Search Results | Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: File contains photographs of unidentified people after a flood in the Big Bend area. Photographs depict a person standing in a farm field and adjusting a plant at Wing Wong's Nursery, and another person wearing a hard hat and posing with a construction vehicle.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 3 photographs (tiff) : col.

Description Level: File

Record No.: 535-3167

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: File contains photographs of unidentified people after a flood in the Big Bend area. Photographs depict a person standing in a farm field and adjusting a plant at Wing Wong's Nursery, and another person wearing a hard hat and posing with a construction vehicle.

Subjects: Agriculture - Farms; Buildings - Agricultural - Nurseries; Construction Tools and Equipment; Natural Phenomena - Floods

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on original file name; Collected by editorial for use in a May 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader

Geographic Access: Marine Drive

Street Address: 4892 Marine Drive

Historic Neighbourhood: Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Big Bend Area

Images

Freda Phillips

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35656

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [192-] (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 Freda Phillips (youngest sister of Gladys Phillips Comberbach) and an unidentified friend working on the farm leased by the Phillips family at 515 Byrne Road (later renumbered 5670 Byrne Road).

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [192-] (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.: 204-514

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1988-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of Freda Phillips (youngest sister of Gladys Phillips Comberbach) and an unidentified friend working on the farm leased by the Phillips family at 515 Byrne Road (later renumbered 5670 Byrne Road).

Subjects: Transportation - Horses; Agricultural Tools and Equipment

Names: Phillips, Freda

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access: Byrne Road

Street Address: 5670 Byrne Road

Historic Neighbourhood: Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Big Bend Area

Images

Freda Phillips, [192-] (date of original), copied 1986 thumbnail

Threshing at Frost's

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34306

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1923

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 12.4 cm on page 17.5 x 24 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a threshing machine working in a field. An unidentified man can be seen sitting on top of a pile of hay on a wagon. Written under the photograph is: "Threshing at Frost's Sept. '23." The picture was taken in the Tynehead area of Surrey.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1923

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Peers family subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 12.4 cm on page 17.5 x 24 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 020-013

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS2007-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of a threshing machine working in a field. An unidentified man can be seen sitting on top of a pile of hay on a wagon. Written under the photograph is: "Threshing at Frost's Sept. '23." The picture was taken in the Tynehead area of Surrey.

Subjects: Agriculture - Crops; Agricultural Tools and Equipment

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on caption accompanying photograph

Images

Interview with Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19611

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1946- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 20 Jan. 2023

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (90 min., 21 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (90 min., 4 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Shushma Datt and her son, Sudhir Datta conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Curator, Jane Lemke and Anushay Malik. 00:00 – 12:47 Interview opens with introductions. Shushma Datt shares information about; where she’s lived in Burnaby sin…

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) (90 min., 21 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (90 min., 4 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewers: Jane Lemke and Anushay Malik Interviewees: Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta Location of Interview: Spice Radio, Norland Avenue, Burnaby Interview Date: January 20, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:30:21 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 Shushma Datt and her son, Sudhir Datta conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Curator, Jane Lemke and Anushay Malik. 00:00 – 12:47 Interview opens with introductions. Shushma Datt shares information about; where she’s lived in Burnaby since immigrating in 1972 and her arranged marriage which lead her to immigrate to Canada. Datt provides detailed information about her family background in Kenya and her parent’s decision to move their family from Kenya to India in the 1960s and then to England in the 1965. Datt describes her family’s experiences living in Kenya and India in the 1960s and provides some context on the political unrest that happened in Kenya which lead her family to leave. 12:48 - 28:07 Datt talks about her time living in England and shares information on her family life and her employment experiences. Datt conveys an experience from her childhood that inspired her to become a broadcaster and shares her experiences working for the BBC oversees service in England (1965-1972). Datt describes some of the articles that she's written for various publications and the people that she's interviewed. Datt highlights a particular experience about writing a critical review about the controversial design on Jimi Hendrix’s album “Axis: Bold as Love” that depicted Hindu religious iconography. 28:09 – 34:47 Datt and Datta provide further details about Datt's arranged marriage which lead her to immigrate to Canada in 1972 and to work as a broadcaster in Canada. Datt recalls her experiences working as a radio station operator for CHQM, a radio broadcaster for CJVB and starting her own South Asian radio station Rim Jhim in 1987. 34:48 – 40:01 Datt and Datta share information on where they’ve lived in Vancouver and Burnaby. Datt and Datta recall pivotal family life events that impacted their lives in 1974. 40:02 – 45:53 Datt recalls the travel trunks and contents that she and her family brought with them when they left Nairobi. Datt describes the letters that her parents wrote. Datt and Datta describe photos of their family and convey the impacts to their family after two of Datt’s brothers died at 24 years of age. 45:54 – 50:56 Interview continues chronologically from 1974, after Datt’s son, Sudhir Datta was born. Datt describes how she had to work hard to help pay her bills and support her family. Datta describes his childhood growing up as a South Asian child living and attending school in Burnaby (1979-1992). Datt and Datta recall Datt’s graduation ceremony and Datta’s Order of British Columbia awards ceremony. 50:57 – 58:03 Datt and Datta talk about food and cooking and where they’ve shopped for traditional food supplies. Datta explains her family lineage as Hindus who eat meat and how she’s been a vegetarian for over 30 years. Datt and Datta share stories about Datt’s mother Leela Datta. 58:04 – 1:05:38 Both Datt and Datta reflect on what’s it’s been like living as South Asians in Burnaby. Datt conveys the message that she got from her mom, Leela Datta "not to assimilate but to integrate". They both reflect on how the ethnic and cultural diversity of neighbourhoods has changed over time and Datt describes his experiences as a student in Burnaby. 1:05:39 – 1:16:51 Datt and Datta talk about the role of religion in their lives, describe the purpose of Radio Rim Jhim and reflect on how the South Asian community has grown in Metro Vancouver and the disparities created within. They both recall how their lives were threatened and impacted in 1984 following an interview that Datt did with Indira Ghandhi. Datt talks about the origins of her and her son’s surnames. 1:16:52 – 1:26:11 Datt and Datta talk about and reflect on their own experiences of racism and discrimination. Datt talks about Spice Radio’s annual campaign “Raise your hands against Racism”. Datt and Datta provide background on the radio stations Rim Jhim and Spice Radio including; how they got started, their unbiased approach to broadcast content and their experiences in the complex realm of broadcasting a multi-cultural radio station. 1:26:12 – 1:30:04 In closing, Datt and Datta convey what they think that younger generations of South Asian Canadians should understand about the South Asian Community in British Columbia.

History: Interviewees biographies: Shushma Datt was born in Nairobi, Kenya in 1946 and is the second eldest of six children. In the 1960s during the unrest in Kenya, her family moved to India. After about nine months of living in India, Datt's family decided to return to Kenya, leaving Datt and her brother to complete their education in India. While living in India, Datt studied at Delhi University and worked at the Indian newspaper. In 1965, Datt, her parents and five siblings decided to leave Kenya and immigrated to England. While living in England, Datt got work as a broadcaster with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) overseas service, producing her first program in 1969. During her time with the BBC, Datt has interviewed many influential artists including Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles as well as the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. In 1972, Datt immigrated to Canada and settled in Burnaby. In late 1973, Datt sponsored her mother who joined her in Burnaby. Datt joined the CJVB radio station in Vancouver working as the Punjabi and Hindi language broadcaster. Datt worked here until 1978 when she started her own radio station, Radio Rim Jhim. In 2005, Datt obtained her own AM radio band license for a multicultural radio station RJ1200 which was later rebranded "Spice Radio". In 2015, Datt launched Spice Radio's annual "Hands Against Racism" campaign which has won awards from the Government of British Columbia and the B.C. Association of Broadcasters. Datt has also been a producer for Omni TV and Shaw TV and was the first woman to obtain a broadcasting license from the Canadian Radio- Television Telecommunications Commission. In 1992, Shushma Datt was awarded the Order of British Columbia and is also the recipient of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. Datt has been listed by the Vancouver Sun newspaper as among the 100 "most influential Indo-Canadians" and has been recognized by the Royal British Columbia Museum as one of the 150 "most influential British Columbians". Sudhir Datta is the only child of Sushma Datt and was born in Burnaby. Datta graduated with a computer science degree from Capilano University in 1995. Datta is the Vice President of Media Broadcasting (founded in 1984) creating television and radio programming for Canada's South Asian Community and has been the General Manager and Program Director of Spice Radio since 2006. Datta is also the author of many articles highlighting the South Asian community in Vancouver. 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”. Jane Lemke has worked in various museums in the Lower Mainland and has been the Curator at Burnaby Village Museum since 2019. Her educational background includes a Master of Arts degree in History and a Master of Museum Studies degree. Her research focus has been on trauma and memory and its role in shaping Canadian identity. She loves sharing memories and stories of Burnaby with the public. Jane sits on the Council of the BC Museums Association and is the Chair of the BC Museums Association Professional Development and Education Committee.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Migration; Occupations - Broadcasters; Occupations - Entrepreneurs; Occupations - Journalists; Persons - South Asian Canadians; Radio Stations; Religions; Religions - Hinduism; Religions - Sikhism; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism

Names: Datt, Shushma; Datta, Sudhir; Datta, Lila Vati "Leela"; Spice Radio; Rim Jhim

Responsibility: Malik, Anushay; Lemke, Jane

Accession Code: BV023.1.3

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1946- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 20 Jan. 2023

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcript available upon request

Audio Tracks

Interview with Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta, [1946- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 20 Jan. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0001_0003_003.mp3

Arthur Francis Peers

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34464

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1927]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 6 x 11.8 cm on page 17.5 x 26.2 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of Arthur Francis Peers standing near railway tracks at an unknown location. Snow can be seen covering the ground and Arthur is pictured wearing winter jacket, boots, hat and mittens. In his right hand he is holding a box camera and he is smoking a pipe. Throughout the late 1920s, Arthu…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1927]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Peers family subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 6 x 11.8 cm on page 17.5 x 26.2 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 020-171

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS2007-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of Arthur Francis Peers standing near railway tracks at an unknown location. Snow can be seen covering the ground and Arthur is pictured wearing winter jacket, boots, hat and mittens. In his right hand he is holding a box camera and he is smoking a pipe. Throughout the late 1920s, Arthur Peers travelled throughout the Fraser Valley, British Columbia during the construction of the Trans-Provincial Highway and documented a lot of the work through his photographs. A caption to this picture reads: "Breaking camp."

Subjects: Photographic Tools and Equipment - Cameras; Occupations - Photographers

Names: Peers, Arthur Francis "Mike"

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Bill Speirs

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35318

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1929 (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 Bill Speirs operating a steam shovel for the municipality of Burnaby. Here he is working on the roads around Gilley Avenue and Imperial Street (formerly Windsor Street).

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1929 (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.: 204-175

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1988-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of Bill Speirs operating a steam shovel for the municipality of Burnaby. Here he is working on the roads around Gilley Avenue and Imperial Street (formerly Windsor Street).

Subjects: Occupations - Labourers; Construction - Road Construction; Construction Tools and Equipment

Names: Speirs, Bill

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access: Gilley Avenue; Imperial Street

Historic Neighbourhood: Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)

Images

Bill Speirs

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35319

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1929 (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 Bill Speirs operating a steam shovel. Bill and his wife, Dell Speirs, moved to Burnaby from Edmonton in 1929.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1929 (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.: 204-176

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1988-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of Bill Speirs operating a steam shovel. Bill and his wife, Dell Speirs, moved to Burnaby from Edmonton in 1929.

Subjects: Occupations - Labourers; Construction - Road Construction; Construction Tools and Equipment

Names: Speirs, Bill

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Chip and Roy at Hart House

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38004

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1929 (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 20.5 x 26.4 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of Chip and Roy, two Australian soldiers or sailors, at Hart House. They are in uniform, and one of them is holding a camera.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1929 (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 20.5 x 26.4 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 370-591

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS1999-03

Scope and Content: Photograph of Chip and Roy, two Australian soldiers or sailors, at Hart House. They are in uniform, and one of them is holding a camera.

Subjects: Photographic Tools and Equipment - Cameras; Occupations - Military Personnel; Clothing - Military Uniforms

Media Type: Photograph

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

Geographic Access: Deer Lake Avenue

Street Address: 6664 Deer Lake Avenue

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Morley-Buckingham Area

Images

Chip and Roy at Hart House, 1929 (date of original), copied 1991 thumbnail

Cutting pile tops for Nicomen Slough Bridge

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34328

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1927

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.8 x 12.2 cm on page 17.5 x 23.7 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of workmen operating machinery to cut pile tops for the Nicomen Slough Bridge, near Deroche.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1927

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Peers family subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.8 x 12.2 cm on page 17.5 x 23.7 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 020-035

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS2007-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of workmen operating machinery to cut pile tops for the Nicomen Slough Bridge, near Deroche.

Subjects: Construction - Bridge Construction; Structures - Bridges; Construction Tools and Equipment; Occupations - Labourers

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on caption accompanying photograph

Images

Cutting pile tops for Nicomen Slough Bridge, 1927 thumbnail

Digging In

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34387

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1926

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 7 cm on page 17.5 x 26.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a steam shovel digging into a hill. A horse team pulling a dump wagon stand next to it. The location is unknown. This photograph appears to have been taken by Arthur Peers, who travelled through the Fraser River Valley and worked on the construction of the Trans-Provincial Highway dur…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1926

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Peers family subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 7 cm on page 17.5 x 26.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 020-094

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS2007-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of a steam shovel digging into a hill. A horse team pulling a dump wagon stand next to it. The location is unknown. This photograph appears to have been taken by Arthur Peers, who travelled through the Fraser River Valley and worked on the construction of the Trans-Provincial Highway during the later 1920s.

Subjects: Land Clearing; Occupations - Labourers; Transportation - Horses; Transportation - Wagons; Construction Tools and Equipment

Media Type: Photograph

Photographer: Peers, Arthur Francis "Mike"

Notes: Title based on caption accompanying photograph

Images

Disco ball maker

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98179

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified person in a studio, using a caulk gun to make a disco ball.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : col.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-3257

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified person in a studio, using a caulk gun to make a disco ball.

Subjects: Occupations - Artists; Construction Tools and Equipment

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Collected by editorial for use in a July 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader

Images

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

Ken Shymka at Still Creek

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98252

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: File

Physical Description: 2 photographs (tiff) : col.

Scope and Content: File contains photographs of photographer Ken Shymka posing with his camera at Still Creek.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 2 photographs (tiff) : col.

Description Level: File

Record No.: 535-3319

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: File contains photographs of photographer Ken Shymka posing with his camera at Still Creek.

Subjects: Occupations - Photographers; Geographic Features - Creeks; Geographic Features - Streams; Photographic Tools and Equipment - Camera

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of file; Collected by editorial for use in a September 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader

Geographic Access: Still Creek

Images

Ken Shymka at Still Creek, [1999] thumbnail

Land surveyor on a road

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription98246

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : b&w

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified land surveyor standing behind a land surveying total station at the curve of a road.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [1999]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby NewsLeader photograph collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff) : b&w

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 535-3313

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2018-12

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified land surveyor standing behind a land surveying total station at the curve of a road.

Subjects: Occupations - Land Surveyors; Photographic Tools and Equipment; Geographic Features - Roads

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Collected by editorial for use in a September 1999 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader

Images

Land surveyor on a road, [1999] thumbnail

Loading a dump wagon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34383

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1926

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.1 x 10.2 cm on page 17.5 x 26.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a man using a steam shovel to load a dump wagon which is being pulled by a team of horses. Another man can be seen sitting on the wagon. Both are unidentified. This photograph appears to have been taken by Arthur Peers, who travelled through the Fraser River Valley and worked on the c…

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1926

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Peers family subseries

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.1 x 10.2 cm on page 17.5 x 26.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 020-090

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Accession Number: BHS2007-04

Scope and Content: Photograph of a man using a steam shovel to load a dump wagon which is being pulled by a team of horses. Another man can be seen sitting on the wagon. Both are unidentified. This photograph appears to have been taken by Arthur Peers, who travelled through the Fraser River Valley and worked on the construction of the Trans-Provincial Highway during the later 1920s.