"Wilson, May" found 108 records

William Wilson House

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark512

Repository: Burnaby Heritage Planning

Description: The William Wilson House is a vernacular two-storey wood-frame Foursquare house with a hipped roof. It is situated at the corner of Wilson Avenue and Central Boulevard in the Metrotown area of Burnaby, adjacent to the SkyTrain line, and is now part of a multi-family residential complex.

Associated Dates: 1913

Formal Recognition: Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register

Other Names: William & Annie Wilson House

Street View URL: Google Maps Street View

2 images

Repository: Burnaby Heritage Planning

Other Names: William & Annie Wilson House

Geographic Access: Wilson Avenue

Associated Dates: 1913

Formal Recognition: Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register

Enactment Type: Bylaw No. 10350

Enactment Date: 22/04/1996

Description: The William Wilson House is a vernacular two-storey wood-frame Foursquare house with a hipped roof. It is situated at the corner of Wilson Avenue and Central Boulevard in the Metrotown area of Burnaby, adjacent to the SkyTrain line, and is now part of a multi-family residential complex.

Heritage Value: The house is valued as the residence of William Wilson (1860-1935) and Annie Wilson (1868-1966) and demonstrates the development of Burnaby from a rural, farming community to an early commuter suburb, and is one of the few remaining early houses in the Metrotown area of Burnaby. Reflecting the area's early history, it was constructed on a subdivided piece of the Wilson’s 3.2 hectare farm that once bordered Kingsway, the primary road linking New Westminster to Vancouver. To develop his subdivided property, Wilson constructed a bisecting street, named it for himself and situated his new home on a large parcel adjacent to the interurban tramline. Constructed in 1913, the William Wilson House is additionally valued as a modest vernacular example of an Edwardian era Foursquare house. Although simple in form, it is distinguished by an inset front verandah, front bay window and clipped ground level corner. Once commonly found in Burnaby, this is a rare surviving example of the homes typically constructed for the working-class families enticed to Burnaby as a consequence of the interurban tramline.

Defining Elements: Key elements that define the heritage character of William Wilson House include its: - corner location, adjacent to the old interurban alignment - vernacular Foursquare style as exemplified by its symmetrical form, square floor plan and cubic massing with pyramidal roof - cladding, with narrow lapped wooden siding on the first storey and cedar shingles on the second storey - recessed front verandah, with square columns and ground floor cut-away bay window - regular fenestration, including double-hung 1-over-1 wooden-sash windows, and casement and transom assembly feature window in the living room

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Maywood Area

Function: Primary Historic--Single Dwelling; Primary Current--Single Dwelling

Community: Burnaby

Cadastral Identifier: 023-352-701

Boundaries: The William Wilson House is comprised of a single residential lot located at 6088 Wilson Avenue, Burnaby.

Area: 2824.9

Contributing Resource: Building

Ownership: Private

Street Address: 6088 Wilson Avenue

Street View URL: Google Maps Street View

Images

Exterior view, 2013. Oblique view. thumbnail

East Burnaby School Class

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34837

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1905 (date of original), copied 1985

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

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

Scope and Content: Photograph of an East Burnaby School (later renamed Edmonds Street School) class. Front row, left to right: Miss Draper, Esther Passmore, Esther Love, Jane Allen, Mary Salt, Fred Madill, Maud Mervin, Ada Lewis, Lillie Lewis, Rose Passmore, [first name unknown] Mervin, Edith Davis (who became Mrs. F…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1905 (date of original), copied 1985

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Every-Clayton family subseries

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

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 141-007

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1985-11

Scope and Content: Photograph of an East Burnaby School (later renamed Edmonds Street School) class. Front row, left to right: Miss Draper, Esther Passmore, Esther Love, Jane Allen, Mary Salt, Fred Madill, Maud Mervin, Ada Lewis, Lillie Lewis, Rose Passmore, [first name unknown] Mervin, Edith Davis (who became Mrs. Frank Summers), Ernie Clayton (killed in the first world war), Dick Hall, Stanley Ferguson, Leonard Love, Tom Scott, George Powys, Norman Allen, and Harry Dowling (standing, end of row). Second row, left to right: [first name unknown] Mervin, Winnie Hill, May Wilson, Lizie Hall, Margret McDermit, Francis Clark, Phoebe Love, Manota Vernon, Jack Clayton, Bill Bently, and Edmond Powys. Third row, left to right: Minard Hill, Morris Troup, Bill Davis, Byron Vernon, John Hall, Cicil Ledger, and Edward Clayton (standing on rail).

Subjects: Occupations - Teachers

Names: Allen, Jane; Allen Norman; Bently, Bill; Edmonds Community School; Clark, Francis; Clayton, Edward; Every-Clayton, Ernest "Ernie"; Clayton, Jack; Davis, Bill; Dowling, Harry; Ferguson, Stanley; Hall, Dick; Hall, John; Hall, Lizie; Rowe, Winnie Hill; Ledger, Cicil; Lewis, Ada; Love, Leonard; Feedham, Phoebe Leonard Love; Madill, Fred; McDermit, Margret; Mervin, Maud; Hill, Minard Gerald "Gerry"; Passmore, Esther; Passmore, Rose; Porter, Lillie Lewis; Powys, George; Powys, Edmond; Salt, Mary; Scott, Tom; Stanley, Esther Love; Summers, Edith Davis; Troup, Morris; Vernon, Byron; Vernon, Manota; Wilson, May

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)

Images

East Burnaby School Class, 1905 (date of original), copied 1985 thumbnail

(a) Kingsway and Wilson Avenue (b) Kingsway and Kathleen Avenue

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport35014

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Report ID: 32000

Meeting Date: 19-Dec-1966

Format: Council - Committee Report

Collection/Fonds: City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds

2 documents

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Report ID: 32000

Meeting Date: 19-Dec-1966

Format: Council - Committee Report

Collection/Fonds: City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds

Documents

Report 32000

19-Dec-1966 Meeting Minutes

Beresford Street and Wilson Avenue

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport32816

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Report ID: 28613

Meeting Date: 26-May-1969

Format: Council - Committee Report

Collection/Fonds: City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds

2 documents

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Report ID: 28613

Meeting Date: 26-May-1969

Format: Council - Committee Report

Collection/Fonds: City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds

Documents

Report 28613

26-May-1969 Meeting Minutes

Bill Northwood / Fraser Wilson

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription58317

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1968

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 comic book

Scope and Content: Item is a comic book of the adventures of "Bill Northwood - the personification of the modern Resource Manager, somewhere or anywhere in Canada" written and illustrated by Fraser Wilson. The book seeks to teach the community why forests so are important and should be preserved. It was produced by …

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1968

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Fraser Wilson subseries

Physical Description: 1 comic book

Description Level: Item

Record No.: MSS062-002

Accession Number: BHS1991-25

Scope and Content: Item is a comic book of the adventures of "Bill Northwood - the personification of the modern Resource Manager, somewhere or anywhere in Canada" written and illustrated by Fraser Wilson. The book seeks to teach the community why forests so are important and should be preserved. It was produced by the Department of Forestry and Rural Development, Ottawa.

Media Type: Textual Record

Responsibility: Written and illustrated by Fraser Wilson

Burnaby camp - Wilson Creek

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription5072

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1965]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Girl Guides fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : col. slide ; 35 mm

Scope and Content: Photograph of the Burnaby Girl Guide camp at Wilson Creek. There is a clearing in the foreground of the photograph and several cabins and forest in the distance.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Girl Guides fonds

Series: Burnaby Girl Guides scrapbooks and photographs series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : col. slide ; 35 mm

Scope and Content: Photograph of the Burnaby Girl Guide camp at Wilson Creek. There is a clearing in the foreground of the photograph and several cabins and forest in the distance.

Subjects: Organizations - Girls' Societies and Clubs; Recreational Activities - Camping

Names: Girl Guides of Canada

Accession Code: BV015.36.111

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: [1965]

Media Type: Photograph

Arrangement: Loose photographs and slides arranged by Kathryn Raadsheer nee Hardy.

Notes: Title based on content of photograph; Note in blue ink on verso of slides reads: "Burnaby_Camp,_Wilson_Creek";

Images

Burnaby camp, Wilson Creek

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription5074

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1965]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Girl Guides fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : col. slide ; 35 mm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a campsite in a wooded clearing. There is a tent next to a large tree and some campers can be seen in the shaded area of the photograph.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Girl Guides fonds

Series: Burnaby Girl Guides scrapbooks and photographs series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : col. slide ; 35 mm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a campsite in a wooded clearing. There is a tent next to a large tree and some campers can be seen in the shaded area of the photograph.

Subjects: Organizations - Girls' Societies and Clubs; Recreational Activities - Camping

Names: Girl Guides of Canada

Accession Code: BV015.36.108

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: [1965]

Media Type: Photograph

Arrangement: Loose photographs and slides arranged by Kathryn Raadsheer nee Hardy.

Notes: Title based on content of photograph; Note in blue ink on verso of slides reads: "Burnaby Camp, Wilson Creek"

Images

Byrne Road Ditch to be Deepened and Wilson Road to be Opened up.

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport77107

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Report ID: 81710

Meeting Date: 18-Jun-1910

Format: Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report

Collection/Fonds: City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds

2 documents

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Report ID: 81710

Meeting Date: 18-Jun-1910

Format: Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report

Collection/Fonds: City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds

Documents

Report 81710

18-Jun-1910 Meeting Minutes

Chapel entrance - Wilson Creek

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription5073

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: May 1965

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Girl Guides fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : col. slide ; 35 mm

Scope and Content: Photograph of the Chapel entrance of the Burnaby Girl Guide camp at Wilson Creek. The chapel entrance is a stone walled structure with a decorative wooden gate and circular portico surrounded by trees and foliage.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Girl Guides fonds

Series: Burnaby Girl Guides scrapbooks and photographs series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : col. slide ; 35 mm

Scope and Content: Photograph of the Chapel entrance of the Burnaby Girl Guide camp at Wilson Creek. The chapel entrance is a stone walled structure with a decorative wooden gate and circular portico surrounded by trees and foliage.

Subjects: Organizations - Girls' Societies and Clubs; Recreational Activities - Camping

Names: Girl Guides of Canada

Accession Code: BV015.36.112

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: May 1965

Media Type: Photograph

Arrangement: Loose photographs and slides arranged by Kathryn Raadsheer nee Hardy.

Notes: Title based on content of photograph; Note in blue ink on verso of slides reads: "Chapel entrance Wilson / Creek May 65"

Images

Chapel entrance - Wilson Creek, May 1965 thumbnail

Continuation of Wilson Road

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport76206

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Report ID: 76227

Meeting Date: 16-Oct-1911

Format: Council - Committee Report

Collection/Fonds: City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds

2 documents

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Report ID: 76227

Meeting Date: 16-Oct-1911

Format: Council - Committee Report

Collection/Fonds: City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds

Documents

Report 76227

16-Oct-1911 Meeting Minutes

Elmer Wilson Martin fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription10611

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 1934-1973

Collection/Fonds: Elmer Wilson Martin fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Physical Description: 42 photographs + 9 architectural drawings + approx. 4 cm of textual records

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of photographs of E.W. Martin during his military service with the RCAF; development in Burnaby along Winch Street; Martin's Auto Villa on Hastings and Paneloc buildings together with E.W. Martin's military service records and other records relating to E.W. Martin's involvement with …

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Elmer Wilson Martin fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Physical Description: 42 photographs + 9 architectural drawings + approx. 4 cm of textual records

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of photographs of E.W. Martin during his military service with the RCAF; development in Burnaby along Winch Street; Martin's Auto Villa on Hastings and Paneloc buildings together with E.W. Martin's military service records and other records relating to E.W. Martin's involvement with Paneloc Marketing Ltd. and other businesses. Fonds is arranged in the following series 1) E.W. Martin photographs series 2) E.W. Martin military records and photographs series 3) E.W. Martin business records series

History: Elmer Wilson Martin (1909-1973) was a professional engineer who lived most of his life in Burnaby. He was born in Treesbank Manitoba to William Henry Martin and Bethia “Bertie” Snell. Elmer married Ellen "Reta" Renetta Boyd (1908-1984) in approx. 1930. The couple moved to Burnaby in 1931 and Elmer graduated from UBC. Following his graduation from UBC, he spent two years at the University of Saskatchewan doing research. From 1936-1937 he worked at the Port Alice mill of the B.C. Pulp and paper Co and later worked for the Boeing aircraft plant at Vancouver. He joined the RCAF in September 1939, serving as chief engineering officer at various Canadian and overseas stations during WWII, until being discharged as a pilot and wing commander in November 1945. He served as NHA assistant regional engineer for a year after his discharge before becoming the owner and operator of Martin Auto Villa at 6574 East Hastings Street in North Burnaby. He was a director of the Burnaby Board of Trade from 1951 and chairman of the Burnaby Industrial Development Board and a member of the Professional Engineers' Association. He ran for Reeve under the Non-Partisan Association in Burnaby's municipal election in 1959 and donated land on Burnaby Mountain for Simon Fraser University. He had many businesses throughout his life including Paneloc Marketing Ltd. and his last one was as Director with the construction company Webb & Knapp Canada Ltd. The couple lived at various locations in Burnaby including, 6574 East Hastings Street eventually settling at 7231 Sutliff Street in North Burnaby in 1957. Elmer's brother, Wilbert Maurice Martin (1907-1980) was also born in Treesbank, Manitoba. Wilbert "Bert" was married to Eva (nee Erhart) Martin (1911-1993). Wilbert and Eva Martin lived on Winch Street in Burnaby. They first lived at 6776 Winch Street before relocating their house to 6656 Winch Street, Burnaby. Wilbert worked in construction as a building contractor and Eva worked as a hostess in the hotel industry. Paneloc buildings were developed by Elmer W. Martin, president of Paneloc Manufacturing Ltd. beginning in 1957 and were based on a design by A.B. Wenaus and Sons Ltd. In 1964, Martin held patents for his design of paneloc buildings in thirty six countries. Since Martin trained as a mechanical engineer, he developed a plan for his home model over a six year period in series of experiments with materials, styles, methods and sizes. Paneloc homes were prefabricated, using specially built bevelled wall panels cut-pie segments to form both the roof and the floor. The wall panels were designed to squeeze together by two metal straps on a turn-buckle basis. The roof and floor were held in place with factory-installed tap block bolts and a long wooden spine which fit in a keyway between the sections. The prefabricated parts were insulated and built with door and window allowances at Harrigan Industries Ltd. in Vancouver where Martin was part owner. Epoxy resin allowed the panels to be assembled without nails using weather-proofed five ply plywood. Sizes of homes varied using four by eight foot wall panels and increasing the span of the floor and roof sections. Harrigan Industries Ltd. continued to sell the prefabricated paneloc buildings until it went into receivership in late 1974.

Creator: Martin, Elmer Wilson

Accession Code: BV015.39; BV019.37; BV019.40

Date: 1934-1973

Media Type: Textual Record; Photograph; Architectural Drawing

Arrangement: The records are organized into three series based on the individual's business work as well as military and personal life. The photograhs series includes both professional and personal content.

Notes: Title based on contents of fonds

Elsie B. Wilson subseries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97446

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1904-1933

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Subseries

Physical Description: Textual records

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of records documenting the piano career of Elsie B. Wilson. Records include concert programmes and newspaper clippings.

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1904-1933

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Elsie B. Wilson subseries

Physical Description: Textual records

Description Level: Subseries

Accession Number: BHS2007-04

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of records documenting the piano career of Elsie B. Wilson. Records include concert programmes and newspaper clippings.

Media Type: Textual Record

Creator: Wilson, Elsie B.

Notes: Title based on creator of subseries; PC034, MSS002

Fraser Wilson

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription46143

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: July 15, 1960

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 14 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of cartoonist Fraser Wilson, looking up and smiling with a ink brush in his hand, as he works on his cartoon for the federal department of conservation and forestry, aimed at "educating Canadians to guard their forest heritage". The cartoon which relates the adventures of "Bill Northwood…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: July 15, 1960

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 14 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 480-1031

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: 2003-02

Scope and Content: Photograph of cartoonist Fraser Wilson, looking up and smiling with a ink brush in his hand, as he works on his cartoon for the federal department of conservation and forestry, aimed at "educating Canadians to guard their forest heritage". The cartoon which relates the adventures of "Bill Northwood" was published in 161 weekly newspapers.

Subjects: Occupations - Artists; Arts - Drawings

Names: Wilson, Fraser

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Hubbard, Mike

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Fraser Wilson

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription46144

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1969

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 7.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of cartoonist Fraser Wilson, taken in a photographic studio and used as his official photograph when he ran as a Burnaby Citizen's Association candidate for council.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1969

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 7.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 480-1032

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: 2003-02

Scope and Content: Photograph of cartoonist Fraser Wilson, taken in a photographic studio and used as his official photograph when he ran as a Burnaby Citizen's Association candidate for council.

Subjects: Occupations - Artists

Names: Wilson, Fraser; Burnaby Citizens Association

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Croton Studio Limited

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Fraser Wilson

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription46145

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1961

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 11.5 x 9.5 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of cartoonist Fraser Wilson, and smiling with a piece of charcol in his hand, as he works on his cartoon character "Bill Northwood" for the federal department of conservation and forestry, aimed at "educating Canadians to guard their forest heritage". Written along the top of the drawin…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1961

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 11.5 x 9.5 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 480-1033

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: 2003-02

Scope and Content: Photograph of cartoonist Fraser Wilson, and smiling with a piece of charcol in his hand, as he works on his cartoon character "Bill Northwood" for the federal department of conservation and forestry, aimed at "educating Canadians to guard their forest heritage". Written along the top of the drawing are the words; "KEEP B.C.'s FORESTS GREEN!"

Subjects: Arts - Drawings; Occupations - Artists

Names: Wilson, Fraser

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Fraser Wilson

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription46146

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1961

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7 x 4.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of cartoonist Fraser Wilson's face in profile.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1961

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7 x 4.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 480-1034

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: 2003-02

Scope and Content: Photograph of cartoonist Fraser Wilson's face in profile.

Subjects: Occupations - Artists

Names: Wilson, Fraser

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Fraser Wilson subseries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription58314

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [19--]-1969

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Subseries

Physical Description: Textual records nd graphic material

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of one photographic album of locations in Vancouver photographed in the 1880s, sixteen original illustrations by Fraser Wilson and three files of textual records, including the comic book "Bill Northwood".

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [19--]-1969

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Fraser Wilson subseries

Physical Description: Textual records nd graphic material

Description Level: Subseries

Accession Number: BHS1988-06; BHS1985-23; BHS1991-25

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of one photographic album of locations in Vancouver photographed in the 1880s, sixteen original illustrations by Fraser Wilson and three files of textual records, including the comic book "Bill Northwood".

History: Fraser Wilson was born in Vancouver on July 1, 1905 and brought up in the Grandview area, with fond memories of berry picking in the wilds of North Burnaby as a child. He left school in 1923 and, although interested in art, he didn’t try to make it a career until a double hernia forced him to stop working in factories and start apprenticing for commercial artists, later opening a sign shop of his own. In 1926 he worked in Australia as a set decoration painter, but had to return to Vancouver when his father fell ill in 1927. Wilson was a political cartoonist for the Vancouver Sun newspaper from 1937 to 1947. When he moved to Burnaby in April of 1943 he was also the artist and author of the cartoon-type serial “Bill Northwood - the personification of the modern Resource Manager” which served to teach the community why forests are important and should be preserved. He lost his job at the Vancouver Sun in 1947; he was the chairman of the Co-ordinating Committee of Newspaper Unions which was involved in the Vancouver Province strike and his publisher didn’t approve. Soon after, Bill White, then-president of the Marine Workers’ and Boilermakers Union, asked Wilson to decorate the Marine Workers’ Auditorium at 3337 West Pender, the Union's hall. The mural that Wilson painted depicts the BC labour movement to honour British Columbia’s workers. This mural launched a new career for Wilson; to this day, hospitals and libraries across British Columbia display his work in lobbies. In 1988, when the building housing the Marine Workers’ Auditorium was sold to a new owner, Fraser Wilson’s mural was removed from the wall, restored by Ferdinand Petrov of the Vancouver Centennial Committee, and installed permanently at the new Maritime Labour Centre on Victoria Drive in Vancouver. Throughout the 1960s, Wilson served as president of the Burnaby Historical Society. He ran for City Council as a Burnaby Citizens Association candidate in 1969 and 1970. Fraser Wilson died on 31 July 1992.