canada, as well as exactly how their parts function. John appears to be describing printing presses that are in the room with him.

Biographical Notes: John Burton was born in 1912 in New Westminster. He went to Second Street School, then Edmonds, then Saint Anne's Convent, and St. Louis College and Connaught before graduating from Burnaby South School in 1930. While at High School, John worked at Cowan's Music Store at 716 Columbia Street in New Westminster on Saturdays and after school. John Burton's grandfather John Foley was the founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper in Orangeville, Ontario, established in 1861. He ran the paper until his death in 1882, when his son, John Foley Jr. took over as editor and publisher at the age of sixteen. Two of his daughters were involved in the newspaper; Margaret Foley was a regular contributor to the paper, and John Burton's mother was a typesetter. When John Burton was a teenager, he went to Orangeville to learn the trade from his uncle. Unfortunately, he was only there eighteen months when his uncle died December 21, 1932. The family was unable to hold on to the business and the paper amalgamated with the Orangeville Banner newspaper in 1933.

Total Tracks: 5

Total Length: 0:46:18

Interviewee Name: Burton, John

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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 four of recording of John Burton

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-001-2/MSS137-001-2_Track_4.mp3

Recording of John Burton - Track 5

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory213

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1850-1950

Length: 0:09:14

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to John Burton's description of the galley press and the proofing process. He also discusses job printing (now referred to as commercial printing).

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to John Burton's description of the galley press and the proofing process. He also discusses job printing (now referred to as commercial printing).

Date Range: 1850-1950

Photo Info: Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002

Length: 0:09:14

Subjects: Documentary Artifacts - Newspapers; Printing Tools and Equipment

Scope and Content: Recording is of John Burton discussing the history of the weekly newspaper and of the types of printing presses that have been used in Canada, as well as exactly how their parts function. John appears to be describing printing presses that are in the room with him.

Biographical Notes: John Burton was born in 1912 in New Westminster. He went to Second Street School, then Edmonds, then Saint Anne's Convent, and St. Louis College and Connaught before graduating from Burnaby South School in 1930. While at High School, John worked at Cowan's Music Store at 716 Columbia Street in New Westminster on Saturdays and after school. John Burton's grandfather John Foley was the founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper in Orangeville, Ontario, established in 1861. He ran the paper until his death in 1882, when his son, John Foley Jr. took over as editor and publisher at the age of sixteen. Two of his daughters were involved in the newspaper; Margaret Foley was a regular contributor to the paper, and John Burton's mother was a typesetter. When John Burton was a teenager, he went to Orangeville to learn the trade from his uncle. Unfortunately, he was only there eighteen months when his uncle died December 21, 1932. The family was unable to hold on to the business and the paper amalgamated with the Orangeville Banner newspaper in 1933.

Total Tracks: 5

Total Length: 0:46:18

Interviewee Name: Burton, John

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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 five of recording of John Burton

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-001-2/MSS137-001-2_Track_5.mp3

Interview with John Templeton, Alan James and Christine Leston by Kathy Bossort October 26, 2015 - Track 8

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory594

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1995-2015

Length: 0:15:39

Summary: This portion of the interview is about the Stoney Creek Environment Committee members’ discussion of the natural and community values of Stoney Creek. They talk about changes in fish population, the presence of other animals in the watershed, and how people benefit from natural areas.

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about the Stoney Creek Environment Committee members’ discussion of the natural and community values of Stoney Creek. They talk about changes in fish population, the presence of other animals in the watershed, and how people benefit from natural areas.

Date Range: 1995-2015

Length: 0:15:39

Names: Stoney Creek Environment Committee

Subjects: Geographic Features - Streams; Animals - Fish; Animals - Deer; Animals - Bears; Recreational Activities

Geographic Access: Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area; Stoney Creek

Interviewer: Bossort, Kathy

Interview Date: October 26, 2015

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with John Templeton, Alan James & Christine Leston, members of the Stoney Creek Environment Committee, conducted by Kathy Bossort. The three members of SCEC were among 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about the history and work of the stream keeper group Stoney Creek Environment Committee (SCEC) and the Stoney Creek Environmental Working Group, and about SCEC’s founder Jennifer Atkinson. The interview is made richer by the complementary views of the three interviewees, John Templeton (SCEC Chair), Alan James (Member-at-Large - Education), and Christine Leston (Treasurer).

Biographical Notes: The Stoney Creek Environment Committee is a streamkeeper group and registered non-profit society dedicated to protecting and restoring viable salmon-bearing streams within the Stoney Creek Watershed. (Stoney Creek originates on Burnaby Mountain and is part of the Brunette watershed which empties into the Fraser River.) The volunteer group, formed in 1995, was guided by the tireless efforts of Jennifer Atchison (1938-2010) after whom the Jennifer Atchison Environmental Centre in North Burnaby is named. The volunteer members of SCEC monitor water quality, generate inventories and reports on the biophysical assets and health of the watershed, provide educational opportunities, enhance stream and stream bank habitat, and speak on behalf of the Stoney Creek watershed. One of its key events is The Great Salmon Send-Off, the release of young salmon into Stoney Creek in May, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2015. The Stoney Creek Environmental Working Group (1999-present), managed by the City of Burnaby, undertakes to coordinate the actions of all stakeholders in the Stoney Creek watershed. It is comprised of representatives from community groups, such as SCEC, governmental and institutional agencies, and industries who are committed to sustaining and improving the quality of the Stoney Creek watershed’s water, wildlife and environment. John Templeton, currently SCEC Chair, joined SCEC in 2004. He was born in Coleraine ,County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, in 1957, and after immigrating to Canada, came to live in Burnaby in 1992, first in Forest Grove (1992-2014) and then in Forest Hills. He works as a millwright. Alan James,Member-at-large - Education, joined SCEC in 2003 He was born in 1939 in Berkeley, California, and came to live in Burnaby in about 2000. He is a retired geophycisist and computer consultant. Christine Leston joined SCEC in 1997, serving first as Secretary and then as Treasurer. She was born in 1943 in Cheshire, England, and came to live in Burnaby in 1974, first in Greentree Village, then Simon Fraser Village (1974-2004) and now the Edmonds area. She is a retired technical writer.

Total Tracks: 9

Total Length: 2:08:27

Interviewee Name: Templeton, John R.; James, Alan C.; Leston, Christine

Interview Location: Jennifer Atchison Environmental Centre, Burnaby

Interviewer Bio: Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.

Collection/Fonds: Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds

Series: Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project series

Media Type: Sound Recording

Audio Tracks

Track eight of interview with John Templeton, Alan James & Christine Leston

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS196-006/MSS196-006_Track_8.mp3

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