Search Results | Heritage Burnaby

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

A Good Size Log, Barnet B.C

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38346

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1907]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w postcard ; 8.7 x 13.8 cm

Scope and Content: Photographic postcard of a labourer grappling with a large log on the log chute at the Barnet mill. The caption to the card reads: "A Good Size Log / Barnet B.C." The Barnet Mill was called the North Pacific Lumber Company from 1889 to 1914.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1907]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Charles Lee subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w postcard ; 8.7 x 13.8 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 411-005

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS2000-13

Scope and Content: Photographic postcard of a labourer grappling with a large log on the log chute at the Barnet mill. The caption to the card reads: "A Good Size Log / Barnet B.C." The Barnet Mill was called the North Pacific Lumber Company from 1889 to 1914.

Subjects: Occupations - Labourers; Woodworking Tools and Equipment - Logging Machinery; Buildings - Industrial - Mills; Documentary Artifacts - Postcards

Names: Barnet Mill

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title taken from caption

Geographic Access: Barnet Village; Texaco Drive

Street Address: 8059 Texaco Drive

Historic Neighbourhood: Barnet (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Burnaby Mountain Area

Images

A Good Size Log, Barnet B.C, [1907] thumbnail

Phillips Lumber Mill

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37303

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1905 (date of original), copied [1997]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.2 x 10 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of two labourers standing inside Phillips Lumber Mill at Guichon Creek and Mayne Avenue (now Willingdon).

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1905 (date of original), copied [1997]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Photographs subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.2 x 10 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 347-001

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS2007-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of two labourers standing inside Phillips Lumber Mill at Guichon Creek and Mayne Avenue (now Willingdon).

Subjects: Occupations - Labourers; Woodworking Tools and Equipment - Logging Machinery; Buildings - Industrial - Mills

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access: Willingdon Avenue

Planning Study Area: Douglas-Gilpin Area

Images

Phillips Lumber Mill, 1905 (date of original), copied [1997] thumbnail

Vancouver Engineering Works steam donkey

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription471

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [190-] (date of original), copied 1978

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.2 x 25.2 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of the interior of a large steel foundry. Tucked under the metal brace structures on the left of the photograph are steam donkeys. There is a man lowering a large gear in the centre on a pulley. In the foreground, to the right, is a wheelbarrow. An annotation on the back of the photo …

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.2 x 25.2 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of the interior of a large steel foundry. Tucked under the metal brace structures on the left of the photograph are steam donkeys. There is a man lowering a large gear in the centre on a pulley. In the foreground, to the right, is a wheelbarrow. An annotation on the back of the photo reads: "Vancouver Engineering Works - Steam Donkeys."

Subjects: Buildings - Industrial - Factories; Tools and Equipment; Occupations - Labourers

Names: Vancouver Engineering Works Limited

Geographic Access: Vancouver

Accession Code: HV978.14.7

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [190-] (date of original), copied 1978

Media Type: Photograph

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2023-08-01

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Vancouver Engineering Works steam donkey, [190-] (date of original), copied 1978 thumbnail

Great Northern Railroad

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription39518

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1903]

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 5 x 5 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)

Scope and Content: Photograph of men working on the Great Northern Railroad line that ran through the Burnaby Lake area by 1904.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1903]

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Series: Kitty Hill Peers family photograph series

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 5 x 5 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 477-837

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: 2007-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of men working on the Great Northern Railroad line that ran through the Burnaby Lake area by 1904.

Subjects: Construction - Railroad Construction; Occupations - Railroad Labourers

Names: Great Northern Railway

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Images

Great Northern Railroad, [1903] thumbnail

Great Northern Railway construction

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38849

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1904]

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 5.5 x 5.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a work crew working on the Great Northern Railway line that ran along the north shore of Burnaby Lake. The line was built ca. 1904.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1904]

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Series: Kitty Hill Peers family photograph series

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 5.5 x 5.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 477-168

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: 2007-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of a work crew working on the Great Northern Railway line that ran along the north shore of Burnaby Lake. The line was built ca. 1904.

Subjects: Occupations - Railroad Labourers; Construction - Railroad Construction; Transportation - Rail

Names: Great Northern Railway

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Images

Great Northern Railway construction, [1904] thumbnail

Clearing Douglas Road

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription560

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [190-?] (date of original), copied 1977

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.2 x 25.2 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of men in work clothes clearing Doulgas Road. A group of men to the right side of the photograph have shovels in their hands and are clearing rocks from the road. There is a small girl in a blouse and skirt standing beside two horses pulling a cart. Behind her is a group of men in wor…

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.2 x 25.2 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of men in work clothes clearing Doulgas Road. A group of men to the right side of the photograph have shovels in their hands and are clearing rocks from the road. There is a small girl in a blouse and skirt standing beside two horses pulling a cart. Behind her is a group of men in work clothes as well. There is fenced land to the right of the photograph, and electric power poles and trees line both sides of the road. The accession register and inscription on the photograph identify this as Douglas Road (later renamed in part Canada Way). An annotation on the back of the photo reads: "Working on Douglas Road on hill above Burnaby Lake. No Date."

Subjects: Transportation - Horses; Construction Tools and Equipment; Construction - Road Construction

Geographic Access: Douglas Road; Canada Way

Accession Code: HV977.99.2

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: [190-?] (date of original), copied 1977

Media Type: Photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2023-07-11

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Clearing Douglas Road, [190-?] (date of original), copied 1977 thumbnail

Gilley Brothers Logging, Burnaby

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38560

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1905]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 28 x 35.3 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a steam engine being used by the Gilley Brothers logging team. The photograph is captioned "Gilley Bros Logging Burnaby."

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1905]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Photographs subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 28 x 35.3 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 461-002

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS2007-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of a steam engine being used by the Gilley Brothers logging team. The photograph is captioned "Gilley Bros Logging Burnaby."

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

Names: Gilley Brothers Logging Company

Media Type: Photograph

Images

Gilley Brothers Logging, Burnaby, [1905] thumbnail

Oral history interview with Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19146

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 29 Jun. 2022

Collection/Fonds: Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 3 sound recordings (wav) (02:06:53 min) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (02:06:53 min)

Scope and Content: Item consists of an audio recording of an oral history interview with Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos conducted by Denise Fong with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. During the interview, Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos discuss; their ancestral background, childhood, pla…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos fonds

Series: Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos interview series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 3 sound recordings (wav) (02:06:53 min) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (02:06:53 min)

Material Details: Interviewer: Denise Fong Co Interviewer and technical support: Kate Petrusa Interviewees: Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos Location of Interview: Home of Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos on Victory Street, Burnaby Date of interview: June 29, 2022 Total Number of Tracks: 3 Total length of all Tracks: 02:06:53 min Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto 3 separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of an audio recording of an oral history interview with Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos conducted by Denise Fong with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. During the interview, Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos discuss; their ancestral background, childhood, places of residence, education, career history, how they met, Jimmy's experience working in the film industry, their home in Burnaby and their neighbourhood, their political activism in Burnaby, Robin Chung Dip's work in Vancouver’s' Chinatown, the gambling scene in Vancouver prior to legalized forms of gambling and their memories of supper clubs in Vancouver. 00:00 - 5:57 Opening introductions where Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos provide information on their full names, their birth places and their ancestral background. Jimmy clarifies that his birth name is Hipman Chow but that he was given the English name “Jimmy” by his father when he came to Canada. Jimmy shares that he was born in 1948, in the Village of Lin Pong Lee, Hoiping, China and immigrated to British Columbia with his mother, Gim Gee Chow in 1950 to escape the Communist Regime and to join his father who had already immigrated to Canada. Jimmy imparts that many Chinese immigrated to British Columbia in search of a better life, referring to it as “Gold Mountain” and that even though they faced extreme racial discrimination that many stayed since they felt that it was better than returning. Donna Polos shares ancestral information on both her maternal and paternal sides of the family. Donna’s mother’s family came from Helsinki, Finland. Donna’s paternal grandmother emigrated from Ukraine to Argentina and then to Winnipeg. Donna’s paternal grandfather, James Kostopolus (renamed Polos) emigrated as a 12 year old orphan from Sparta, Greece to the United States but was denied entry so ended up going to Halifax and eventually made his way to Vancouver. Once in Vancouver, he became a restaurant proprietor and over the years, he owned and operated three restaurants in Vancouver, including; “Jimmy’s Café” (next door the Astoria Hotel); “Home Apple Pie Café” (Princess Avenue & Hastings Street) and a restaurant that was located on Alma Street. 05:58 - 13:28 Jimmy recollects in further detail, the many places that his family lived over the years. Jimmy’s father Robin Chung Dip Chow immigrated to Vancouver at the age of 14 years and worked and lived in Victoria and Vancouver. In 1950, Jimmy and his mother fled China, first to Hong Kong and then to Vancouver to join his father. Soon after arriving in Vancouver, for the next four years, he and his parents lived in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Quebec City where his father, Robin had work in restaurants and hotels. Jimmy attended school while the family lived in these different places and began to learn English. After four years, the family returned to Vancouver, first living in areas of Chinatown and Strathcona before settling in the neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant. Jimmy shares his memories of growing up in Strathcona and the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, schools that he attended and the friendships that he made. Jimmy recollects details about the old Bethlehem Lutheran Church that he attended and describes the demands of the education required to become a Lutheran minister. 13:29 - 15:47 Jimmy tells of how his father, Robin Chung Dip Chow had to pay the Chinese Head Tax of $500 when he arrived in Vancouver at 14 years of age (1921) and how his father had to work hard pay off the head tax over the years. Denise Fong and Jimmy Chow, talk about the origin of a photograph portrait of Jimmy Chow that was taken around 1954 and speculate whether it might have been taken by well known portrait photographer, Yucho Chow. 15:48 - 19:33 Donna Polos recollects the many locations that her family lived while she was growing up in Vancouver. First residing at various locations in the downtown east side of Vancouver before moving to a home near Joyce Station where she lived until 21 years old. After 21 years of age, Donna moved in with roommates in Vancouver before moving in with Jimmy in North Burnaby in 1972. In 1976 Donna and Jimmy purchased their home on Victory Street. Both Donna and Jimmy talk about their careers after high school. Jimmy talks about how he worked at the Supervalu grocery store near his house. Jimmy planned to use his savings from his job to travel but instead he used his savings for a down payment on a house with Donna. Donna imparts that after obtaining her teaching degree she began working in Burnaby schools, eventually teaching at Burnaby South. 19:34 - 32:08 Both Jimmy and Donna share their educational background and experiences growing up. Jimmy first attended Florence Nightingale elementary in Strathcona, then Mount Pleasant Elementary and later high school at 24th Avenue and Main Street. Donna lists the schools that she attended including; elementary school in Strathcona, Carlton Elementary School at Kingsway and Joyce, Windermere High School, Vancouver City College (Langara) and the University of British Columbia. Donna and Jimmy reflect on public transportation that was available during the time they were growing up. Donna recollects her childhood growing up in the neighbourhood of Joyce Station, the freedom that she experienced playing outside in nature and what inspired her to become a teacher. Jimmy reflects on some of his mentors and about his first experience seeing movies as a young child at a cinema in Asquith, Saskatchewan. Donna communicates her own experiences of sexism throughout her high school, college and university education (1968-1972). 32:09 - 36:18 Donna talks about her career history and some of her major turning points. Donna recollects starting out as a Chemistry lab assistant, marking math papers before working as a teacher on call and eventually being hired as a teacher at Clinton Elementary School where she taught for nine years. Donna shares a memory of her first experience working as a teacher on call at Gilmore Elementary School and the fire that occurred there. After starting a family (Jimmy and Donna had three children) Donna worked part time teaching while Jimmy worked full time in film. Donna, shares that in 1991, after a near death experience, she became interested in fine art and took drawing and watercolour painting classes. With this experience, Donna experimented with different painting techniques on paper and fabric. Donna tells of how she retired from teaching in 2008 but continued to participate in the schools as an Artist in Residence. 36:19 - 58:18 Jimmy talks about his work and career history. He shares memories of his experiences as a young boy delivering newspapers, working at a local pharmacy, stocking shelves at the local supermarket, and his experience working with troubled youth and of how he thought that he might like to become a social worker. Jimmy tells of how he was uncertain of what to do until he got a job with the CBC in 1973 which eventually launched his career as a property master in the film industry, becoming a member of IATSE and a voting member of the Academy of Motion Pictures. Jimmy describes in detail what it means to be a property master and the work that is entailed in the film industry. 58:19 - 1:07:45 Donna Polos describes her art practice and her connection to Burnaby. Donna recollects how she first started working with textiles and fabrics from a young age and how this later inspired her to develop her own watercolour techniques of painting on paper, canvas and fabrics. Donna describes how she first got started by taking art classes in Burnaby and now has over 31 years of experience working in watercolour. Donna has worked as an Artist in Residence in Burnaby schools, been a member of the Burnaby Arts Council, had her first show in 1997 and has been involved in many art projects over the years. Donna describes the style of her work, first starting with more figurative work, social commentary and still life and that now most of her work is landscape based. Donna coveys that as a political activist in Burnaby, she was an active participant in the development of a tree bylaw, has petitioned to protect renters from demo-evictions and the impacts of future development on the local environment. 1:07:46 - 1:07:59 Background discussion between Denise Fong and Kate Petrusa re interviews. 1:08:00 - 1:26:36 Jimmy provides information on his connection to the local film industry and the changes that have occurred over the years. Jimmy describes the first studios on the North Shore and the eventual establishment of Bridge Studios on Boundary Road. Jimmy shares that in 1988, he and some of his colleagues in the film industry put a proposal together to buy the Bridge Studios but it didn't go through. Since the Bridge Studios and other film studios have been established in Burnaby and Vancouver, the industry has grown exponentially. Jimmy became the 54th member of the local IATSE union. Jimmy describes some of his experiences working on various productions including "Seven Years in Tibet", provides a description of what a film studio is, how it is used and the differences between working in the film industry in the United States and British Columbia. 1:26:37 - 1:32:46 Jimmy and Donna recollect how they first met, buying a house in Burnaby, getting married and starting a family. The two share memories of their wedding in White Rock and Jimmy talks about the Chinese hair cutting ceremony in recognition of their first born child that took place in Chinatown in Vancouver. Jimmy tells of how his parents had hopes of him marrying a Chinese woman and his mother began introducing him to a few young Chinese women from the time he was 16 years old. Jimmy mentions that his parents rarely used Western Medicine and relied on Traditional Chinese Medicine. Donna and Jimmy talk about Jimmy's parents, when they died and how happy his parents were to have grandchildren. 1:32:47 - 1:40:13 Jimmy and Donna talk about their house on Victory Street which they purchased in 1976. They share information on the history of the house, how it was built in 1939 by Norm Clark, how they fell in love with the design of the house and the neighbourhood. 1:40:14 - 1:58:31 Jimmy and Donna share information on their family life in Burnaby, their neighbourhood and favourite places in Burnaby. Donna lists the schools that their three children attended including; Nelson Avenue School, Burnaby South High School and Burnaby Central High School. Both Donna and Jimmy convey that all of their children played soccer and the benefits that the sport provided them. Donna and Jimmy talk about how the neighbourhood has changed over the years, the benefits of where they live, their fondness for built heritage and the many parks and trees in Burnaby. 1:58:32 - 2:02:50 Jimmy begins to share information on his father, Robin Chung Dip Chow's employment history. Jimmy recalls that his father, Robin worked in a variety of jobs over the years and as a young child, Jimmy was uncertain of what his father's job was but thought that he worked in accounting. He mentions that his father stopped working at 45 years of age due to a problem with his Achilles tendon. Jimmy describes his father as an intellectual who worked at gambling houses in Vancouver's Chinatown where people played mah-jong and fan-tan. Jimmy recollects that these were large clubs with lots of employees. His father never gambled but he was good with money so he worked on the management side. Jimmy mentions that while working in the film industry, his father took him and some of his film colleagues into some of the gambling houses in Chinatown to assist them with a production that they were working on. 2:02:51 - 2:06:58 Donna shares her own family history regarding gambling. She mentions that her uncle worked as a high end "bookie" in Vancouver and how in 1968, her uncle was arrested but got let go with just a small fine. Jimmy describes what gambling was like in those days with various sweepstakes, not under the jurisdiction of the government like it is today. Both Donna and Jimmy recollect the popularity of supper clubs their memories of Vie's Chicken and Steak House that was located in Hogan's Alley. Jimmy laments the destruction of Hogan's Alley and the other proposals that were brought forward that would change Chinatown and Strathcona.

History: Interviewees biography: Hipman "Jimmy" Chow was born in Lin Pong Lee, Hoiping, China in 1948. In 1950, Jimmy Chow immigrated to Vancouver from China with his mother, Gim Gee Chow to join his father, Robin Chung Dip Chow who'd immigrated to Canada at 14 years of age in 1921. For the first four years after immigrating, Jimmy and his parents lived in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Quebec before returning to Vancouver around 1954. Jimmy and his family then lived and worked in Vancouver eventually settling in the neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant. In the early 1970s, Jimmy met his future wife Donna Polos and they married in 1981. Donna Polos was born in 1949 to Donald James Polos and Mayme "May" Helen Tilikana Polos and grew up in Vancouver. Between the age of 5 and 21 years, Donna lived in the neighbourhood of Joyce Station. In 1976, Jimmy and Donna purchased and moved into a house on Victory Street in Burnaby where they still live today. While living on Victory Street, they've raised their three children. Donna received her teaching degree and taught in elementary schools for many years. In 1991, after a near death experience, Donna developed an interest in drawing and painting and began experimenting with water colour painting on fabric. Donna has since exhibited her work widely, participated as an Artist in Residence in Burnaby schools and is a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. Jimmy entered the film industry in 1973, gaining experience and recognition as a property master and has worked on many films over a 45 year career. Interviewer biography: Denise Fong is a historical researcher at Burnaby Village Museum. She has degrees in Anthropology (BA) and Archaeology (MA), and is completing her doctoral degree at UBC in Interdisciplinary Studies. Her primary research interests are in Chinese Canadian history and critical heritage studies. She is the co-curator of BVM’s “Across the Pacific” exhibition, and the Museum of Vancouver’s “A Seat at the Table – Chinese Immigration and British Columbia”.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants; Buildings - Residential; Buildings - Residential - Houses; Education; Geographic Features - Parks; Geographic Features - Neighbourhoods; Government - Local Government; Industries - Film; Migration; Occupations; Occupations - Artists; Occupations - Grocers; Occupations - Entrepreneurs; Occupations - Teachers; Persons - Chinese Canadians; Social Issues - Racism; Sports - Soccer

Names: Bridge Studios; Chow, Gim Gee Dang; Chow, Hipman "Jimmy"; Chow, Robin Chung Dip; Polos, Donna; Polos, James "Jimmy", 1898-1962; Polos, Donald James; Polos, Mayme "May" Helen Tilikana

Geographic Access: Victory Street

Accession Code: BV022.21.1

Date: 29 Jun. 2022

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of recording; Hipman "Jimmy" Chow's name in Cantonese is Chow Hipman and in Mandarin is Zhou Xiamin.

Images

Audio Tracks

Oral history interview with Hipman

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0021_0001_004.mp3

Frank Salt at work

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1305

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [between 1900 and 1919] (date of original)

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 24.5 x 19 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of George Salt working with an unidentified fellow labourer. George Salt is wearing overalls and holding a wood planer in his hands. The other man is wearing a striped shirt with suspenders and is resting his right hand on an axe handle.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 24.5 x 19 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of George Salt working with an unidentified fellow labourer. George Salt is wearing overalls and holding a wood planer in his hands. The other man is wearing a striped shirt with suspenders and is resting his right hand on an axe handle.

Subjects: Occupations - Woodworkers; Occupations - Labourers

Names: Salt, George

Accession Code: BV998.66.1

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Date: [between 1900 and 1919] (date of original)

Media Type: Photograph

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 02-Jun-09

Scale: 100

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Frank Salt at work, [between 1900 and 1919] (date of original) thumbnail

Interview with Surjeet Kaur Parmar

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19350

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1905-2022] (interview content), interviewed 6 Dec. 2022

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (75 min., 32 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (75 min., 32 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Surjeet Kaur Parmar conducted by interviewer Anushay Malik. The interview is conducted in Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi. During the interview Surjeet Kaur Parmar provides information on; her ancestral background, family relations in India and…

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: 2 sound recordings (wav) (75 min., 32 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (75 min., 32 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewer: Anushay Malik Interviewee: Surjeet Kaur Parmar Language of Interview: Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi Location of Interview: home of Surjeet Kaur Parmar in Burnaby Interview Date: December 6, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of tracks: (1:15:32) Digital master recordings (wav) were edited into one recording and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Surjeet Kaur Parmar conducted by interviewer Anushay Malik. The interview is conducted in Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi. During the interview Surjeet Kaur Parmar provides information on; her ancestral background, family relations in India and Canada, her personal experiences and her ancestors’ stories as South Asian immigrants, reflections on and personal experiences of racial discrimination as a South Asian immigrant, her places of residence, her employment background, her cultural practices and traditions including food, clothing and craft. The interview begins with introductions from interviewer Anushay Mailik. Surjeet Kaur Parmar imparts her own family’s migration story beginning with her very first elders that immigrated to Canada from India. A relative (unnamed) immigrated to Canada first and a few years later (around 1905) returned to India and brought back three cousins that included; Ginaya Singh (Ghania Singh Manhas) and Doman Singh . Mayo Singh (Ghania Singh’s younger brother) came in 1906 on his own to join them. Surjeet’s grandfather (Shair/Sher Singh Manhas) also wanted to immigrate at this time, but he was too young and weak to manage such a long trip. Surjeet conveys that while living in British Columbia, Mayo and Ginaya Singh worked together at saw mills. With their knowledge and understanding of mill work they ended up owning and operating a mill in Paldi near Duncan on Vancouver Island. At this time, most of the men from Surjeet’s family region in Punjab were abroad and with no men living at home. Mayo Singh’s father (Bhulla Singh) looked after her father (Lashman Singh Manhas) and paternal uncle (Kashmir Singh Manhas) back in Punjab. When Mayo’s father died, Mayo Singh adopted her paternal uncle (Kashmir Singh) and brought him to Canada in 1926. Surjeet describes her ancestors’ immigration journey from India to Canada. They all travelled by ship and if someone ran out of money en route, they could work on the ship. Surjeet explains that both Mayo and Ginaya Singh are Surjeet’s grandfather’s first cousins and her father’s second cousins. Surjeet recollects her grandfather (Shair/Sher Singh Manhas) saying “now that you’ve arrived there, take one cousin from each side with you”. Surjeet explains that the cousins were all from the same village in Punjab and her great grandfather wanted someone to go abroad, so he sent a few and had them bring more as the years went on. Surjeet says that she’s uncertain as to why they chose Canada rather than America but thinks that they did some form of research and determined that it was a good place to come to. Surjeet admits that she doesn’t know the name of her paternal grandfather or other elders since she never met them. Surjeet shares that it was a traditional practice to mark pots and pans with family names and imparts that she discovered her father’s name “Lashman Singh” written on the bottom of a glass. Surjeet expresses that she’s marked her own pots and pans with her name to identify which ones are hers when she gets together with family or does catering. Surjeet refers to a kohl bottle that she has and how she’d like to offer it to the museum. She explains how the kohl bottle is no longer in use but was used by her mother (Budhan Kaur Manhas) and daughter and her grandchildren. Surjeet describes a blanket that she made called a “phulkari”, now on display in a small museum in Coquitlam, a wedding shawl, that her daughter now owns and a silk sari with embroidery. Surjeet and Anushay discuss the possibility of donating the kohl bottle and the sari to the museum. Surjeet explains how the kohl is used and how her mother used to make kohl. She describes how you rub the kohl with your hands, put cardamom in it, one or two other ingredients and fill the kohl bottle up with water. Surjeet says that she used kohl as eyeliner when living in India. The interviewer asks Surjeet more about Ginaya Singh. Surjeet conveys that Ginaya Singh ended up leaving the mill on Vancouver Island and moved to Vancouver. After Ginaya Singh died from a heart attack (in 1953) his family moved from Vancouver to Burnaby. Surjeet recalls that following the death of Ginaya Singh’s youngest son, her family didn’t celebrate “Lohri” (a winter festival celebrating newborns and newly married people) for three years. She shares that she was very young at this time but remembers there being beautiful photographs of young children all dressed up and displayed in her family home. She expresses that dressing up for photos has changed over time and adds that suits didn’t really come into fashion until after the 1970s or 1980s. Surjeet conveys that her uncle named Kashmira Singh first worked at the mill in Paldi near Duncan then moved to Vancouver and opened up his own mill in North Vancouver. Surjeet’s father, Lashman Singh Manhas arrived in 1953. Surjeet expresses that Kapoor Singh was educated and worked as a manager at the mill on Vancouver Island. Surjeet recollects meeting Mayo Singh, his wife and eldest son in 1952 when they travelled to India for a cousin’s wedding. Surjeet remembers that Mayo Singh’s family had a very large house in India. She describes the house as a very opulent two story house with indoor plumbing for a bathtub, a kitchen with a woodstove, coloured mirrors, bejeweled curtains, a motor room to park cars, a buffalo and more. Surjeet refers to Nand Singh, a younger brother of Mayo Singh, who travelled from India to San Franciso and spent a year wandering around before deciding to return to India. She describes him as living in Bombay with his wife Vishan Kaur and having a transport business. Nand had two kids that came to Canada. Surjeet recollects the tragic death of Ganda Singh (Ginaya Singh) who died of a heart attack on someone’s doorstep, they thought that he was drunk so didn’t open the door. Surjeet conveys that Mayo Singh’s wife, Mission Kaur (Saradani Bishan Kaur) died while visiting India (in 1952) and that some of Mayo’s sons were married in Canada and one in India. Surjeet expresses that it was hard for Mayo’s sons to have one of their parents die in India and one die in Canada (Mayo Singh died in B.C. in 1955). Surjeet describes the hospital that Mayo built in the village of Paldi. She mentions that there were festivals and functions that took place there, there were many nurses and doctors. She recalls there being a school where their land was. She recalls that if they got headaches they were treated with medicine and that it didn’t cost much, only a six pence. Surjeet talks about her arranged marriage to Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar. Surjeet explains that her father and brother immigrated to British Columbia first (1953) and after a few months they brought Surjeet and her mother (Budhan Kaur Manhas). She recollects that when she was in Grade 10 and around 17 years of age, her family made plans to travel to India to attend a family wedding. During this time, her father suggested that it would be a good opportunity to take Surjeet with them to find her a husband in India to marry. After meeting and marrying Nadeem Parmar in India, Surjeet and Nadeem moved to England. Surjeet recollects that in order to immigrate to Canada, each family member had to pass a medical exam and how difficult it was. Her two sisters, mother and brother all had to take the test in Delhi. Surjeet recalls living in England with Nadeem. While living in England, Nadeem worked during the day and studied engineering at college in the evening. Surjeet expresses that she liked living in England and was sad to leave. While living there, they enjoyed a close knit Punjabi community and they all lived in the same area. Surjeet states later in her interview that living in Canada was different from living in England. In England, family and friends lived closer together whereas in Canada places were further apart. Surjeet says that while living in England she could walk to do her shopping. While living in England, after her children were a bit older, she worked as a seamstress in a shirt factory for a few years before coming to Canada. Surjeet imparts that her father (Lashman Singh Manhas) died of a heart attack in 1970 and her mother (Budhan Kaur Manhas) died in 1998. Her father and her family first lived in North Vancouver and then her parents bought a house on Eton Street in Burnaby, near the Ocean. After her father died, her brother and mother bought a house and moved to the Capitol Hill neighbourhood in Burnaby. In 1973, Surjeet, Nadeem and their two children immigrated to Canada and moved in with her brother and mother. Surjeet includes that her paternal aunt (Koshali Kaur Manhas) and cousins also moved to Burnaby and that her aunt and some of her cousins were sponsored by her son who came earlier. Surjeet recalls that after arriving in Canada she got work sewing in a factory located on Water Street in Gastown. Surjeet recollects travelling to her job by bus. Surjeet shares that she brought saris and quilted blankets “rijai”, not household items, in her suitcase when she came to Canada from England. Surjeet explains that the “rijai” (quilted blankets) were made from cotton from her home village in India. The blankets were made by women and then brought back to her to quilt on her sewing machine. Surjeet recalls that when she returned to Canada (in 1973 with her husband and children) they first lived with her mother and brother on Capitol Hill in Burnaby before moving to a house on Fell Avenue and then to their current home in 1982. In 1981, she worked at “Canadian Window Covering” factory making window coverings. The factory was located in the Brentwood area of Burnaby. Surjeet recalls how the factory became unionized and of how she left the factory and found union work at the Labatt’s brewery (Winery and Distillery Workers Local 300). Surjeet describes the work that she did while working at Labatt’s brewery which was located next to the Royal Columbian Hospital in Burnaby. Around 1995, when the Labatt’s factory closed down in Burnaby, she got union work as a bottle sorter for BDL Brewers Distributor Limited, where bottles were gathered for distribution at Braid Station. Surjeet left this job in 2000. Surjeet talks about traditional foods like bindi, sabji, aam and karela and where she’s shopped to find traditional ingredients for South Asian cuisine. She recollects how at first she could only find traditional ingredients at stores in Gastown, Chinatown and on Main Street in Vancouver but now they are more readily available at major grocery stores. Surjeet expresses that traditional spices and dry goods have been hard to find, apart from stores like, Famous Foods and Patels when it was located on Commercial Drive. Surjeet talks about using ingredients such as green pea flour and Besan flour to make pakoras and kahdri. Surjeet states that many immigrants didn’t wear their traditional clothing until she came later. She expresses that many South Asian immigrants didn’t wear their clothes “because there were no rights, we had to try to become like them”. Surjeet conveys that even though some were able to purchase property (she provides an example of family members in Duncan who faced discrimination by the owner/seller of a piece of property they were purchasing) that they had very little rights and they were all living in fear. She expresses that she herself didn’t experience this but in the beginning when people settled here (in B.C.) that it was very difficult. Surjeet says that when she goes to the Gurdwara and to work, she wears a sari and conveys that while working at the factory, she was encouraged to wear a sari, it was accepted then. She brought printed saris to work and her co workers said that they’d wear them to parties. Surjeet reflects on her own experiences of racism and discrimination and expresses that her generation “has learned how to stand up in front, then they got scared of saying anything”. “The people who came here first were afraid because they were alone, they had to settle down here and make a home from scratch, but the ones who came after had everything already built and made”. She explains how they helped one another when they came (to British Columbia). She describes how the Gurdwara was located on 2nd Street and all of the ships went there (new immigrants?), people would gather, get water, help one another and there would be a place for all people. Surjeet shares a personal experience of helping members of her husband’s family to immigrate to Canada. She tells of the complications of some being left behind in India and that some came to Canada as refugees that she and her husband sponsored. Surjeet expresses their struggles with raising a family, working and trying to pay for their own house while also trying to assist and support family members. Surjeet describes in detail how her husband Nadeem went back to India after his mother died to help his father, sister and her family immigrate. She explains that the immigration process took about four years and his father had to apply as a refugee. Nadeem’s sister came with her children but had to return to India so Surjeet and her family had to look after Nadeem’s sister’s child/children. Surjeet expresses that during this time she continued to work at Canadian Window Coverings, working an afternoon shift and sometimes taking her son with her. She expresses that this as a very hectic time, working the whole day, making food for everyone, grocery shopping, looking after a her sister in law’s younger child at night and getting no rest. Surjeet describes the time when she was working and her children were attending the local school. She expresses the challenges of working long days and often arriving home after her children. She recollects a time when there was a snow storm and how she was worried about her children making it home and being alone while she was at work, there were no cell phones in those days but they had phone numbers of her brother and sister. Surjeet tells of how they tried to help the rest of the Nadeem’s family immigrate including his brother who was a soccer player in India. They were able to buy a house for the whole family to live but expresses after several months Nadeem’s brother decided to stay in India. Surjeet expresses the complications and frustrations of trying to bring all family members to Canada.

History: Interviewee biography: Surjeet Kaur Parmar was born in Punjab, India in 1942 to parents Lashman Singh Manhas (1913-1970) and Budhan Kaur Manhas (1906-1998). Surjeet’s ancestors, Ghania Singh Manhas, Doman Singh and Mayo Singh immigrated to British Columbia in 1905 and 1906. The group got work in saw mills and soon began owning and operating their own saw mills, first in Chilliwack and Rosedale districts and later in 1920 on Vancouver Island near Duncan (Paldi) (known as the Mayo Lumber Company). In 1927, Surjeet’s paternal uncle, Kashmir Singh Manhas left Paldi, Punjab at the age of 18 years with Mayo Singh Manhas and after months of travel they arrived at Paldi on Vancouver Island. In 1953, Surjeet’s father, Lashman Singh Manhas and her two brothers immigrated to Canada and soon after brought her and her mother, Budhan Kaur Manhas. After immigrating, her father began working at “Kashmir Lumber Company” in North Vancouver which was owned by his brother Kashmira Singh Manhas. Surjeet, her parents and two brothers first made their home in North Vancouver and the 1960s they moved to 3824 Eton Street in Burnaby. In 1959, Surjeet and her family returned to India for her brother’s wedding. During this time a marriage was arranged for Surjeet to marry Nadeem Parmar and they were married in 1960. Following their marriage, Surjeet and Nadeem moved to England where they began raising their two children. While living in England, Surjeet worked as seamstress at a factory. In 1973, following the death of Surjeet’s father who died in 1970, Surjeet and Nadeem decided to immigrate to British Columbia. For the first few years, Surjeet, Nadeem and their two children lived with her mother and brother in the Capitol Hill neighbourhood of Burnaby before purchasing their own home on Fell Avenue. While living in Burnaby Surjeet has worked as a seamstress for Canadian Window Covering, Labatt's Brewery and BDL Brewers Distributor Limited which she left in 2000. In 1982, Surjeet and her family moved into a new home that they had built on Woodsworth Street where they still live today. 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: Buildings - Industrial - Saw Mills; Clothing; Crafts; Employment; Migration; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism; Occupations - Labourers; Occupations - Millworkers; Persons - South Asian Canadians

Names: Parmar, Surjeet Kaur; Parmar, Kalwant Singh "Nadeem"; Manhas, Ghania Singh; Singh, Mayo; Manhas, Kashmir Singh; Manhas, Sher Singh; Manhas, Budhan Kaur; Manhas, Lashman Singh

Accession Code: BV022.29.5

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1905-2022] (interview content), interviewed 6 Dec. 2022

Media Type: Sound Recording

Related Material: See also BV022.29.1 - interview with Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcription of interview translated to English from Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi to English created by Rajdeep; Transciption available on Heritage Burnaby; Spelling of "Ginaya Singh" found as "Ghania Singh Manhas" in obituary and death certificate

Documents

2022_0029_0005_004

Audio Tracks

Interview with Surjeet Kaur Parmar, [1905-2022] (interview content), interviewed 6 Dec. 2022

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0005_003.mp3

Lewis family

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35698

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1903 (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 (left to right) Lillie Lewis (sister - later Lillie Porter), William Lewis (father), Evelyn Lewis (sister), and Ernest Lewis (brother) picking strawberries at the side of their house. Note the apple trees all around. The other people in the picture are unidentified hired help.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1903 (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.: 204-556

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1988-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of (left to right) Lillie Lewis (sister - later Lillie Porter), William Lewis (father), Evelyn Lewis (sister), and Ernest Lewis (brother) picking strawberries at the side of their house. Note the apple trees all around. The other people in the picture are unidentified hired help.

Subjects: Occupations - Agricultural Labourers; Agriculture - Fruit and Berries; Occupations - Farmers; Buildings - Residential - Houses

Names: Lewis, Ernest; Lewis, Evelyn; Lewis, William; Porter, Lillie Lewis

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Cooksley, William Thomas

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access: 4th Street; 18th Avenue

Historic Neighbourhood: East Burnaby (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Second Street Area

Images

Lewis family, 1903 (date of original), copied 1986 thumbnail

Dad at Deer Lake

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38864

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1905]

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 8 x 5.5 cm on page 14 x 17.5 cm (pasted in album)

Scope and Content: Photograph of Claude Hill on a hay rake being pulled by the workhorse, "Tom." His daughter, Kitty, wrote the caption "Dad at Deer Lake" next to this photograph.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1905]

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Series: Kitty Hill Peers family photograph series

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 8 x 5.5 cm on page 14 x 17.5 cm (pasted in album)

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 477-183

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: 2007-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of Claude Hill on a hay rake being pulled by the workhorse, "Tom." His daughter, Kitty, wrote the caption "Dad at Deer Lake" next to this photograph.

Subjects: Agriculture - Crops; Animals - Horses; Occupations - Farmers; Agricultural Tools and Equipment

Names: Hill Family; Hill, Louis Claude "Claude"

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on caption accompanying photograph

Geographic Access: Douglas Road; Deer Lake Avenue

Street Address: 6501 Deer Lake Avenue

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Morley-Buckingham Area

Images

Falling Trees at Burnaby, BC

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription27

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [190-]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.3 x 8.3 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of three unidentified men standing in front of a very large tree stump. The man in the centre of the picture is holding an axe. Two axes are in the tree. A large two-man saw lies on the ground in front of the tree. An caption in blue ink on a separate label below the photograph reads…

2 images

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.3 x 8.3 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of three unidentified men standing in front of a very large tree stump. The man in the centre of the picture is holding an axe. Two axes are in the tree. A large two-man saw lies on the ground in front of the tree. An caption in blue ink on a separate label below the photograph reads, "Falling Trees at / Burnaby, B.C."

Subjects: Occupations - Lumberjacks; Woodworking Tools and Equipment - Logging Machinery

Accession Code: HV971.81.1

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [190-]

Media Type: Photograph

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2023-03-28

Images

Falling Trees at Burnaby, BC, [190-] 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

Louis Claude Hill's Farm, Burnaby, BC

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription3064

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1909]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.2 x 17.6 cm mounted on cardboard 22.7 x 27.4 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a farm with men, a horse and wagon, and children in a field. An annotation on the back of one of the photos reads, "The foreground farm property stood at the corner of Sperling Avenue (formerly known as the Pole Line Road) and Buckingham. The white house in the left centre was the …

2 images

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.2 x 17.6 cm mounted on cardboard 22.7 x 27.4 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a farm with men, a horse and wagon, and children in a field. An annotation on the back of one of the photos reads, "The foreground farm property stood at the corner of Sperling Avenue (formerly known as the Pole Line Road) and Buckingham. The white house in the left centre was the residence of Miss Woodward, her mother and sister. It was the first post office at 'Burnaby Lake' and the site of the kindergarten school of Miss Harriet Woodward. It later became the United Church. / The open field in the distance above the horse's head and people in the field is the field in front of the 'Manor House' which was built by Mr. Bateman in the 1920's. To the right of and beyond the white house partly hidden by the trees can be seen some of the buildings associated with the Hill farm on Deer Lake Ave. which by the date (1909) of this photo had been sold. The distant tall trees (center) stand on the site of the Municipal Buildings (DesBirsays Woods)." An annotation on the back of the other photograph reads, "Formerly belonging to Malcom Nicolson / App. 1908." Annotations at the bottom front of the photograph read, "L. Claude Hill's Farm, Burnaby, BC."

Subjects: Agriculture - Crops; Agricultural Tools and Equipment; Animals - Horses; Occupations - Farmers; Agriculture - Farms

Geographic Access: Buckingham Avenue; Sperling Avenue

Accession Code: HV973.40.4

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1909]

Media Type: Photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Morley-Buckingham Area

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2023-05-09

Scale: 100

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; 1 b&w duplicate photograph accompanying; Text on first image "L Claude Hill's Farm, Burnaby B C", incorporated into the image at the bottom edge of the photograph. "app 1909" pencilled in following above on the bottom edge of the image "L. Claude / Hill / Broadview", pencilled on the matt below the image. "The foreground farm property stood at the / Corner of Sperling Ave. (formerly known as Pole Line Road) / and Buckingham. The white house in the left / centre was the residence of Miss Woodward, her mother / and sister. It was the first post ofice at "Burnaby Lake" / and the site of the kindergarten school of Miss / Harriet Woodward. It later became the United / Church. / The open field in the distance above / the horses head and people in the field is / the field in front of the "Manse House" which / was built by Mr. Bateman in the 1920's. To the / right of and beyond the white house partly hidden / by the trees can be seen some of the buildings / associated with the Hill farm on Deer Lake Ave. / which by the date (1909) of this photo had been / sold. The distant tall trees (center) stand on the site of / the Municipal Buildings (DesBirsays Woods)", hand written in blue ink on the reverse side of the matt. It is not indicated who wrote the note. "OR MASTER / 973.40.4", pencilled in the lower right corner of reverse side of matt. "W. T. COOKSLEY / NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C."printed with very little contrast on the gray mattboard, below the lower right corner of the photograph Text on second image. "L Claude Hill's Farm, Burnaby B C", incorporated into the image at the bottom edge of the photograph. "Claude surveying the haying", pencilled on the reverse side of the matt. "Formerly belonging to Malcolm Nicholson / app 1908", hand writen in blue ink on the reverse side of the matt. "H.V.973.40.4. OR. MASTER", hand printed on the bottom left corner of the reverse side of the matt. "W. T. COOKSLEY / NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C."printed with very little contrast on the gray mattboard, below the lower right corner of the photograph

Images

Louis Claude Hill's Farm, Burnaby, BC, [1909] thumbnail

Men sawing a tree

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription39430

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1900]

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.2 x 10.6 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of two unidentified men standing in front of a tree with axes in their hands.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1900]

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Series: Kitty Hill Peers family photograph series

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.2 x 10.6 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 477-749

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: 2007-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of two unidentified men standing in front of a tree with axes in their hands.

Subjects: Occupations - Lumberjacks; Woodworking Tools and Equipment

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Mowing at Gaines' Farm, Burnaby

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription39548

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1906]

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12 x 17 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)

Scope and Content: Photograph of a farmer driving a team of two horses mowing hay in a field. The photograph bears the caption "Mowing at Gaines' farm" and is accompanied by a notation in the album indicating that the field was across Douglas Road from Brookfield, the home of Claude Hill. This property belonged to …

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1906]

Collection/Fonds: Peers Family and Hill Family fonds

Series: Kitty Hill Peers family photograph series

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12 x 17 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 477-867

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: 2007-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of a farmer driving a team of two horses mowing hay in a field. The photograph bears the caption "Mowing at Gaines' farm" and is accompanied by a notation in the album indicating that the field was across Douglas Road from Brookfield, the home of Claude Hill. This property belonged to Claude's brother Bernard Hill and was later known as 4990 Canada Way. The man is unidentified. In the background to the west can be seen Burnaby Lake and to the left the Pole Line Road (later Sperling Avenue) and to the right, Douglas Road and an unidentified house. This is the current location of the Kensington Avenue freeway interchange.

Subjects: Agriculture - Crops; Agricultural Tools and Equipment; Animals - Horses; Occupations - Farmers

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Cooksley, William Thomas

Notes: Title based on caption accompanying photograph

Geographic Access: Deer Lake Avenue; Canada Way; Douglas Road

Street Address: 4990 Canada Way

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Douglas-Gilpin Area

Images

Mowing at Gaines' Farm, Burnaby, [1906] thumbnail

Young man with a beehive

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription627

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [190-] (date of original), copied 1977

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 25.2 x 20.2 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of a young man in a garden among brambles. He appears to be looking into a beehive set up among the shrubbery. A house with a large covered patio area is partially visible in the background.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 25.2 x 20.2 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of a young man in a garden among brambles. He appears to be looking into a beehive set up among the shrubbery. A house with a large covered patio area is partially visible in the background.

Subjects: Occupations - Beekeepers; Agricultural Tools and Equipment; Agriculture - Beekeeping

Accession Code: HV977.123.33

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [190-] (date of original), copied 1977

Media Type: Photograph

Related Material: For another photograph of the young man with a bee hive, see HV977.123.33 - .35

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2023-07-25

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Young man with a beehive

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription628

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [190-] (date of original), copied 1977

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 25.2 x 20.2 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of a young man standing in a garden among brambles. He appears to be holding up his hand swarmed by bees. By his feet, there is a beehive set up among the brambles. A house and a barn are partially visible in the background.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 25.2 x 20.2 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of a young man standing in a garden among brambles. He appears to be holding up his hand swarmed by bees. By his feet, there is a beehive set up among the brambles. A house and a barn are partially visible in the background.

Subjects: Occupations - Beekeepers; Agricultural Tools and Equipment; Agriculture - Beekeeping

Accession Code: HV977.123.34

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [190-] (date of original), copied 1977

Media Type: Photograph

Related Material: For another photograph of the young man with a bee hive, see HV977.123.33 - .35

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2023-07-25

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

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