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Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 25, 2023. The interview is divided into four sections: early life of Harry Toy, the Canada Way Food Market, the Fraser M…

1 document 1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: Many Voices Project Interviews subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recordings (wav) (121min., 14 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (121 min., 13 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewer: Denise Fong Interviewees: Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy Location of Interview: Residence of Harry Toy Interview Date: September 25, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 02:01:13 Digital master recording (wav) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 25, 2023. The interview is divided into four sections: early life of Harry Toy, the Canada Way Food Market, the Fraser Merchants’ Association and Harry's daughters, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy's memories of growing up in Burnaby. 00:00:00 – 00:23:53 Harry Toy shares biographical information about himself and his ancestors. Harry provides information about his migration to Canada and his life in Manitoba, attending school, working at the family restaurant and teaching high school. 00:23:53 – 00:41:16 Harry talks about moving his family to Burnaby and his experiences owning and operating the Canada Way Food Market. 00:41:17 – 00:54:19 Harry talks about his involvement with the Fraser Merchants Association (FMA) and provides some history about the organization. 00:54:20 – 1:22:44 Harry talks about running the Canada Way Food Market and the alterations that he made to the store over the years. Harry and his daughters comment as they look through photographs of Harry and his store and the Fraser Merchants Association. 1:22:45 – 2:01:14 Beverley and Christina talk about their early childhood in Manitoba and growing up in Burnaby. They recall what it was like growing up and working in the family owned store.

History: Interviewee biography: Harry Wee Koon Toy was born in February 9, 1936 in Taikong, Toisan county, Guangdong, China. Harry's father William Toy came to Canada in the early 1920s when he was ten years old. Harry arrived in Vancouver, Canada on September 9, 1950. After staying in Vancouver for one night, he joined his father in Neepawa, Manitoba where the family operated a cafe business (Royal Cafe). Harry grew up in Neepawa and graduated from the University of Manitoba and teacher's college. He became a high school teacher and worked at schools in Minnedosa and Gladstone, Manitoba teaching various subjects including, science, business, geography, history and physical education. Harry and his wife, had three daughters, Melinda, Beverley and Christina who were all born in Neepawa. When the family decided to move to the west coast, Harry was introduced to the grocery store business through an uncle who was a store operator. Around 1970, Harry purchased a grocery store at 4694 Canada Way in Burnaby which he named "Canada Way Food Market" and Harry and his daughters made their home at the back of the store. Harry owned and operated the store for approximately 40 years between 1970 and 2010. Around 1986, Harry purchased the butcher shop next door (4692 Canada Way) which was no longer in operation, expanding his store and adding a second storey to use a residence. Harry's children helped him operate the store throughout their childhood. In the early 1970s, corner stores were threatened by the spread of small chain-operated convenience stories from Eastern Canada to Vancouver. Formed in April 1972, the Fraser Merchants’ Association was established to protect the rights of corner store operators. With no paid legal help, the association was incorporated in Victoria, BC for the cost of 56 cents. The benefits of being a member of the association included warehouse and group purchasing, common advertising and other advantages of being part of an association. Founded by Gary Lee Ling and five others, Fraser Merchants’ Association’s first member was Graham Grocery. By 1978, the association represented over 200 corner stores in the Lower Mainland (Delta, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Coquitlam, and New Westminster) and Fraser Valley. The association remained active into the 1980s and 1990s. Harry has served as President of the Fraser Merchants' Association from 1992 to present. Interviewer biography: Denise Fong is a historical researcher at Burnaby Village Museum. She has degrees in Anthropology (BA) and Archaeology (MA), and is completing her doctoral degree at UBC in Interdisciplinary Studies. Her primary research interests are in Chinese Canadian history and critical heritage studies. She is the co-curator of BVM’s “Across the Pacific” exhibition, and the Museum of Vancouver’s “A Seat at the Table – Chinese Immigration and British Columbia”.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Education; Migration; Occupations - Teachers; Occupations - Grocers; Organizations; Organizations - Business Associations; Persons - Chinese Canadians; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism; Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores

Names: Toy, Christina; Toy, Harry Wee Koon "Harry"; Babey, Beverley; Canada Way Food Market; Fraser Merchants' Association

Responsibility: Fong, Denise

Geographic Access: Canada Way

Street Address: 4694 Canada Way

Accession Code: BV023.16.19

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023

Media Type: Sound Recording

Related Material: See also: BV023.25 - Harry Toy fonds

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcription available

Documents

2023_0016_0019_003

Audio Tracks

Interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy, [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0019_002.mp3

Magee grocery store building

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription14682

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1983]

Collection/Fonds: Century Park Museum Association fonds

Description Level: Item

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

Scope and Content: Photograph of the exterior of the Magee Grocery Store building at it's original location at 6108 Patterson Avenue in Burnaby. The exterior of the building is painted brown and the windows and entrance doors are covered with plywood. Two large pieces of timber supports are visible sticking out of t…

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Century Park Museum Association fonds

Series: Heritage Village Museum exhibits and artifacts series

Description Level: Item

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

Scope and Content: Photograph of the exterior of the Magee Grocery Store building at it's original location at 6108 Patterson Avenue in Burnaby. The exterior of the building is painted brown and the windows and entrance doors are covered with plywood. Two large pieces of timber supports are visible sticking out of the lower side of the building. The building was moved from this site and installed at the southeast end of Hill Street in Heritage Village becoming the Real Estate and Surveyor's Office building.

History: The building was originally located at 3043 (pre-1958) / 6108 Patterson Avenue, Lot 22, Block 33, District Lot 151, Plan 2002. It was built ca. 1929, possibly by Mr. Cuthbert Pratt. Over the years it was used as a confectionary store, grocery store, home, and small boarding house. By 1977, it was operating as the Magee Grocery Store. The building was moved to BVM in May 1977 and then adapted to look like the original Dow, Fraser & Co. Ltd. real estate building.

Subjects: Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores

Names: Burnaby Village Museum

Geographic Access: Patterson Avenue

Street Address: 6108 Patterson Avenue

Accession Code: BV020.5.1521

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1983]

Media Type: Photograph

Scan Resolution: 2400

Scan Date: 17-Nov-2020

Scale: 100

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Magee grocery store building, [1983] thumbnail

Members of Lee family in front of C&L Grocery Confectionery

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription16719

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: April 1968

Collection/Fonds: Quon Lip Lee fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff)

Scope and Content: Photograph of Quon Lip Lee (right) and his eldest son, Gary Lee (centre) standing together with his niece and her children in front of the Lee family corner store, C&L Grocery & Confectionery. The store is located at 6912 Kingsway (corner of Kingsway and Griffiths) and was owned by Quon Lip Lee.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Quon Lip Lee fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph (tiff)

Scope and Content: Photograph of Quon Lip Lee (right) and his eldest son, Gary Lee (centre) standing together with his niece and her children in front of the Lee family corner store, C&L Grocery & Confectionery. The store is located at 6912 Kingsway (corner of Kingsway and Griffiths) and was owned by Quon Lip Lee.

Subjects: Persons - Chinese Canadians; Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores; Buildings - Commercial

Names: Lee, Quon Lip; Lee, Gary; C&L Grocery Confectionery

Geographic Access: Kingsway

Street Address: 6912 Kingsway

Accession Code: BV021.18.3

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: April 1968

Media Type: Photograph

Historic Neighbourhood: Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Edmonds Area

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: April 8, 2021

Scale: 100

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Date stamp on bottom recto of photograph reads: "APR_68"

Images

Members of Lee family in front of C&L Grocery Confectionery, April 1968 thumbnail

Mrs. Brady and Allison

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription58955

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: ca.1983

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 17 x 12.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a woman identified as Mrs. Brady and a child in a shop. Bins of bulk food are in the background. The photograph is from Burnaby Today.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: ca.1983

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 17 x 12.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 480-1400

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: 2009-01

Scope and Content: Photograph of a woman identified as Mrs. Brady and a child in a shop. Bins of bulk food are in the background. The photograph is from Burnaby Today.

Subjects: Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on caption; Caption on recto reads: "Mrs Brady & Allison"; Note on verso reads: "Burnaby / B-4 / 100% / impressed with variety"

Images

Mrs. Brady and Allison, ca.1983 thumbnail

Mrs. Elizabeth Rood

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription58954

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: ca.1983

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.3 x 17.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a woman identified as Mrs. Elizabeth Rood, holding bags inside of a shop. Bins of bulk food are in the background. The photograph is from Burnaby Today.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: ca.1983

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.3 x 17.5 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 480-1399

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: 2009-01

Scope and Content: Photograph of a woman identified as Mrs. Elizabeth Rood, holding bags inside of a shop. Bins of bulk food are in the background. The photograph is from Burnaby Today.

Subjects: Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Note on recto reads: "Mrs. Rood / Elizabeth D"; Note on verso reads: "Burnaby / B-4 / 100% / Certainly ph[?] are better"

Images

Mrs. Margaret Bolster

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription58953

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: ca.1983

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 11.5 x 18 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a woman identified as Mrs. Margaret Bolster. Bins of bulk food are in the background.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: ca.1983

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 11.5 x 18 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 480-1398

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only

Accession Number: 2009-01

Scope and Content: Photograph of a woman identified as Mrs. Margaret Bolster. Bins of bulk food are in the background.

Subjects: Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Note on recto reads: "Mrs Bolster / Margaret"; Note on verso reads: "Burnaby / B-4 / 100% / it's really quite a s[?]"

Images

Mrs. Margaret Bolster, ca.1983 thumbnail

Seafood Market

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription59019

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: ca.1983

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.5 x 25 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a seafood market on Hastings Street and the market's employee. An individual is looking through the window at the seafood from the street.

1 image

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: ca.1983

Collection/Fonds: Columbian Newspaper collection

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.5 x 25 cm

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 480-1426

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Accession Number: 2009-01

Scope and Content: Photograph of a seafood market on Hastings Street and the market's employee. An individual is looking through the window at the seafood from the street.

Subjects: Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores

Media Type: Photograph

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph; Note on verso reads: "Burnaby Today / Hastings page / 64%"

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Magee grocery store building

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Members of Lee family in front of C&L Grocery Confectionery

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Mrs. Brady and Allison

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Mrs. Elizabeth Rood

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Mrs. Margaret Bolster

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Seafood Market

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