5 records – page 1 of 1.

Burnaby Lake Interurban line

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36810
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1926 (date of original), copied 1992
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 7.0 x 12.7 cm print
Scope and Content
Photograph of a tram on the Burnaby Lake Interurban line at the Cumberland Road station.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1926 (date of original), copied 1992
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Burnaby Centennial Anthology subseries
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 7.0 x 12.7 cm print
Description Level
Item
Record No.
315-268
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS1994-04
Scope and Content
Photograph of a tram on the Burnaby Lake Interurban line at the Cumberland Road station.
Subjects
Transportation - Electric Railroads
Transportation - Public Transit
Names
British Columbia Electric Railway Company
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Geographic Access
Cumberland Street
Burnaby Lake Interurban line
Historic Neighbourhood
East Burnaby (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Cariboo-Armstrong Area
Images
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Douglas Road Interurban station

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription164
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1920 or 1921]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia ; 7.1 x 11.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Pearl Cowan and her son, Walter sitting on a bench at Douglas Road Interurban Station. The back of the bench appears to be used as an advertisement space and the waiting area is made of wood plank board, with tall weeds and grass growing around the station.
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia ; 7.1 x 11.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Pearl Cowan and her son, Walter sitting on a bench at Douglas Road Interurban Station. The back of the bench appears to be used as an advertisement space and the waiting area is made of wood plank board, with tall weeds and grass growing around the station.
History
Margaret Pearl Naismith (1887-1970) married Alexander "Allie" MacPherson Cowan (1881-1963) in 1910 in Kamloops BC. Alexander was the son of Walter Scott Cowan (1843-1930) and Annie McPherson (1859-1935), who lived in Burnaby on Douglas Road. Pearl and Allie had three children from their family home at Spruce and Fitzgerald where they lived from 1918 to 1922: Amy, Clara, Thomas Walter Cowan (1918-?) who is seated on his mother's lap in this photo.
Subjects
Transportation - Electric Railroads
Names
Cowan, Pearl
Cowan, Walter
British Columbia Electric Railway Company
Geographic Access
Burnaby Lake Interurban line
Accession Code
BV985.31.5
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1920 or 1921]
Media Type
Photograph
Historic Neighbourhood
Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Ardingley-Sprott Area
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
2023-12-19
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Note in pencil on verso of photograph reads: "Douglas Road Station c. 1920/21 / Shown are Pearl Cowan and son Walter Cowan. They lived [at] Spruce & Fitzgerald c. 1918-1922."
Images
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Interview with Aili Topalian by Eric Damer October 11, 2012 - Track 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory419
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1920-1945
Length
0:10:12
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains mainly to Aili (Rintanen) Topalian's parents. Aili tells the story of her parents meeting, getting married and eventually setting in Crabtown with their two children. She explains what it was like to live in Crabtown during the depression years; the homes were…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains mainly to Aili (Rintanen) Topalian's parents. Aili tells the story of her parents meeting, getting married and eventually setting in Crabtown with their two children. She explains what it was like to live in Crabtown during the depression years; the homes were built on decks which were on top of pilings, that were sunk deep into the sand.
Date Range
1920-1945
Photo Info
Aili Rintanen (later Topalian) holding cat, next to her sister who has a rooster in her arms, [1937]. Item no. 337-003.
Length
0:10:12
Geographic Access
Burrard Inlet
Historic Neighbourhood
Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
Interviewer
Damer, Eric
Interview Date
October 11, 2012
Scope and Content
Recording is an interview with Aili (Rintanen) Topalian conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, October 11, 2012. Major theme discussed: growing up in Crabtown.
Biographical Notes
Aili Rintanen (later Topalian) came to British Columbia in 1936 from a homestead near Burnt Lake, Alberta. After a few months in Vancouver and then a Burnaby apartment, the Rintanens moved to a house on the Burrard Inlet. The family lived over the water, in a house built on a deck, secured to the top of pilings that were sunk deep into the sand. Aili's mother Aune Rintanen found work at a fish and chip shop in downtown Vancouver and her father Gus Rintanen worked in a nearby mill. Aili and her sister Trudi (later Tuomi), attended school in Burnaby. For nine years the Rintanens created a home for themselves in an area now called Crabtown, although no one living there called it that.
Total Tracks
4
Total Length
0:39:00
Interviewee Name
Topalian, Aili Rintanen
Interview Location
Interviewee's residence
Interviewer Bio
Eric Damer is a lifelong British Columbian born in Victoria, raised in Kamloops, and currently residing in Burnaby. After studying philosophy at the University of Victoria, he became interested in the educational forces that had shaped his own life. He completed master’s and doctoral degrees in educational studies at the University of British Columbia with a particular interest in the history of adult and higher education in the province. In 2012, Eric worked for the City of Burnaby as a field researcher and writer, conducting interviews for the City Archives and Museum Oral History Program.
Collection/Fonds
Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
Series
Burna-Boom Oral History Project series
Transcript Available
None
Media Type
Sound Recording
Images
Audio Tracks

Track one of recording of interview with Aili Topalian

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Interview with Aili Topalian by Eric Damer October 11, 2012 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory420
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1920-1945
Length
0:07:49
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Aili (Rintanen) Topalian's collection of photographs. Aili describes each photograph and tells stories of her childhood along the waterfront at Burrard Inlet; the homes of Crabtown were built on decks which were on top of pilings, that were sunk deep into t…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Aili (Rintanen) Topalian's collection of photographs. Aili describes each photograph and tells stories of her childhood along the waterfront at Burrard Inlet; the homes of Crabtown were built on decks which were on top of pilings, that were sunk deep into the sand.
Date Range
1920-1945
Photo Info
Aili Rintanen (later Topalian) holding cat, next to her sister who has a rooster in her arms, [1937]. Item no. 337-003.
Length
0:07:49
Geographic Access
Burrard Inlet
Historic Neighbourhood
Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
Interviewer
Damer, Eric
Interview Date
October 11, 2012
Scope and Content
Recording is an interview with Aili (Rintanen) Topalian conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, October 11, 2012. Major theme discussed: growing up in Crabtown.
Biographical Notes
Aili Rintanen (later Topalian) came to British Columbia in 1936 from a homestead near Burnt Lake, Alberta. After a few months in Vancouver and then a Burnaby apartment, the Rintanens moved to a house on the Burrard Inlet. The family lived over the water, in a house built on a deck, secured to the top of pilings that were sunk deep into the sand. Aili's mother Aune Rintanen found work at a fish and chip shop in downtown Vancouver and her father Gus Rintanen worked in a nearby mill. Aili and her sister Trudi (later Tuomi), attended school in Burnaby. For nine years the Rintanens created a home for themselves in an area now called Crabtown, although no one living there called it that.
Total Tracks
4
Total Length
0:39:00
Interviewee Name
Topalian, Aili Rintanen
Interview Location
Interviewee's residence
Interviewer Bio
Eric Damer is a lifelong British Columbian born in Victoria, raised in Kamloops, and currently residing in Burnaby. After studying philosophy at the University of Victoria, he became interested in the educational forces that had shaped his own life. He completed master’s and doctoral degrees in educational studies at the University of British Columbia with a particular interest in the history of adult and higher education in the province. In 2012, Eric worked for the City of Burnaby as a field researcher and writer, conducting interviews for the City Archives and Museum Oral History Program.
Collection/Fonds
Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
Series
Burna-Boom Oral History Project series
Transcript Available
None
Media Type
Sound Recording
Images
Audio Tracks

Track two of recording of interview with Aili Topalian

Less detail

Interview with Alfred Bingham June 10, 1975 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory59
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1919-1920
Length
0:08:28
Summary
This portion of the interview pertains to Alfred Bingham's memories of the fires in Burnaby during his first year of marriage to Ada.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview pertains to Alfred Bingham's memories of the fires in Burnaby during his first year of marriage to Ada.
Date Range
1919-1920
Photo Info
Alfred Bingham, April 20, 1947. Item no. 010-066
Length
0:08:28
Subjects
Natural Phenomena - Fires
Geographic Access
Burnaby Lake Interurban line
Interviewer
Bradbury, Dr. Bettina
Interview Date
June 10, 1975
Scope and Content
Recording is a taped interview with Alfred Bingham by SFU graduate student Bettina Bradbury June 10, 1975. Major themes discussed are: the Depression, Pioneers, and the Co-operative Movement. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".
Biographical Notes
Alfred "Alf" Bingham was born in England in 1892 and moved to Canada in 1912. His first job in Canada was laying track for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) from Edmonton to McBride in 1912. His second was in Vancouver at the Rat Portage Mill on False Creek, working on the Resaw machine. He quit after one week due to poor working conditions. After taking part in the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike as a delegate of the Retail and Mailorder Union (A.F.L.) on the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council, Alfred moved to Burnaby where he and fellow Burnaby residents Angus McLean and Percy Little worked ten hour days to build a Shingle Mill on the edge of Burnaby Lake for Simpson & Giberson. George Green, carpenter and millwright (author of “The History of Burnaby”) also helped in the construction of the mill. Alfred built his own home from lumber cut from the mill in the Lochdale area on Sherlock Street between Curtis Street and Kitchener Street. On April 10, 1920 Alfred married Mary Jane “Ada” Reynolds. Alfred and Ada often took in foster children during their marriage. Due to her nursing experience, Ada was often called upon to deliver babies in the Burnaby area. Alfred and Ada Bingham were instrumental members of the Army of the Common Good, collecting vegetables and grains from growers in the area and even producing over 125 tons of vegetables from its own gardens to feed children and youth suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression years. The army was in operation for ten years and during that time the members organised the Credit Union movement of British Columbia and drew up the Credit Union act thorough the Vancouver Co-operative Council. They also started Co-Op stores and the Co-Op Wholesale Society. Alfred was also Secretary of the Burnaby Housing committee and in 1946 he became the Secretary of the North Burnaby Labour Progressive Party (LPP). Mary Jane “Ada” (Reynolds) Bingham died on August 9, 1969. Her husband Alfred died on April 29, 1979.
Total Tracks
14
Total Length
1:57:27
Interviewee Name
Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
Interviewer Bio
Bettina Bradbury teaches history and women's studies at York University. She is the author of Wife to Widow. Lives, Laws and Politics in Nineteenth-century Montreal. (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, June 2011), 520p; Working Families. Age, Gender and Daily Survival in Industrializing Montreal. (Toronto: Canadian Social History Series, McClelland and Stewart, 1993); (Republished Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1996) (3rd edition, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007). These interviews were undertaken after she completed her MA at Simon Fraser University in 1975 with the support of an LIP grant.
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 two of interview with Alfred Bingham

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