Search Results | Heritage Burnaby

Fire Department at Fire Hall No. 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35199

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1934 (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 Burnaby fire department trucks and firefighters, in front of fire hall No. 2. Note the old Burnaby Municipal Hall on the left.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1934 (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.: 204-056

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1988-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of Burnaby fire department trucks and firefighters, in front of fire hall No. 2. Note the old Burnaby Municipal Hall on the left.

Subjects: Buildings - Civic - City Halls; Transportation - Fire Trucks; Occupations - Fire Fighters; Buildings - Civic - Fire Halls

Names: Burnaby Fire Department; Burnaby City Hall

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access: Kingsway

Street Address: 7252 Kingsway

Historic Neighbourhood: Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Stride Avenue Area

Images

Fire Department at Fire Hall No. 2, 1934 (date of original), copied 1986 thumbnail

Burnaby's second fire truck

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36139

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1936 and 1952]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 11.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of fireman Abe Killer sitting behind the wheel of Burnaby's second fire truck, a 1927 Packard. Albert "Abe" Killer was a fireman from 1936 to 1952.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1936 and 1952]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Public Library photograph subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 11.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 226-002

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: BHS1989-22

Scope and Content: Photograph of fireman Abe Killer sitting behind the wheel of Burnaby's second fire truck, a 1927 Packard. Albert "Abe" Killer was a fireman from 1936 to 1952.

Subjects: Transportation - Fire Trucks; Occupations - Fire Fighters

Names: Killer, Albert "Abe"

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Burnaby's second fire truck, [between 1936 and 1952] thumbnail

Fireman Lewis Auvache and Captain Ernie Ledger

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35332

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1937] (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 Fireman Lewis Auvache (left) and Ernie Ledger, Burnaby Fire Department Captain. This photograph was taken in front of No. 2 fire hall on Kingsway in South Burnaby. Lewis Auvache would later go on to marry Sylvia Murley and would become Fire Chief in Burnaby between 1964 and 1972.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1937] (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.: 204-189

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1988-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of Fireman Lewis Auvache (left) and Ernie Ledger, Burnaby Fire Department Captain. This photograph was taken in front of No. 2 fire hall on Kingsway in South Burnaby. Lewis Auvache would later go on to marry Sylvia Murley and would become Fire Chief in Burnaby between 1964 and 1972.

Subjects: Transportation - Fire Trucks; Occupations - Fire Fighters

Names: Burnaby Fire Department; Auvache, Lewis; Ledger, Ernie

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access: Kingsway

Street Address: 7282 Kingsway

Historic Neighbourhood: Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Stride Avenue Area

Images

Fireman Lewis Auvache and Captain Ernie Ledger, [1937] (date of original), copied 1986 thumbnail

Fire truck and firemen

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34060

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1935

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.3 x 8.9 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a Burnaby fire truck and two firemen at Royal Oak and Kingsway. A house is just visible behind them.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1935

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Photographs subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.3 x 8.9 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 004-001

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS2007-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of a Burnaby fire truck and two firemen at Royal Oak and Kingsway. A house is just visible behind them.

Subjects: Transportation - Fire Trucks; Occupations - Fire Fighters

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Annotation on the back of photograph reads, "Property of B.C. Bellinger"

Geographic Access: Royal Oak Avenue; Kingsway

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Marlborough Area; Windsor Area

Images

Lewis Auvache at Firehall No. 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37490

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1937] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.0 x 4.1 cm print on contact sheet 20.2 x 25.3 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of Lewis Auvache seated in a fire truck at Firehall No. 2 located at 1942 Kingsway and Hall Avenue (later renumbered as the 7200 block of Kingsway). There is snow.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1937] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Image Bank subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 3.0 x 4.1 cm print on contact sheet 20.2 x 25.3 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 370-078

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1999-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of Lewis Auvache seated in a fire truck at Firehall No. 2 located at 1942 Kingsway and Hall Avenue (later renumbered as the 7200 block of Kingsway). There is snow.

Subjects: Natural Phenomena - Snow; Buildings - Civic - Fire Halls; Occupations - Fire Fighters

Names: Auvache, Lewis

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; 1 b&w copy negative accompanying

Geographic Access: Kingsway

Historic Neighbourhood: Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Stride Avenue Area

Images

Lewis Auvache at Firehall No. 2, [1937] (date of original), copied 1991 thumbnail

Ray Martell, Lewis Auvache and Bill Banks

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37487

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1932] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 4.2 x 3.3 cm print on contact sheet 20.2 x 25.3 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of (left to right) Ray Martell, Lewis Auvache and Bill Banks in front of Burnaby Garage at 1869 Kingsway and Britton Street (later renumbered as the 7300 block of Kingsway). All three men were Burnaby firefighters.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1932] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Image Bank subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 4.2 x 3.3 cm print on contact sheet 20.2 x 25.3 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 370-075

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1999-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of (left to right) Ray Martell, Lewis Auvache and Bill Banks in front of Burnaby Garage at 1869 Kingsway and Britton Street (later renumbered as the 7300 block of Kingsway). All three men were Burnaby firefighters.

Subjects: Buildings - Commercial - Service Stations; Occupations - Fire Fighters

Names: Auvache, Lewis; Banks, William "Bill"; Burnaby Garage; Martell, Ray

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; 1 b&w copy negative accompanying

Geographic Access: Kingsway

Historic Neighbourhood: Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Stride Avenue Area

Images

Ray Martell, Lewis Auvache and Bill Banks, [1932] (date of original), copied 1991 thumbnail

Bellinger family home at Christmas

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37462

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1934 or 1935] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 4.6 x 2.6 cm print on contact sheet 20.2 x 25.3 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of the interior of 2827 Earl Avenue (later 6296 Pearl Avenue) showing the living room prepared for Christmas, including a set table and a Christmas tree.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1934 or 1935] (date of original), copied 1991

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Image Bank subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 4.6 x 2.6 cm print on contact sheet 20.2 x 25.3 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 370-050

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1999-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of the interior of 2827 Earl Avenue (later 6296 Pearl Avenue) showing the living room prepared for Christmas, including a set table and a Christmas tree.

Subjects: Holidays - Christmas; Furniture

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Bellinger, Bernard

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; 1 b&w copy negative accompanying

Geographic Access: Pearl Avenue

Street Address: 6296 Pearl Avenue

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Windsor Area

Images

Bellinger family home at Christmas, [1934 or 1935] (date of original), copied 1991 thumbnail

Digney family home at Christmas

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription85470

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1939

Collection/Fonds: Digney Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 film clip (1min., 18 sec.) : digital, col. ; si.

Scope and Content: Item is a digitized copy of a silent colour film segment of the Digney family at Christmas. Film opens with views of a rhododendrun bush and moves into footage showing the outside and inside their home at Christmas time.

1 image 1 video

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1939

Collection/Fonds: Digney Family fonds

Physical Description: 1 film clip (1min., 18 sec.) : digital, col. ; si.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 562-002-6

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Accession Number: 2012-15

Scope and Content: Item is a digitized copy of a silent colour film segment of the Digney family at Christmas. Film opens with views of a rhododendrun bush and moves into footage showing the outside and inside their home at Christmas time.

Subjects: Holidays - Christmas

Names: Digney, Andy

Media Type: Moving Images

Photographer: Digney, Andy

Creator: Digney, Andy

Notes: Title based on contents of film; Film clip originates from digitized version of original 16 mm film footage (item 562-002). This segment was part of digitized portion titled 'Royal Visit'

Geographic Access: Central Park; Kingsway

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Sussex-Nelson Area

Images

Video

Digney family home at Christmas, 1939

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Moving_Images/_Unrestricted/562-002-6.m4v

Digney family in Burnaby

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription85249

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1939 and 1959]

Collection/Fonds: Digney Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 film clip (5 min., 17sec.) : digital, col., si.

Scope and Content: Item is a digitized film colour segment identified as Reel 12. The film is a compilation of Digney family events. The film opens with children Paul and Bruce Digney running around the Digney family yard at their home on Bonsor Avenue with Andy and Ernest (Dig) Digney looking on. This is followed by…

1 image 1 video

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1939 and 1959]

Collection/Fonds: Digney Family fonds

Physical Description: 1 film clip (5 min., 17sec.) : digital, col., si.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 562-003-12

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Accession Number: 2014-04

Scope and Content: Item is a digitized film colour segment identified as Reel 12. The film is a compilation of Digney family events. The film opens with children Paul and Bruce Digney running around the Digney family yard at their home on Bonsor Avenue with Andy and Ernest (Dig) Digney looking on. This is followed by interspersed footage of the family's pet dog Nero and puppies along with some brief glimpses of the Royal visit (King George VI and Queen Elizabeth) and cavilicade in 1939 along Kingsway. The film then switches to footage of Digney family Christmas festivities, a cat playing with a fish in a bowl and summer time at Pelican Lake in the 1940s and ends with a dog playing with a ball.

Subjects: Events - Parades; Animals - Dogs; Holidays - Christmas; Animals - Cats

Names: Digney, Andy; Digney, Ernest Frank "Dig"; Digney, Bruce; Digney, Paul

Media Type: Moving Images

Photographer: Digney, Andy

Creator: Digney, Andy

Notes: Title based on contents of film

Geographic Access: Bonsor Avenue; Kingsway

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Maywood Area

Images

Video

Digney family in Burnaby, [between 1939 and 1959]

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Moving_Images/_Unrestricted/562-003-12.m4v

Grant family getting Christmas trees

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36868

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1920 (date of original), copied 1992

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.7 x 12.6 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of George A. Grant and three children getting three Christmas trees from the bush between Marlborough Avenue and Royal Oak Road. The smallest child is sitting on a sled. There were five Grant children: William "Bill," George, Heriot "Harry," Millie, and Alastair.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1920 (date of original), copied 1992

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Burnaby Centennial Anthology subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.7 x 12.6 cm print

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 315-326

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1994-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of George A. Grant and three children getting three Christmas trees from the bush between Marlborough Avenue and Royal Oak Road. The smallest child is sitting on a sled. There were five Grant children: William "Bill," George, Heriot "Harry," Millie, and Alastair.

Subjects: Plants - Trees; Holidays - Christmas; Transportation - Sleds

Names: Grant, George Alford; Grant Family

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access: Marlborough Avenue; Royal Oak Avenue

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Marlborough Area

Images

Grant family getting Christmas trees, 1920 (date of original), copied 1992 thumbnail

Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory466

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1927-1990

Length: 00:04:05

Summary: This portion of the interview is about the equipment used by the fire department over the years, in particular about the pump and ladder trucks, and about Chief Waddell's wise choice of locations for the fire halls.

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about the equipment used by the fire department over the years, in particular about the pump and ladder trucks, and about Chief Waddell's wise choice of locations for the fire halls.

Date Range: 1927-1990

Length: 00:04:05

Names: Waddell, Gordon

Subjects: Public Services - Fire Protection; Buildings - Civic; Transportation - Fire Trucks

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: February 21, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Al Nixon, conducted by Rod Fowler. Al Nixon was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is mainly about the history and operations of the Burnaby Fire Department from its beginning in 1911 to 1990, and Al Nixon’s stories about the various ways photographs, records and artifacts about the department were collected and saved. The interview takes place while looking at photographs, but the information is clear nonetheless (His photographs have been deposited in the Burnaby Archives). Al Nixon also talks about his father's career as a firefighter, and about his Douglas grandparents and their home “The Gables” [Seven Gables] and neighbourhood in Burquitlam. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Al Nixon was born in New Westminster Feb. 8, 1936, the son of Provincial Fire Marshal Basil Nixon (1904-1975) and Agnes Douglas (1909-?). His mother’s family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1922 and lived in a large ca. 1900 home in Burquitlam at 9957 Sullivan Road called “Seven Gables” (recently demolished). His grandfather Thomas Douglas, a Coquitlam Councillor and Socialist, was murdered in 1934 in his North Road service station. Al Nixon began his career as a firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department in 1957, eventually becoming Deputy Fire Chief Operations in 1987 and Fire Chief in 1991, before retiring in 1993. In the mid 1980's Al Nixon became interested in the department’s history after finding a photograph scrapbook at one of the firehalls. It was in very bad condition but he recognized its value and began a project to collect and save photographs, artifacts and stories about the Burnaby Fire Department, a 6 month project that turned into years. The photographs and information gathered by Al Nixon became part of Douglas Penn’s book “Follow that Fire: the history of the Burnaby Fire Department”.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 0:43:35

Interviewee Name: Nixon, Al

Interviewer Bio: Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.

Collection/Fonds: SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

Transcript Available: Transcript available

Media Type: Sound Recording

Web Notes: Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.

Audio Tracks

Track three of interview with Al Nixon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_3.mp3

Altar at St. Andrew's Anglican Church

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38248

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1924

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 12.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of the altar at St. Andrew's Anglican Church, prepared for Easter Sunday.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1924

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Margaret McCallum subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 12.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 375-009

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1986-42

Scope and Content: Photograph of the altar at St. Andrew's Anglican Church, prepared for Easter Sunday.

Subjects: Buildings - Religious - Churches; Holidays - Easter

Names: St. Andrew's Anglican Church

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph.

Geographic Access: Gilmore Avenue; Norfolk Street

Historic Neighbourhood: Broadview (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Cascade-Schou Area

Images

Altar at St. Andrew's Anglican Church, 1924 thumbnail

Converted Fire Truck

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35334

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1923 (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 a Packard 12-cylinder limousine converted by Bill Banks (Burnaby Fire Department District Chief) into a fire vehicle for Burnaby Fire Department. The limousine was rumoured to have been owned by wealthy Vancouver bootlegger, Joe Martin.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1923 (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.: 204-191

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1988-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of a Packard 12-cylinder limousine converted by Bill Banks (Burnaby Fire Department District Chief) into a fire vehicle for Burnaby Fire Department. The limousine was rumoured to have been owned by wealthy Vancouver bootlegger, Joe Martin.

Subjects: Transportation - Fire Trucks; Transportation - Automobiles

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Converted Fire Truck, 1923 (date of original), copied 1986 thumbnail

Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory464

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1911-1990

Length: 00:05:22

Summary: This portion of the interview is about how Al Nixon began collecting and saving photographs, records and stories about the history of the Burnaby Fire Department in the mid 1980's. Finding the first scrapbook of photographs lead to other discoveries that placed the beginning of the Burnaby Fire Dep…

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about how Al Nixon began collecting and saving photographs, records and stories about the history of the Burnaby Fire Department in the mid 1980's. Finding the first scrapbook of photographs lead to other discoveries that placed the beginning of the Burnaby Fire Department in 1911.

Date Range: 1911-1990

Length: 00:05:22

Subjects: Public Services - Fire Protection; Documentary Artifacts - Photographs

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: February 21, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Al Nixon, conducted by Rod Fowler. Al Nixon was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is mainly about the history and operations of the Burnaby Fire Department from its beginning in 1911 to 1990, and Al Nixon’s stories about the various ways photographs, records and artifacts about the department were collected and saved. The interview takes place while looking at photographs, but the information is clear nonetheless (His photographs have been deposited in the Burnaby Archives). Al Nixon also talks about his father's career as a firefighter, and about his Douglas grandparents and their home “The Gables” [Seven Gables] and neighbourhood in Burquitlam. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Al Nixon was born in New Westminster Feb. 8, 1936, the son of Provincial Fire Marshal Basil Nixon (1904-1975) and Agnes Douglas (1909-?). His mother’s family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1922 and lived in a large ca. 1900 home in Burquitlam at 9957 Sullivan Road called “Seven Gables” (recently demolished). His grandfather Thomas Douglas, a Coquitlam Councillor and Socialist, was murdered in 1934 in his North Road service station. Al Nixon began his career as a firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department in 1957, eventually becoming Deputy Fire Chief Operations in 1987 and Fire Chief in 1991, before retiring in 1993. In the mid 1980's Al Nixon became interested in the department’s history after finding a photograph scrapbook at one of the firehalls. It was in very bad condition but he recognized its value and began a project to collect and save photographs, artifacts and stories about the Burnaby Fire Department, a 6 month project that turned into years. The photographs and information gathered by Al Nixon became part of Douglas Penn’s book “Follow that Fire: the history of the Burnaby Fire Department”.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 0:43:35

Interviewee Name: Nixon, Al

Interviewer Bio: Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.

Collection/Fonds: SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

Transcript Available: Transcript available

Media Type: Sound Recording

Web Notes: Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.

Audio Tracks

Track one of interview with Al Nixon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_1.mp3

Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory465

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1936-1990

Length: 00:04:08

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon describing the location of the North Burnaby Fire Department fire hall and the location of the six fire halls subsequently built for the combined north and south department. He also talks about Fred Blake, Lewis Auvache and Henry Chapman, early member…

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon describing the location of the North Burnaby Fire Department fire hall and the location of the six fire halls subsequently built for the combined north and south department. He also talks about Fred Blake, Lewis Auvache and Henry Chapman, early members of the department who were also interested in the department's history.

Date Range: 1936-1990

Length: 00:04:08

Names: Blake, Fred; Auvache, Lewis; Chapman, Henry H.

Subjects: Public Services - Fire Protection; Buildings - Civic

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: February 21, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Al Nixon, conducted by Rod Fowler. Al Nixon was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is mainly about the history and operations of the Burnaby Fire Department from its beginning in 1911 to 1990, and Al Nixon’s stories about the various ways photographs, records and artifacts about the department were collected and saved. The interview takes place while looking at photographs, but the information is clear nonetheless (His photographs have been deposited in the Burnaby Archives). Al Nixon also talks about his father's career as a firefighter, and about his Douglas grandparents and their home “The Gables” [Seven Gables] and neighbourhood in Burquitlam. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Al Nixon was born in New Westminster Feb. 8, 1936, the son of Provincial Fire Marshal Basil Nixon (1904-1975) and Agnes Douglas (1909-?). His mother’s family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1922 and lived in a large ca. 1900 home in Burquitlam at 9957 Sullivan Road called “Seven Gables” (recently demolished). His grandfather Thomas Douglas, a Coquitlam Councillor and Socialist, was murdered in 1934 in his North Road service station. Al Nixon began his career as a firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department in 1957, eventually becoming Deputy Fire Chief Operations in 1987 and Fire Chief in 1991, before retiring in 1993. In the mid 1980's Al Nixon became interested in the department’s history after finding a photograph scrapbook at one of the firehalls. It was in very bad condition but he recognized its value and began a project to collect and save photographs, artifacts and stories about the Burnaby Fire Department, a 6 month project that turned into years. The photographs and information gathered by Al Nixon became part of Douglas Penn’s book “Follow that Fire: the history of the Burnaby Fire Department”.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 0:43:35

Interviewee Name: Nixon, Al

Interviewer Bio: Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.

Collection/Fonds: SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

Transcript Available: Transcript available

Media Type: Sound Recording

Web Notes: Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.

Audio Tracks

Track two of interview with Al Nixon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_2.mp3

Burnaby Sports Day

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription85204

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1936 and 1939]

Collection/Fonds: Digney Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 film clip (8 min., 37 sec.) : digital, col., si.

Scope and Content: Item is a digitized copy of a silent colour film segment with footage of the annual Sports Day events held at Burnaby Central Park. The film opens with an unidentified dedication ceremony and tree planting in an unknown location and switches to students marching into Central Park. Hundreds of child…

1 image 1 video

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1936 and 1939]

Collection/Fonds: Digney Family fonds

Physical Description: 1 film clip (8 min., 37 sec.) : digital, col., si.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 562-002-3

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Accession Number: 2012-15

Scope and Content: Item is a digitized copy of a silent colour film segment with footage of the annual Sports Day events held at Burnaby Central Park. The film opens with an unidentified dedication ceremony and tree planting in an unknown location and switches to students marching into Central Park. Hundreds of children and Youth are showcased in sporting field events and competitions such as track and field sports, acrobatics, gymnastics, dancing, leap frog, skipping, rugby.

Subjects: Events - Parades; Occupations; Occupations - Labourers; Organizations - Mens' Societies and Clubs; Organizations - Womens' Societies and Clubs

Media Type: Moving Images

Photographer: Digney, Andy

Creator: Digney, Andy

Notes: Title based on contents of film; Film clip originates from digitized version of original 16 mm film footage (item 562-002). This segment was part of digitized portion titled 'May Day Events'