More like 'Keith Bruneau on the Velodrome'

100 records – page 5 of 5.

Interview with John and Julia Poole by Eric Damer November 24, 2012 - Track 5

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory383
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1961-1969
Length
0:09:27
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to John Poole and Julia (Kong) Poole's memories of activities they took part in outside of school. John discusses his involvement in organized sports and youth groups. Julia discusses her involvement in youth groups organized by her Church. John was in Scouts …
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to John Poole and Julia (Kong) Poole's memories of activities they took part in outside of school. John discusses his involvement in organized sports and youth groups. Julia discusses her involvement in youth groups organized by her Church. John was in Scouts and Julia was in Girl Guides.
Date Range
1961-1969
Photo Info
Julia Kong (later Poole) while at Burnaby North High School, [1968]. Item no. 549-058.
Length
0:09:27
Subjects
Sports
Organizations - Adolescents' Societies and Clubs
Interviewer
Damer, Eric
Interview Date
November 24, 2012
Scope and Content
Recording is an interview with John Poole and Julia (Kong) Poole conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, November 24, 2012. Major themes discussed are: education and recreational activities of the ninteen-sixties.
Biographical Notes
Julia Kong's father moved his family to Capitol Hill in 1953 when Julia was two years old. Julia attended Capitol Hill Elementary and later Burnaby North High School, where she was active in student politics and as a cheerleader. Outside of school she participated in Girl Guides, was an active swimmer, and volunteered in various capacities. After graduation, Julia studied to become a teacher, which included a practicum at Capitol Hill Elementary, and then began a career in education. John Poole, whose father had transferred to the Burnaby RCMP in 1961 when John was ten, attended Burnaby North High School at the same time as Julia, but had earlier attended Schou Street and Lochdale Elementary Schools. John was active in baseball, soccer, and Boy Scouts, and took a keen interest in cars. After high school he opened a transmission shop in Abbotsford before settling into a career with the Vancouver Fire Department. John and Julia married at the Burnaby Village Museum church in 1980 and began their family roots with their first home on Capitol Hill. They later moved with their three children to Surrey where Julia continues to work for the Surrey School district and John is enjoying his retirement.
Total Tracks
8
Total Length
1:03:16
Interviewee Name
Poole, Julia Kong
Poole, John
Interview Location
Burnaby Village Museum
Interviewer Bio
Eric Damer is a lifelong British Columbian born in Victoria, raised in Kamloops, and currently residing in Burnaby. After studying philosophy at the University of Victoria, he became interested in the educational forces that had shaped his own life. He completed master’s and doctoral degrees in educational studies at the University of British Columbia with a particular interest in the history of adult and higher education in the province. In 2012, Eric worked for the City of Burnaby as a field researcher and writer, conducting interviews for the City Archives and Museum Oral History Program.
Collection/Fonds
Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
Series
Burna-Boom Oral History Project series
Transcript Available
None
Media Type
Sound Recording
Images
Audio Tracks

Track five of recording of interview with John and Julia Poole

Less detail

Interview with John and Julia Poole by Eric Damer November 24, 2012 - Track 6

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory384
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1964-2012
Length
0:09:20
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to popular culture. Julia (Kong) Poole discusses popular music of the time, including a popular local band. John discusses his involvement in Drag Racing. John and Julia discuss the difference between the generations (seeing interest in the wars being stronger…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to popular culture. Julia (Kong) Poole discusses popular music of the time, including a popular local band. John discusses his involvement in Drag Racing. John and Julia discuss the difference between the generations (seeing interest in the wars being stronger now than it was before). Julia mentions the Communist takeover in China.
Date Range
1964-2012
Photo Info
Julia Kong (later Poole) while at Burnaby North High School, [1968]. Item no. 549-058.
Length
0:09:20
Subjects
Political Theories
Sports - Automobile Racing
Interviewer
Damer, Eric
Interview Date
November 24, 2012
Scope and Content
Recording is an interview with John Poole and Julia (Kong) Poole conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, November 24, 2012. Major themes discussed are: education and recreational activities of the ninteen-sixties.
Biographical Notes
Julia Kong's father moved his family to Capitol Hill in 1953 when Julia was two years old. Julia attended Capitol Hill Elementary and later Burnaby North High School, where she was active in student politics and as a cheerleader. Outside of school she participated in Girl Guides, was an active swimmer, and volunteered in various capacities. After graduation, Julia studied to become a teacher, which included a practicum at Capitol Hill Elementary, and then began a career in education. John Poole, whose father had transferred to the Burnaby RCMP in 1961 when John was ten, attended Burnaby North High School at the same time as Julia, but had earlier attended Schou Street and Lochdale Elementary Schools. John was active in baseball, soccer, and Boy Scouts, and took a keen interest in cars. After high school he opened a transmission shop in Abbotsford before settling into a career with the Vancouver Fire Department. John and Julia married at the Burnaby Village Museum church in 1980 and began their family roots with their first home on Capitol Hill. They later moved with their three children to Surrey where Julia continues to work for the Surrey School district and John is enjoying his retirement.
Total Tracks
8
Total Length
1:03:16
Interviewee Name
Poole, Julia Kong
Poole, John
Interview Location
Burnaby Village Museum
Interviewer Bio
Eric Damer is a lifelong British Columbian born in Victoria, raised in Kamloops, and currently residing in Burnaby. After studying philosophy at the University of Victoria, he became interested in the educational forces that had shaped his own life. He completed master’s and doctoral degrees in educational studies at the University of British Columbia with a particular interest in the history of adult and higher education in the province. In 2012, Eric worked for the City of Burnaby as a field researcher and writer, conducting interviews for the City Archives and Museum Oral History Program.
Collection/Fonds
Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
Series
Burna-Boom Oral History Project series
Transcript Available
None
Media Type
Sound Recording
Images
Audio Tracks

Track six of recording of interview with John and Julia Poole

Less detail

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 6

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory477
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1956-1990
Length
00:13:27
Summary
This portion of the interview is about the circumstances behind Merrill Gordon’s founding of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club in 1956, his subsequent involvement and role as President of the club for 15 years, and the growth and history of soccer clubs in Burnaby. He also talks about his frien…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about the circumstances behind Merrill Gordon’s founding of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club in 1956, his subsequent involvement and role as President of the club for 15 years, and the growth and history of soccer clubs in Burnaby. He also talks about his friend Mark Stockdale who was second president of the club for 16 years and creator of the rose garden on Burnaby Mountain.
Date Range
1956-1990
Photo Info
Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263
Length
00:13:27
Names
Stockdale, Mark
Cliff Avenue United Football Club
Burnaby Mountain Centennial Rose Garden
Subjects
Persons - Volunteers
Sports - Soccer
Interviewer
Fowler, Rod
Interview Date
March 19, 1990
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
Biographical Notes
Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.
Total Tracks
11
Total Length
1:31:44
Interviewee Name
Gordon, Merrill
Interview Location
unknown
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.
Images
Audio Tracks

Track six of interview with Merrill Gordon

Less detail

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 8

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory479
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1956-1990
Length
00:10:17
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s founding and operation of the youth soccer exchange with Washington State, and the importance of soccer to the community. He discusses the problem of isolation between north and south Burnaby, planned development in Burnaby, and the contributi…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s founding and operation of the youth soccer exchange with Washington State, and the importance of soccer to the community. He discusses the problem of isolation between north and south Burnaby, planned development in Burnaby, and the contributions of Ratepayer groups and volunteers
Date Range
1956-1990
Photo Info
Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263
Length
00:10:17
Subjects
Persons - Volunteers
Sports - Soccer
Public Services - Municipal Services
Planning
Interviewer
Fowler, Rod
Interview Date
March 19, 1990
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 about Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
Biographical Notes
Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.
Total Tracks
11
Total Length
1:31:44
Interviewee Name
Gordon, Merrill
Interview Location
unknown
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.
Images
Audio Tracks

Track eight of interview with Merrill Gordon

Less detail

Interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19610
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1942- 2023] (interview content), interviewed Jan. 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
4 sound recordings (wav) (186 min., 1 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (186 min., 2 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa and Museum Registrar, James Binks. The interview was conducted on January 10, 2023 and January 24, 2023. 00:00 – 08:52 First part of interview…
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
4 sound recordings (wav) (186 min., 1 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (186 min., 2 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewers: Kate Petrusa and James Binks Interviewees: Rajinder and Raj Pandher Location of Interview: Love farmhouse, Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: January 10, 2023 and January 24, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 4 Total Length of all Tracks: (3:06:01 min) Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto four separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa and Museum Registrar, James Binks. The interview was conducted on January 10, 2023 and January 24, 2023. 00:00 – 08:52 First part of interview begins on January 10. Rajinder Pander provides information on where he was born and where he grew up and shares details regarding his family and his childhood including; his elementary and high school education and experiences and his involvement and interest in the sport of field hockey. 08:53 – 23:24 Raj Pander provides information on where she was born and shares details regarding her family and education. Raj recalls details of her family life in India including her family farm, her father’s service in the Indian National Army and other ancestor’s involvement in the military. Rajinder assists with the details regarding Raj’s father’s military service and explains how he was highly decelerated for his heroic actions. Rajinder conveys further information in reference to the Sikh Empire. 23:25 – 35:53 Rajinder and Raj share information on their formal education. Raj explains how she learned English and talks about the other spoken languages that her family used while she was growing up. Rajinder and Raj recall how they first met which lead them to marry in 1971. Rajinder provides information about his older brothers who left India before him. He explains how his elder brother, Kirpal Singh Pandher immigrated to Canada in 1970 and provides details on his other brother who lived in Malaysia and England before coming to Canada in 1975. Rajinder conveys how after his brother, Kirpal Singh Pandher arrived in Canada, he lived in Campbell River and worked at the saw mill there. 35:54 – 1:01:38 Rajinder and Raj share their immigration stories including details of; what lead them to immigrate, their immigration route, what they brought with them and where they lived and worked. Rajinder and Raj tell of how they both faced discrimination in finding work that they were qualified for and describe some of the jobs that they worked at before obtaining their Real Estate licences. 1:01:39 – 1:13:09 Rajinder and Raj share information on where they’ve purchase traditional food supplies in Burnaby and Rajinder provides further details on his employment and recalls how they were able to purchase their first home in Burnaby. 1:13:10 - 1:19:33 Rajinder describes how he began writing for the Sikh newsletter “The Western Sikh Samachar”. Rajinder shares how he first started printing small pamphlets of Sikh Cultural history in 1975 and how he’s been volunteering with the National Democratic Party (NDP) since 1973. 1:19:34 - 1:38:24 Second part of interview continues on January 24, 2023. Rajinder provides further information about the Sikh newsletter “The Western Sikh Samachar”, provides an historical summary of the Sikh Empire and the Sikh religion and describes a book that’s he’s written about his culture and the village he lived in India. 1:38:25 - 1:52:24 Raj describes some of the traditional textiles that she’s created including a dury, embroidered cloth (pakha and pakhi) and clothing. Raj shares a story of a train derailment in India in which her father survived. 1:52:25 - 2:14:53 Raj Pandher talks about her father’s letters and diaries, Rajinder talks about receiving a Diamond Jubilee Medal for his community service and they both talk about their daughter Amanjit’s education and career accomplishments. Raj describes her involvement in the community council of her children’s school and both Raj and Rajinder describe their involvement in multicultural education and events that they were involved with in Burnaby and New Westminster. Interviewer lists Rajinder Pandher’s many volunteer awards and accomplishments. 2:14:54 - 2:39:53 Raj and Rajinder describe some of their family photographs as well as personal items from India including decorative arts and textiles. They talk about celebrating their 30 year wedding anniversary and the origin of their Sikh names. Rajinder describes a visit to Paldi in 1977 when the whole family was baptized at the Sikh temple and provides informaton about Hardial Singh Atwal, the first Sikh child born in Canada. Rajinder discusses what he thinks a cookhouse looked like, his friendship with former Mayor William J. Copeland and wages of South Asians working in sawmills. 2:39:54 - 3:06:01 Raj and Rajinder talk about food including where they’ve purchased traditional South Asian foods and what they grow in their home garden. Rajinder provides details about the Burnaby Multicultural Society, talks about South Asian work ethics and housing and shares some of the cultural and religious traditions of Sikhs and celebrations that take place in Vancouver and Burnaby.
History
Interviewees biographies: Rajinder Pandher was born five years prior to the Partition of India in the Village of Jhamat, Ludhiana District, Punjab. Raj Pandher was born in 1948 in the Village of Chapar, Ludhiana District, Punjab. Rajinder played field hockey while living in India and is passionate about the sport. Both Rajinder and Raj Pahndher attended college in India and were married in India in 1971. Rajinder Pandher immigrated to Canada in 1972 and his wife, Raj Pandher joined him in 1973. After arriving in Canada, Rajinder Pandher started working at a sawmill in Campbell River but didn't like the work and moved to Vancouver to find better employment opportunties. In 1976, the couple moved to Burnaby and rented until they could buy a home a year later. They raised two children who attended Second Street Elementary School and Cariboo Hill Secondary School in Burnaby. Rajinder and Raj Pandher were both very involved with multicultural efforts at their childlren's schools including turban tying and sari demonstrations and Rajinder was a founding member of the Burnaby Multicultural Society. Interviewers biographies: Kate Petrusa is the Assistant Curator at the Burnaby Village Museum. In her role, she manages all aspects of the collection – including caring for physical artifacts and making their digital counterpart accessible. Before coming to Burnaby Village Museum in 2019, Kate has worked at several Museums around the Lower Mainland as a Curator and contractor since 2013. James Binks has lived in the Lower Mainland since 2009 after relocating from Ontario. James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia, where he conducted researched on heritage, environment, and globalization in India, Nepal, and Italy. At Burnaby Village Museum, James contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Education
Housing
Employment
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Persons - Volunteers
Religions - Sikhism
Migration
Organizations
Organizations - Societies and Clubs
Social Issues - Racism
Social Issues
Celebrations
Sports - Field Hockey
Names
Pandher, Raj
Pandher, Rajinder
Copeland, William J.
Pandher, Harman
Pandher, Amanjit
Burnaby Multicultural Society
The Western Sikh Samachar
Responsibility
Petrusa, Kate
Binks, James
Accession Code
BV023.1.2
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1942- 2023] (interview content), interviewed Jan. 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Transcripts available upon request
Audio Tracks

Interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher, [1942- 2023] (interview content), interviewed Jan. 2023

Interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher, [1942- 2023] (interview content), interviewed Jan. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0001_0002_003.mp3
Less detail

Interview with Richard Liu

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20283
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
3 sound recordings (wav) (153 min., 33 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (152 min., 59 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Richard Liu conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 11, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:26:39 Richard Liu shares biographical information about himself and his family in China. He talks about his family being forced…
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
3 sound recordings (wav) (153 min., 33 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (152 min., 59 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewer: Denise Fong Interviewee: Richard Liu Location of Interview: Love farmhouse at Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: September 11, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 3 Total Length of all Tracks: 02:33:33 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto three separate audio tracks, edited and merged together into one track and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Richard Liu conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 11, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:26:39 Richard Liu shares biographical information about himself and his family in China. He talks about his family being forced out by the communist regime in the early ‘50s and their experiences immigrating to Hong Kong, Europe and Canada. 00:26:40 - 00:32:59 Richard talks about his parents’ experiences living in Toronto, Victoria and Burnaby and shares some of his father’s business accomplishments including establishing the first direct flight to Beijing in 1987 and the first sister city between China and Canada. 00:33:00 – 01:13:59 Richard talks about living in Burnaby and his educational experiences at Thomas More Collegiate. He recalls his experience of travelling to North Korea in 1988 and being a student at Peking University in Beijing during the student-led demonstrations in Tiananmen Square and the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. 01:14:00 – 01:26:16 Richard talks about his education and reflects on how his experiences in Beijing influenced his education and career choices including working in the Prime Minister’s office on trade missions to China and talks about the importance of leaning French. 01:26:17 – 01:48:35 Richard shares his memories and experiences of; being on the Canadian Paralympic Committee during the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games in China, supporting Rick Hansen during his visit to China for the 25th anniversary of the Man in Motion World Tour and working with Team Canada in China for the 2022 Olympic Games. 01:48:36 – 01:52:22 Richard talks about his life in Burnaby after moving back from China in 2014 and the changes he’s noticed since being away. Richard talks about his involvement with St. John Ambulance, his role as the Honorary Brigade Division President and his role as Heritage Commissioner for the City of Burnaby. 02:14:32 – 02:29:27 Richard talks about his investiture to the Order of Saint John in 2023 and reflects on the accomplishments of his great uncle Dr. Shin-Shu Liu (China’s first Ambassador to Canada). 02:29:28 – 02:32:59 In closing Richard imparts some words of wisdom for future generations.
History
Interviewee biography: Richard N. Liu was born in 1970 in Toronto and raised in British Columbia. Richard's family has distinguished Canada-China ties for three generations. His Great-Uncle, Dr. Liu Shih-shun, was China's first Ambassador to Canada in 1942 and his father, Dr. Liu Dun-ren, built relations in education, culture and tourism for three decades including establishing the first Twin Sister City between Canada and China with Victoria and Suzhou in 1980. Richard's maternal great-grandfather, Dr. Wu Han-chi (1872-1913) played an active role in uprisings that shaped the future of modern China, was an elected member of the lower house of the first formal parliament in 1913 and was assassinated on political grounds. Dr. Wu's daughter, Dr. Wu Chi-mei served Dr. Sun Yat-sen, was elected as a Guangzhou City Councillor and visited Vancouver in 1929 and 1932. After graduating from St. Thomas More Collegiate in Vancouver, Richard Liu moved to China to begin his studies at Peking University but in 1989, following the Tiananmen Square protest and massacre, he was evacuated from China and returned to Canada. While back in Canada, Liu completed a BA in East Asian Studies from the University of British Columbia and in 1993, he returned to China to continue his Chinese studies at Peking University and continued to live in China for twenty years. In 2008, Richard worked as Team Canada’s Attaché for the Paralympic Summer Games that took place in Beijing. In 2014, Liu returned to Canada and made his home in Burnaby with his wife and two children. In 2022, Liu returned to Beijing to serve as Mission Staff member for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics. Richard has also played a leading role with the Terry Fox Run, Special Olympics and Rick Hansen's visit to Beijing in 2011. Liu’s areas of expertize include; public relations, diplomacy, major events organization and education. Liu works as an advisor in East Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia and is a MA Candidate at Peking University. Richard founded the Canadian Alumni Network that connects over 16,000 alumni in China who’ve attended Canada's post-secondary institutions. Liu has been a commissioner with the City of Burnaby’s Heritage Commission (2018-2023) and sits on various boards advising companies and organizations on a variety of sectors pertaining to Asia. In 2019, Liu was appointed the Honorary Brigade Division President for St. John Ambulance and was among 13 UBC Alumni to be recognized and awarded the 2018-2019 UBC Alumni Builder Award “For his service, dedication, and contribution to UBC and its alumni community. For his long record of service fostering connections with alumni and students in Beijing and Asia as well as dedication to mentoring students in the Faculty of Arts.” On June 24 2023, Richard was formally invested into the Order of St. John, one of five national orders in the Canadian Honours System. 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
Persons - Chinese Canadians
Migration
Officials
Education
Protests and Demonstrations
Social Issues
Social Issues - Racism
Sports
Travel
Religions - Christianity
Names
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Chak, Dr. Po Tin
Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC
Liu, Richard N.
Liu, Dr. Dun-ren
Liu, Dr. Shih-Shun
Gigli, Beniamino
Hansen, Richard Marvin "Rick"
Olympic Games
Paralympic Games
Peking University
St. John Ambulance
St. Thomas More Collegiate
Tiananmen Square
University of British Columbia
Responsibility
Fong, Denise
Accession Code
BV023.16.17
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
transcription available
Documents
Audio Tracks

Interview with Richard Liu, [1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023

Interview with Richard Liu, [1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0017_004.mp3
Less detail

Interview with Cice Brown, May 13, 2005 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription4477
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
1930-1949 (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (mp3) (0:06:11 min)
Scope and Content
Track 2: This portion of the recording pertains to responsibilities, chores, and money. Cice recalls her chores, and how she spent her allowance. She describes her jobs in Mr. Pitman’s drygoods stores, on Kingsway and on Jubilee Ave., and in Anne Reid’s candy shop. Asked about church, Cice discuss…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Museum Oral Histories series
Subseries
Growing Up in Burnaby subseries
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (mp3) (0:06:11 min)
Material Details
Interviewer: Tom Gooden Interviewee: Cice Brown Date of interview: May 13, 2005 Total Number of Tracks: 7 Total length of all Tracks: 0:40:19
Scope and Content
Track 2: This portion of the recording pertains to responsibilities, chores, and money. Cice recalls her chores, and how she spent her allowance. She describes her jobs in Mr. Pitman’s drygoods stores, on Kingsway and on Jubilee Ave., and in Anne Reid’s candy shop. Asked about church, Cice discusses her involvement with the Henderson-Jubilee United church, and C.G.I.T..
History
Recording of an interview with Cice Brown, interviewed by Tom Gooden on May 13 2005. This recording was completed for an exhibit, Growing Up in Burnaby, for the Burnaby Village Museum. Major themes discussed are growing up in Burnaby in the 1930s and 40s.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Buildings - Commercial - General Stores
Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores
Buildings - Commercial - Stores
Names
Brown, Cice Chandler
Geographic Access
Kingsway
Jubilee Avenue
Accession Code
BV017.45.3
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Date
1930-1949 (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Audio Tracks

Interview with Cice Brown, May 13, 2005 - Track 2, 1930-1949 (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005

Interview with Cice Brown, May 13, 2005 - Track 2, 1930-1949 (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2017_0045_0003_002.mp3
Less detail

Interview with Janet White May 10, 2005 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription4468
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[195-] (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (mp3) (0:04:14 min)
Scope and Content
Track 2: This portion of the recording pertains to childhood responsibilities, chores, and early jobs, and the growth of Burnaby as experienced by a child. Janet describes her chores, and her first jobs at the PNE, Sears, and Super Value. She discusses how she used her allowance and employment inco…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Museum Oral Histories series
Subseries
Growing Up in Burnaby subseries
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (mp3) (0:04:14 min)
Material Details
Interviewer: Tom Gooden Interviewee: Janet White Date of interview: May 10, 2005 Total Number of Tracks: 8 Total length of all Tracks: 0:31:34
Scope and Content
Track 2: This portion of the recording pertains to childhood responsibilities, chores, and early jobs, and the growth of Burnaby as experienced by a child. Janet describes her chores, and her first jobs at the PNE, Sears, and Super Value. She discusses how she used her allowance and employment incomes.
History
Recording of an interview with Janet White recording by Tom Gooden on May 10 2005. This recording was completed for an exhibit, Growing Up in Burnaby, for the Burnaby Village Museum. Major themes discussed are growing up in Burnaby in the 1950s.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Buildings - Commercial
Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores
Buildings - Commercial - Stores
Names
Gooden, Tom
White, Janet
Accession Code
BV017.45.1
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[195-] (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005
Media Type
Sound Recording
Audio Tracks

Interview with Janet White May 10, 2005 - Track 2, [195-] (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005

Interview with Janet White May 10, 2005 - Track 2, [195-] (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2017_0045_0001_002.mp3
Less detail

Interview with Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19346
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1600-2022] (interview content), interviewed 7 Oct. 2022
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
2 sound recordings (wav) (111 min., 51 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (111 min., 51 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. During the interview Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar discusses and provides in…
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) (111 min., 51 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (111 min., 51 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewers: Anushay Malik, Rajdeep Co Interviewer and technical support: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Nadeem Parmar Location of Interview: Residence of Nadeem Parmar in Burnaby Interview Date: October 7, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:51:51 min Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. During the interview Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar discusses and provides information on; his ancestral background, his education, his employment background, his experiences of racial discrimmination as a South Asian immigrant, saw mills established by South Asian relations in Paldi (Vancouver Island), in North Vancouver and Burnaby, family relations in the South Asian Canadian community and in regions in Punjab, the caste system, his literary works, locations of family homes in Burnaby, the architectural design of his house, personal stories and anecdotal information as a South Asian Canadian living and working in Canada. 00:00 – 01:45 The framework and purpose of the interview is explained to interviewee Nadeem Parmar by interviewers Rajdeep and Anushay Malik. The interviewers explain how the information from this interview can be drawn on for Burnaby Village Museum’s future exhibits and also how researchers will learn more about the history of the South Asian community in Burnaby through residents’ stories. Interview begins with Nadeem providing his full name "Kulwant Singh Parmar". He clarifies that his name was given to him by his grandfather who was a civil engineer and that his father also worked as a civil engineer. Nadeem expresses that he was born with a “silver spoon in his mouth” as a descendent of his maternal grandfather who was a successful landlord. Nadeem explains that when the Partition of India came into effect, (1947) he was 11 years old. He and his family left the partitioned side, his native village was located in Punjab and his forefathers were located in Rajasthan. 3:20 – 4:57 Nadeem explains further about his forefathers who came from Rajasthan. He shares information about his ancestor on his father’s side, named Vijay Singh who was friends with Emperor Jahangir. When fighting began against Jahangir he left the area to head to the middle of central India, then to the Punjab area with small states. As a clan, as a Parmar, he conveys there were about eleven or twelve villages with the same name. Interviewer, Anushay helps Nadeem to clarify the time period of this information. Nadeem refers to the time period being similar to the epic historical film “Moghal-e-Azam” and Anushay confirms the time period being the 1600s when they left Rajasthan. 4:58 – 10:59 Interviewer Anushay asks Nadeem to about his migration to Canada. Nadeem conveys that his first ancestor on his in-laws side of the family migrated around 1889. Further discussion ensues about reading Punjabi and how interviewer Rajdeep can read Punjabi and that she comes from the village of "Lakhpur" in Punjab. Rajdeep notes that “Lakhpur” is near "Phagwara". Nadeem clarifies that his village is "Panchat" and this family used to live in "Phagwara". and Nadeem and Rajdeep compare their familiarity and memories of the area. Nadeem conveys some of his comments in Punjabi and then changes to English. Nadeem recollects when the Japanese bombarded Shillong, he was around seven years old and attended missionary school. The only languages that were taught were English and Persian. Nadeem conveys that his mother had hopes of Nadeem becoming an army officer and moving up the ranks but Nadeem wasn’t interested. Nadeem attended college, graduated with a Bachelor of Science, BSC with Physics and Chemistry, followed by another Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and finally a degree in his favourite subject in the language of Urdu. He completed these degrees in Punjab in Doaba College, Jalandher. Nadeem recollects how he started teaching but wasn’t getting paid very well. When he was at college, with encouragement from his professor, Veer Pankalia [sic] he began writing poetry and short plays. His professor also introduced him to a famous poet of Punjab, Mila Ram Offa [sic] and he gave him the name of Nadeem. Nadeem explains the meaning of the name “Nadeem” “…the one who know about it, inside out…” even though we generally think of the meaning being “friend” it’s not just about friend. 11:00 -24:48 Nadeem provides background information on how he ended up marrying his future wife who was born in India and immigrated to Canada with her family. Nadeem explains how the marriage was arranged through family relations that were already established in Punjab over a century ago. One of his wife’s ancestors, head of the family called “baniye” (traders) immigrated to Canada in [1899]. This relation returned to Punjab where he had nephews, the youngest of the nephews was Nadeem’s father (Lashman Singh Manhas) in law’s father (Sher Singh Manhas). He expresses that his wife’s ancestor couldn’t bring Nadeem’s father in law’s father since he was only 12 or 13 years old but he brought three of the nephews back to Canada with him. The nephews were named, Pola Singh, Ginaya Singh and Doman Singh (also named Dolmans). He describes how the group left India but it took them two to three years before they arrived in Canada. The group travelled to Burma, Indonesia and Hong Kong before landing in San Francisco. From San Francisco they walked and worked on the rail line before entering Canada and arriving in Grand Forks. The men got work on the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and eventually made their way to the lower mainland. Nadeem conveys that the younger brother of Ginaya Singh, Maya Singh joined the others in Canada taking the same route, arriving in Bridal Falls where they were working at a saw mill and in CP rail construction. He describes Maya Singh as business minded and since he was too young to work in the mill, he began working as a cook and then began growing potatoes on land that he leased from a Dutch land owner. The local mill at Bridal Falls was facing bankruptcy and Maya Singh arranged to lease the mill, eventually buying it. From there the group moved their business to Strawberry Hill in Surrey and when the sale of logs declined, they moved over to Vancouver Island and established a sawmill with Doman Singh in the community of Paldi (originally known as Mayo Lumber) near Duncan. He explains further how the South Asian community helped each other like they did back home. He clarifies that his father in law’s father is the youngest cousin of Ginaya and Doman Singh and when he died, his father in law’s younger brother started Kashmir Lumber. Eventually his father in law (Lashman Singh Manhas) and the rest of the whole family including cousins and nephews were sponsored by their relations and immigrated to Canada. Nadeem explains how in 1959, his brother in law returned home to Punjab to get married, bringing his family with him. He tells of how during this time period, a marriage was arranged by his parents for him to marry his future wife. Nadeem recollects how this came to be. Nadeem and his wife Surjeet married in Punjab in December 1960, Nadeem was 24 years old and his wife was 18 years old. 24:49 – 39:42 Nadeem describes how he obtained his teaching degree from Ramgarhia College in Phagwara (located in the Kapurhtala district of Punjab) and after a disagreement with a teacher at home, he decided to go to England. He explains how he joined his brother who had moved to England and was working as a labourer. Nadeem tells of the difficulties he faced applying for a teaching job in England and how he had to go back to school to help with his English pronunciation. Nadeem explains that after taking this course, he got work teaching Grade two students which he felt was below his qualifications (he mentions that while living in Punjab, he was a Secondary School teacher) and the pay was very low. He discovered that his brother was making more money working as a labourer so Nadeem became discouraged and quit. When Nadeem couldn’t find work as a labourer, his brother advised him to shave off his beard. Nadeem conveys how difficult it was for him to shave off his beard and how once he was clean shaven he got work as a sweeper in a factory. He shares his experience of working in the factory and of how with his former education he got himself promoted to a more technical position. With encouragement from his employer, Nadeem enrolled in technical courses which lead to him obtaining an HNC Engineering Degree. He completed the course work in two years, obtaining skills in microwave communication becoming the senior test engineer at the factory. While working in this position, Nadeem shares how he suffered discrimination when he was passed over for a senior chief engineer position at the factory by a less educated and experienced employee. 39:43 – 53:38 Nadeem recollects how things changed for him in the 1970s. It began with his father in law (Lashman Singh Manhas) passing away in 1970 while he and his family were living on 18th Street in Burnaby. His father in law had been working at the saw mill, Kashmir Lumber Company in North Vancouver that was owned by his father in law’s younger brother (Kashmir Singh Manhas). The mill had burnt down and many of the workers lost everything. Nadeem confides that during this time, his wife was suffering from depression and wanted to be with her mother back in Canada now that her father had passed away. Nadeem emphasizes how his wife’s family (over 300 relatives) in Canada often get together every year on July 1st in Paldi near Duncan. In 1972, Nadeem arrived in Canada on his own to find work but was unsuccessful so he and his wife made plans to move to Uganda where he was offered a job. In 1973, when his visa didn’t come through for Uganda, Nadeem, his wife and two children decided to come to Canada. Nadeem describes that after several unsuccessful experiences to find skilled work in Canada, he eventually found work at Canadian National Telecommunications. During this time, Nadeem and his family lived with his father in law’s family at 5216 Pandora Street in Burnaby and in 1974, Nadeem purchased a house at 131 Fell Avenue in Burnaby. Nadeem provides further details of when the families lived at these different addresses and how in 1983 he had a house built on Woodsworth Street where he is still living now. He conveys some of the history of the lot where his current house resides including details on the lot subdivision, lot ownership and the cost of building his new house. Nadeem tells of how he designed his home with help from his son who was working as an apprentice with architect Arthur Erikson at the time. He describes the architectural interior as an open concept design, in an “L” shape in honour of his father “Lakhmir Singh”. Nadeem shares information on his mother’s name which was Jamna (prior to her marriage) and became Davinder Kaur after she was married. (Note: Jamna was her name before marriage. Traditionally after a woman is married, her husband’s family changes her first name because she is now considered a part of a new family). 53:39 – 58:56 Nadeem provides information on his career working as CNCP technician working with CPIC systems and how he was promoted to a new position. Nadeem inserts a quote from a Punjabi poem which he translates to English as “Somebody asked the blind people. What do you need? He said, do you need two eyes?, he said, what else do I need?”. Nadeem conveys how in 1986 his mother passed away so he went back home to the village of Lakhpur where his father and younger brother were living. His father and younger brother were on their own and in 1986 they decided to demolish the family home. He explains that there’s a college there now and that a library was built at this location in the name of his grandfather. 58:57 – 1:04:38 Nadeem shares how he suffered a heart attack in 1990 during the marriage ceremony of his son in Williams Lake. Nadeem talks about the complicated relations of the South Asian families and the saw mill owners in Paldi and comments on the problems with the caste system that provokes discrimination within the South Asian community. Nadeem refers to disputes that arose amongst mill owners and investors that included Kapoor Singh Siddoo, Mayo Singh, Gurdial Singh Teja and Ginaya Singh which caused problems amongst his family and also lead to Kapoor Singh selling his portion of the mill. Nadeem spells “Ginaya” Singh’s name and explains that this name is the nickname for “Krishna”. Nadeem provides his insight into the joint ownership of the saw mills located in Paldi and how the the joint ownership was dissolved in 1952. Nadeem clarifies that Ginaya Singh also left Paldi and that Ginaya Singh’s wife is his mother in law’s aunt and that he also moved to Burnaby. Nadeem explains the proper name spelling of mill owner “Mayo Singh” and that the correct spelling is actually “Mayan Singh” but he changed it to “Mayo” when it was mis-pronounced. Nadeem also comments on the problems that he encountered in 1970 on the pronunciation of his own name while living in England and at one point his employer referred to him as “Paul”. 1:04:39 – 1:18:50 Nadeem relays that when he emigrated from India and to Canada that he carried his personal possessions in a small suitcase made from cardboard since the weight limit on the airplane was just three pounds. He conveys that many of his relations have all suffered from heart problems including Ginaya Singh and his children. Nadeem shares that Ginaya Singh’s three sons all lived in Burnaby. Nadeem conveys that many South Asians lived in Burnaby and many worked at saw mills in North Vancouver and in the L&K sawmill near Pemberton. Nadeem explains further about the how the disagreements came to be between Mayo Singh and Kapoor Singh. He describes how each had a different business strategy in harvesting lumber and that there were feuds amongst the families. Nadeem provides further details on the root of the family feuds. Nadeem provides definitions for certain Punjabi terms that he’s using including “Mehta”(meaning lowest class of farmers, foreigner as well head as a title given to people of a clan living in the area) and ‘Panchat”, the name of his family village that was built and founded by five brothers and one nephew (Panj- meaning five and the sound “cht” meaning six). Nadeem explains that these terms were given to people from his own clan living in the area because it was small. Nadeem explains further about status that is based on money and the Punjabi terms “Parsu”, “Parsa” and “Pasaram” that are often used to describe a person. When you are poor the term “Parsu” is used and when you become rich the term “Pasaram” is used. Nadeem refers to Mayo Singh as a Pasaram as the second most successful millner in British Columbia, second to Frederick John Hart. Nadeem mentions that Ginaya Singh, elder brother to Mayo Singh helped provide the finances to start the mill and when there was a disagreement, Ginaya Singh left the mill business, moved his family to Burnaby and began working in insurance. Nadeem shares the sad story of Ginaya Singh’s sudden death (in 1953). Nadeem states that many of the people who left the mills at Paldi went to work at the Kapoor Mill in Burnaby and some relocated to the Interior of British Columbia. Nadeem mentions that his father in law (Lashman Singh Manhas) was able to purchase a house on 18th Street in along with other residences that he bought with his hard earned money working in the farms and mills, 16 hours per day, seven days a week. 1:18:51 – 1:32:04 Nadeem explains why he thinks that most South Asian people worked in the mills in the earlier days. Nadeem conveys that since Sikh men wore beards and turbans they encountered discrimination and were unable to get work in the business community. Nadeem shares his own personal experiences of wearing a turban and the discrimination he’s encountered while living in Scotland and Canada. Nadeem mentions that a defense committee was formed to protect the Gurdwaras and people’s homes from being vandalized due to racial discrimination. Nadeem describes some of the troubles that he’s encountered in his own neighbourhood when he had to call the police. Nadeem shares a personal experience just after 9/11 where he was the target of racial discrimination in the parking lot of Burnaby Lake. Nadeem emphasizes that he has experienced many incidents of racial discrimination, especially in the workplace and that this was not unusual for him. 1:32:05 – 1:36:19 Nadeem talks about his interest in writing and his many literary works including 12 novels that he’s written in Punjabi. Nadeem highlights a few books that he’s written including a book titled “Rape” and another one titled “Sponsorship” which conveys the complex nature of people immigrating to Canada. Nadeem mentions a particular book about AIDS, titled “Wide Net” that he’s been trying to get published. Nadeem speaks to the challenges and high costs of trying to get his works published. Nadeem provides a brief synopsis of his book “Wide Net”. Nadeem relays that this is a personal account of a gay couple that he knew where one of the partners died of AIDS and that the couple gave Nadeem permission to tell their tragic story. 1:36:20 – 1:51:51 Nadeem talks about his children and compares their experiences to his own as a South Asian immigrant. Nadeems talks about the accomplishments of his son, his daughter and grandchildren including their education and careers. Nadeem says that his children are well educated and well established in their careers. Nadeem’s children attended Capitol Hill Elementary School and North Burnaby High School in Burnaby. Nadeem shares specifics of his son’s career history. Nadeem expresses that he still considers Canada to be the best country for opportunities and that he prefers to live in Burnaby rather than Surrey and shares some personal anecdotes. Nadeem lists some local places that he’s shopped for South Asian groceries and spices rather than travelling to Surrey. He mentions shopping at Kelly Douglas, stores in Chinatown, small grocers on Capitol Hill, Patel’s on Commercial Drive and Main Street. As an aside Nadeem mentions that he worked as a security guard and the wages that he earned. Nadeem comments that he has been awarded various certificates and certifications from his education and career over the years, including a Bachelor of Science. The interviewers further express their interest in seeing the cardboard case that Nadeem brought with him when immigrating to Canada. In closing Nadeem states that his favourite food from back home was kheer (rice pudding).
History
Interviewee biography: Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar was born June 9, 1936, Chuck 138 in Lyalpur (India before 1947) to parents Lakhmir Singh Parmar and Davinder Kaur Jamana Parmar. Nadeem grew up in the village of Panchat in the northern region of Punjab, India. Nadeem married his wife Surjeet in Punjab in 1960. After marrying the couple immigrated to England where Nadeem was already working. While living in England, Nadeem and Surjeet had two children. After Surjeet's father died in Canada in 1972, Nadeem, Surjeet and their two children immgrated to Canada, joining Surjeet's family who were living in Burnaby. After Nadeem immigrated to Burnaby in 1973 he worked various jobs before working with CN/CP Telecommunications. Nadeem holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Teaching from Punjab University and a diploma from the London Board of Education (L.B.E.) and a P.Eng. from Lancaster. He has seven books published in Punjabi, three in Urdu and is published in eight anthologies. He is fluent in Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi. 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
Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores
Buildings - Industrial - Saw Mills
Buildings - Industrial - Factories
Education
Employment
Industries - Logging/lumber
Migration
Occupations - Engineers
Occupations - Millworkers
Occupations - Teachers
Occupations - Writers
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Social Issues
Social Issues - Racism
Names
Parmar, Kalwant Singh "Nadeem"
Kapoor Sawmills Limited
Siddoo, Kapoor Singh
Teja, Gurdial Singh
Parmar, Surjeet Kaur
Manhas, Ghania Singh
Singh, Mayo
Manhas, Kashmir Singh
Manhas, Sher Singh
Manhas, Budhan Kaur
Manhas, Lashman Singh
Responsibility
Malik, Anushay
Rajdeep
Geographic Access
Woodsworth Street
Accession Code
BV022.29.1
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1600-2022] (interview content), interviewed 7 Oct. 2022
Media Type
Sound Recording
Historic Neighbourhood
Capitol Hill (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Douglas-Gilpin Area
Capitol Hill Area
Related Material
See also BV022.29.5 - Interview with Surjeet Kaur Parmar
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Spelling of "Ginaya Singh" found as "Ghania Singh Manhas" in obituary and death certificate
Interview is conducted in English with various segments of discussion in Punjabi
Transcript of interview available upon request
Audio Tracks
Less detail

Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 7

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory470
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1936-1990
Length
00:04:34
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon describing the importance of good record keeping, using an example of an 1936 fire record used in a civic law suit. He expressed concerned about the lack of museum and archives facilities in Burnaby.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon describing the importance of good record keeping, using an example of an 1936 fire record used in a civic law suit. He expressed concerned about the lack of museum and archives facilities in Burnaby.
Date Range
1936-1990
Length
00:04:34
Subjects
Buildings - Civic - Archives
Buildings - Civic - Museums
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
Less detail

Interview with Don Brown by Rod Fowler February 26, 1990 - Track 4

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory505
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1954-1963
Length
00:05:41
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Don Brown’s memories of what familiar places were like in 1954 and how they had changed when he returned to Burnaby in 1963, particularly mentioning Kingsway, Grandview, and the Lake City industrial park on Burnaby Mountain
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Don Brown’s memories of what familiar places were like in 1954 and how they had changed when he returned to Burnaby in 1963, particularly mentioning Kingsway, Grandview, and the Lake City industrial park on Burnaby Mountain
Date Range
1954-1963
Photo Info
Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sergeant Don Brown, November 2, 1997. Item no. 535-0979
Length
00:05:41
Subjects
Buildings
Buildings - Commercial - Drive-In Theatres
Industries
Transportation - Automobiles
Historic Neighbourhood
Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Lake City Area
Douglas-Gilpin Area
Maywood Area
Interviewer
Fowler, Rod
Interview Date
February 26, 1990
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with Don Brown, conducted by Rod Fowler. Don Brown 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 Don Brown’s description of the changes in Burnaby’s built and natural landscapes and socioeconomic conditions, especially between 1947 and 1975, the strong impression made on him by those changes evident in the interview. He talks about his work and career as a police officer with the Burnaby Provincial Police and RCMP. The interview also details his involvement in Burnaby politics and volunteer community groups. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
Biographical Notes
Donald Neil “Don” Brown was born in Birmingham, England May 4, 1919, and immigrated with his parents and siblings to Winnipeg in 1922. At the outbreak of WWII Don Brown left high school and enlisted in the 12th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, serving six years in the army. Before going overseas he married Helen Birch in 1939. In 1947 Don Brown joined the B.C. Provincial Police which was absorbed by the RCMP in 1950. He worked as a police officer in Burnaby from 1947 to 1954, and then was transferred to Ottawa (with a stop in Regina) for nine and a half years where he attended Carleton University to study forensics. In 1963 Don Brown was transferred back to Vancouver and bought and moved into a house on Watling Street in Burnaby where he still lived in 1990. Another transfer took him to Edmonton for five years, returning to Burnaby in 1975. Following retirement in 1980 with the rank of Supervisor and after 22 years in forensic laboratories, Don Brown started his own business as a private document examiner. Don Brown was active in Burnaby politics, serving as Alderman from 1979-1985. He was also involved in many community groups including the South Burnaby Men’s Club, which he helped found in 1952, as well as active in the Burnaby Historical Society, and served on the Burnaby School Board, Burnaby Centennial Committee, and the Community College for the Retired. Don and Helen Brown had six children: Donna, Don, Gina, Patricia, Christopher and Susan. Don Brown died May 16, 2009.
Total Tracks
14
Total Length
01:35:07
Interviewee Name
Brown, Donald N. "Don"
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.
Images
Audio Tracks
Less detail

Interview with Elsie Hughes May 1, 1989 - Track 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription9838
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 audio cassette (0:14:39 min)
Scope and Content
Track 1: This portion of the recording is a discussion between Elsie and Jim as they walk around the ground floor of the Love farmhouse. They go through the hallway, living room and dining room discussing the furnishings and their arrangement, wall and floor treatments, decoration, accessories, sto…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Jesse Love farmhouse series
Subseries
Love farmhouse oral history project subseries
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 audio cassette (0:14:39 min)
Material Details
Interviewer: Jim Wolf Interviewee: Elsie Hughes Location of Interview: Love Farmhouse Interview Date: May 1, 1989 Total Number of Tracks: 4 Total length of all Tracks: 45:03
Scope and Content
Track 1: This portion of the recording is a discussion between Elsie and Jim as they walk around the ground floor of the Love farmhouse. They go through the hallway, living room and dining room discussing the furnishings and their arrangement, wall and floor treatments, decoration, accessories, stoves and closets. Elsie also talks about the windows.
History
Recording of an interview with Elsie Hughes (nee Parker) that was conducted by Jim Wolf in the Love farmhouse on site at the Burnaby Village Museum on May 1, 1989. Jim Wolf walks through the Love Farmhouse with Elsie Hughes after it was moved onto the site of the Burnaby Village Museum in 1988. Elsie Hughes is the daughter of William and Sarah Parker and granddaughter of Jesse and Martha Love. Elsie married John Malcolm Hughes at St. Alban's Church in Burnaby on April 9, 1942. Elsie and Jim discuss the furnishings, decoration and amenities of the house at the time she moved into it in 1925 with her family. Elsie’s recollections were to be used as a resource for redecorating and refurnishing the house as it was in 1925 for its use as an exhibit at the Burnaby Village Museum. An unidentified man is also present, and sometimes contributes to the conversation.
Creator
Wolf, Jim
Subjects
Buildings - Heritage
Buildings - Residential - Houses
Names
Hughes, Elsie Roberta Parker
Wolf, Jim
Love, Jesse, 1849-1928
Hughes, John Malcolm
Parker, William Michael
Parker, Sarah Maria Love
Accession Code
BV018.41.49
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989
Media Type
Sound Recording
Scan Resolution
300
Scan Date
18-Mar-19
Scale
96
Notes
Title based on content of file
Images
Audio Tracks

Interview with Elsie Hughes May 1, 1989 - Track 1, [1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989

Interview with Elsie Hughes May 1, 1989 - Track 1, [1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2018_0041_0049_001.mp3
Less detail

Interview with Elsie Hughes May 1, 1989 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription10388
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 audio cassette (0:09:38 min)
Scope and Content
Track 2: This portion of the recording pertains to the rooms on the upper floor of the house. Elsie describes the allocation of the bedrooms. Jim remarks on the alteration of the stairs and the creation of the bathroom. They discuss the fixtures Elsie remembers from that time, and talk about the de…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Jesse Love farmhouse series
Subseries
Love farmhouse oral history project subseries
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 audio cassette (0:09:38 min)
Material Details
Interviewer: Jim Wolf Interviewee: Elsie Hughes Location of Interview: Love Farmhouse Interview Date: May 1, 1989 Total Number of Tracks: 4 Total length of all Tracks: 45:03
Scope and Content
Track 2: This portion of the recording pertains to the rooms on the upper floor of the house. Elsie describes the allocation of the bedrooms. Jim remarks on the alteration of the stairs and the creation of the bathroom. They discuss the fixtures Elsie remembers from that time, and talk about the decoration, furnishings, flooring and closets. Elsie establishes the year her family moved to the house.
History
Recording of an interview with Elsie Hughes (nee Parker) that was conducted by Jim Wolf in the Love farmhouse on site at the Burnaby Village Museum on May 1, 1989. Jim Wolf walks through the Love Farmhouse with Elsie Hughes after it was moved onto the site of the Burnaby Village Museum in 1988. Elsie Hughes is the daughter of William and Sarah Parker and granddaughter of Jesse and Martha Love. Elsie married John Malcolm Hughes at St. Alban's Church in Burnaby on April 9, 1942. Elsie and Jim discuss the furnishings, decoration and amenities of the house at the time she moved into it in 1925 with her family. Elsie’s recollections were to be used as a resource for redecorating and refurnishing the house as it was in 1925 for its use as an exhibit at the Burnaby Village Museum. An unidentified man is also present, and sometimes contributes to the conversation.
Creator
Wolf, Jim
Subjects
Buildings - Heritage
Buildings - Residential - Houses
Names
Hughes, Elsie Roberta Parker
Wolf, Jim
Love, Jesse, 1849-1928
Hughes, John Malcolm
Parker, William Michael
Parker, Sarah Maria Love
Accession Code
BV018.41.49
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on content of file
Images
Audio Tracks

Interview with Elsie Hughes May 1, 1989 - Track 2, [1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989

Interview with Elsie Hughes May 1, 1989 - Track 2, [1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2018_0041_0049_002.mp3
Less detail

Interview with Elsie Hughes May 1, 1989 - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription10389
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 audio cassette (0:06:02 min)
Scope and Content
Track 3: This portion of the interview occurs while Elsie and Jim look at the ground floor bedroom of the Love farmhouse, which was used by Jesse Love when her family lived in the house. They discuss the arrangement and decor and Jim asks Elsie about her memories of her grandparents. He also asks h…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Jesse Love farmhouse series
Subseries
Love farmhouse oral history project subseries
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 audio cassette (0:06:02 min)
Material Details
Interviewer: Jim Wolf Interviewee: Elsie Hughes Location of Interview: Love Farmhouse Interview Date: May 1, 1989 Total Number of Tracks: 4 Total length of all Tracks: 45:03
Scope and Content
Track 3: This portion of the interview occurs while Elsie and Jim look at the ground floor bedroom of the Love farmhouse, which was used by Jesse Love when her family lived in the house. They discuss the arrangement and decor and Jim asks Elsie about her memories of her grandparents. He also asks her about the sounds she remembers in the house, such as clocks.
History
Recording of an interview with Elsie Hughes (nee Parker) that was conducted by Jim Wolf in the Love farmhouse on site at the Burnaby Village Museum on May 1, 1989. Jim Wolf walks through the Love Farmhouse with Elsie Hughes after it was moved onto the site of the Burnaby Village Museum in 1988. Elsie Hughes is the daughter of William and Sarah Parker and granddaughter of Jesse and Martha Love. Elsie married John Malcolm Hughes at St. Alban's Church in Burnaby on April 9, 1942. Elsie and Jim discuss the furnishings, decoration and amenities of the house at the time she moved into it in 1925 with her family. Elsie’s recollections were to be used as a resource for redecorating and refurnishing the house as it was in 1925 for its use as an exhibit at the Burnaby Village Museum. An unidentified man is also present, and sometimes contributes to the conversation.
Creator
Wolf, Jim
Subjects
Buildings - Heritage
Buildings - Residential - Houses
Names
Hughes, Elsie Roberta Parker
Wolf, Jim
Love, Jesse, 1849-1928
Hughes, John Malcolm
Parker, William Michael
Parker, Sarah Maria Love
Accession Code
BV018.41.49
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on content of file
Images
Audio Tracks

Interview with Elsie Hughes May 1, 1989 - Track 3, [1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989

Interview with Elsie Hughes May 1, 1989 - Track 3, [1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2018_0041_0049_003.mp3
Less detail

Interview with Elsie Hughes May 1, 1989 - Track 4

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription10390
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 audio cassette (0:14:44 min)
Scope and Content
Track 4: This portion of the interview takes place in the Love farmhouse kitchen. Elsie recalls the layout and uses of the room’s furnishings and fixtures. She and Jim also discuss the garden. Elsie relates an anecdote about a bullet being accidentally fired into the ceiling, making a hole which ha…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Jesse Love farmhouse series
Subseries
Love farmhouse oral history project subseries
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 audio cassette (0:14:44 min)
Material Details
Interviewer: Jim Wolf Interviewee: Elsie Hughes Location of Interview: Love Farmhouse Interview Date: May 1, 1989 Total Number of Tracks: 4 Total length of all Tracks: 45:03
Scope and Content
Track 4: This portion of the interview takes place in the Love farmhouse kitchen. Elsie recalls the layout and uses of the room’s furnishings and fixtures. She and Jim also discuss the garden. Elsie relates an anecdote about a bullet being accidentally fired into the ceiling, making a hole which had to be patched. They talk about the use of the sink, which was the only one in the house for many years, and the lighting. Jim asks Elsie about the bathroom and the pantry. This track ends abruptly.
History
Recording of an interview with Elsie Hughes (nee Parker) that was conducted by Jim Wolf in the Love farmhouse on site at the Burnaby Village Museum on May 1, 1989. Jim Wolf walks through the Love Farmhouse with Elsie Hughes after it was moved onto the site of the Burnaby Village Museum in 1988. Elsie Hughes who was the daughter of William and Sarah Parker and granddaughter of Jesse and Martha Love. Elsie married John Malcolm Hughes at St. Alban's Church in Burnaby on April 9, 1942. Elsie and Jim discuss the furnishings, decoration and amenities of the house at the time she moved into it in 1925 with her family. Elsie’s recollections were to be used as a resource for redecorating and refurnishing the house as it was in 1925 for its use as an exhibit at the Burnaby Village Museum. An unidentified man is also present, and sometimes contributes to the conversation.
Creator
Wolf, Jim
Subjects
Buildings - Heritage
Buildings - Residential - Houses
Names
Hughes, Elsie Roberta Parker
Wolf, Jim
Love, Jesse, 1849-1928
Hughes, John Malcolm
Parker, William Michael
Parker, Sarah Maria Love
Accession Code
BV018.41.49
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on content of file
Images
Audio Tracks

Interview with Elsie Hughes May 1, 1989 - Track 4, [1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989

Interview with Elsie Hughes May 1, 1989 - Track 4, [1925] (interview content), interviewed May 1, 1989

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2018_0041_0049_004.mp3
Less detail

Interview with Georgia and Alex Chronakis

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20395
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1934-2023] (interview content), interviewed 8 Nov. 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recordings (wav) (41 min., 57 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (41 min., 57 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Georgia Chronakis and her son Alex Chronakis conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher James Binks on November 8, 2023. 00:00:00 - 00:08:39 Georgia and her son share biographical details about Georgia and her husband Louis Chronak…
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) (41 min., 57 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (41 min., 57 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewer: James Binks Interviewees: Alex Chronakis and Georgia Chronakis Location of Interview: Fraser Wilson Room, Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: November 8, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 41:57 Digital master recordings (wav) were converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Georgia Chronakis and her son Alex Chronakis conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher James Binks on November 8, 2023. 00:00:00 - 00:08:39 Georgia and her son share biographical details about Georgia and her husband Louis Chronakis, including their Greek background, migration to Canada, marriage, children, Louis’ career as a mechanic and gas station owner and owning restaurants in White Rock and Burnaby. 00:08:40 - 00:13:59 Georgia and her son Alex recall the great memories of owning and operating their restaurant Mionas Taverna and share details of their family life in Burnaby and White Rock. 00:14:00 - 00:19:15 Alex and Georgia talk about Louis Chronakis' work experience and how he became involved in the restaurant business. They share their experiences of operating Minoas Taverna including their opening in 1986. 00:19:16 - 00:36:59 Alex and Georgia describe some of the foods that were on the menu of Minoas Taverna, the design of the restaurant, the Minoan history that it’s based on, memories of running the restaurant and why they decided to close. 00:37:00 – 00:41:52 Alex talks about his involvement with Greek festivals in Vancouver and Alex and Georgia reflect on their life in the future now that the restaurant has closed.
History
Interviewees biographies: Georgia Giannias Chronakis was born in Selassia, Sparta, Greece in 1941 and when she was sixteen years of age she moved to Athens. In 1964 Georgia immigrated to Canada and lived in Montreal before moving to Vancouver a few years later. In 1966, while living in Vancouver, she met and married Ilias "Louis" Chronakis who was born in Crete, Greece. Soon after marrying, Georgia and Louis Chronakis bought a house located at 3823 Kingsway and welcomed their first child, Anna. Four years later, Georgia and Louis moved to White Rock but continued to own their house on Kingsway and rented it out. While living in White Rock, they had three more children named Virginia, Alex and Ellie. Louis was a trained mechanic working independently and for various companies including CP Air, BC Ferries and Esso before deciding to get into the restaurant business. He partnered with another businessman to open a Mr. Mike's franchise and later a cafe and Greek restaurant in White Rock. In 1986, Georgia, Louis and family moved back to Burnaby and moved into a house on Sandall Street and began converting their former home on Kingsway into a restaurant which they named Minoas Greek Taverna (Minoas Taverna). They opened the restaurant on May 1, 1986, just one day before Expo '86 was opened. In 2023, after 37 years of running their restaurant they sold their business but continued to own the land and building on Kingsway. Alex Chronakis is the son of Georgia and Louis Chronakis and was born in 1972. Alex has spent time working with his family running their restaurant and has been involved in the Greek Day Festival in Vancouver. Interviewer biography: James Binks has lived in the Lower Mainland since 2009 after relocating from Ontario. James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia, where he conducted researched on heritage, environment, and globalization in India, Nepal, and Italy. At Burnaby Village Museum, James contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Foods
Occupations
Occupations - Entrepreneurs
Occupations - Mechanics
Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants
Buildings - Commercial - Service Stations
Migration
Persons - Greek Canadians
Names
Chronakis, Alex
Chronakis, Georgia Giannias
Minoas Taverna
Chronakis, Ilias "Louis"
Geographic Access
Kingsway
Smith Avenue
Street Address
3823 Kingsway
Accession Code
BV023.16.21
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1934-2023] (interview content), interviewed 8 Nov. 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Transcription available
Documents
Audio Tracks

Interview with Georgia and Alex Chronakis, [1934-2023] (interview content), interviewed 8 Nov. 2023

Interview with Georgia and Alex Chronakis, [1934-2023] (interview content), interviewed 8 Nov. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0021_002.mp3
Less detail

Interview with Janet White May 10, 2005 - Track 7

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription4473
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1950-1959] (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (mp3) (0:03:25 min)
Scope and Content
Track 7: This portion of the recording pertains to changes in Burnaby since Janet’s childhood, and her continuing connection to the community and its values. She also describes her family’s shopping routines from the 1940s and 1950s, which centred on the Super Value at Canada Way and Smith St., and…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Museum Oral Histories series
Subseries
Growing Up in Burnaby subseries
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (mp3) (0:03:25 min)
Material Details
Interviewer: Tom Gooden Interviewee: Janet White Date of interview: May 10, 2005 Total Number of Tracks: 8 Total length of all Tracks: 0:31:34
Scope and Content
Track 7: This portion of the recording pertains to changes in Burnaby since Janet’s childhood, and her continuing connection to the community and its values. She also describes her family’s shopping routines from the 1940s and 1950s, which centred on the Super Value at Canada Way and Smith St., and the Hudson’s Bay store downtown. When Woodward’s and Sears opened, the family also shopped there occasionally.
History
Recording of an interview with Janet White recording by Tom Gooden on May 10 2005. This recording was completed for an exhibit, Growing Up in Burnaby, for the Burnaby Village Museum. Major themes discussed are growing up in Burnaby in the 1950s.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Buildings - Commercial - Stores
Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores
Names
Gooden, Tom
White, Janet
Geographic Access
Canada Way
Smith Avenue
Accession Code
BV017.45.1
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[1950-1959] (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005
Media Type
Sound Recording
Audio Tracks

Interview with Janet White May 10, 2005 - Track 7, [1950-1959] (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005

Interview with Janet White May 10, 2005 - Track 7, [1950-1959] (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2017_0045_0001_007.mp3
Less detail

Interview with John Burton by Colin Stevens 1988 - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory216
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1928-1929
Length
0:10:16
Summary
This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's memories of working for Cowan's Music Store as a teenager. He tells the story of a raid at the hotel bar next door.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's memories of working for Cowan's Music Store as a teenager. He tells the story of a raid at the hotel bar next door.
Date Range
1928-1929
Photo Info
Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002
Length
0:10:16
Subjects
Buildings - Commercial - Stores
Buildings - Commercial - Hotels and Motels
Interviewer
Stevens, Colin
Interview Date
1988
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with John Burton conducted by Colin Stevens inside the Music Shop at Burnaby Village Museum, 1988. John Burton discusses his experiences working in music shops in New Westminster in the 1920s. Major themes discussed are: sales, displays, popular culture.
Biographical Notes
John Burton was born in 1912 in New Westminster. He went to Second Street School, then Edmonds, then Saint Anne's Convent, and St. Louis College and Connaught before graduating from Burnaby South School in 1930. While at High School, John worked at Cowan's Music Store at 716 Columbia Street in New Westminster on Saturdays and after school. John Burton's grandfather John Foley was the founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper in Orangeville, Ontario, established in 1861. He ran the paper until his death in 1882, when his son, John Foley Jr. took over as editor and publisher at the age of sixteen. Two of his daughters were involved in the newspaper; Margaret Foley was a regular contributor to the paper, and John Burton's mother was a typesetter. When John Burton was a teenager, he went to Orangeville to learn the trade from his uncle. Unfortunately, he was only there eighteen months when his uncle died December 21, 1932. The family was unable to hold on to the business and the paper amalgamated with the Orangeville Banner newspaper in 1933.
Total Tracks
3
Total Length
0:30:14
Interviewee Name
Burton, John
Interview Location
Burnaby Village Museum, Burnaby
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Oral history subseries
Media Type
Sound Recording
Web Notes
Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Images
Audio Tracks

Track three of interview with John Burton by Colin Stevens

Less detail

Interview with Tony and Hazel Padula by Eric Damer November 27, 2012 - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory373
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1940-1965
Length
0:10:25
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Tony Padula and Hazel (Bongea) Padula's memories of night life the nineteen-forties and fifties. Tony and Hazel discuss Italian restaurants and dance halls in Vancouver and Tony mentions playing in a dance orchestra in the nineteen-forties. Tony and Hazel m…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Tony Padula and Hazel (Bongea) Padula's memories of night life the nineteen-forties and fifties. Tony and Hazel discuss Italian restaurants and dance halls in Vancouver and Tony mentions playing in a dance orchestra in the nineteen-forties. Tony and Hazel mention department stores in that era as well.
Date Range
1940-1965
Photo Info
Hazel (Bongea) Padula standing on the steps of her home at High Lawn, [195-]. Item no. 549-052.
Length
0:10:25
Subjects
Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants
Buildings - Commercial - Department Stores
Interviewer
Damer, Eric
Interview Date
November 27, 2012
Scope and Content
Recording is an interview with Tony Padula and Hazel (Bongea) Padula conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, November 27, 2012. Major themes discussed are: neighbourhoods and family heritage.
Biographical Notes
Tony Padula’s family came to Vancouver from Italy in 1926, the year Tony was born. After graduating from school, Tony entered the shoe industry as a salesman. Hazel Bongea (later Padula) was born in 1931 in Saskatchewan and moved to Vancouver with her family when she was ten years old. After graduating from school, Hazel found work with Standard Oil in Vancouver. Tony Padula and Hazel (Bongea) Padula married in 1951. By 1953 they had bought property in the Brentwood neighbourhood of Burnaby where they built a home and began a family. The Padulas moved away in 1959 but returned five years later to a new home in central Burnaby, where they lived for twenty-two years before moving again, this time to North Vancouver. After six years in North Vancouver, Tony and Hazel retired to New Westminster.
Total Tracks
8
Total Length
1:09:21
Interviewee Name
Padula, Hazel Bongea
Padula, Tony
Interview Location
Burnaby Village Museum
Interviewer Bio
Eric Damer is a lifelong British Columbian born in Victoria, raised in Kamloops, and currently residing in Burnaby. After studying philosophy at the University of Victoria, he became interested in the educational forces that had shaped his own life. He completed master’s and doctoral degrees in educational studies at the University of British Columbia with a particular interest in the history of adult and higher education in the province. In 2012, Eric worked for the City of Burnaby as a field researcher and writer, conducting interviews for the City Archives and Museum Oral History Program.
Collection/Fonds
Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
Series
Burna-Boom Oral History Project series
Transcript Available
None
Media Type
Sound Recording
Images
Audio Tracks

Track three of recording of interview with Tony and Hazel Padula

Less detail

Oral history interview with Albert Parker - May 9, 1988 - Track 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription9837
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[between 1925 and 1930] (interview content), interviewed May 9 1988
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 audio cassette (0:08:10 min) + 2 p. of textual records
Scope and Content
Track 1: This portion of the recording pertains to Albert’s family background and how his family came to live in the Love house. He mentions the house on Newcombe Street where he was born and recalls that his family moved to the Love family farmhouse on Cumberland Road in Burnaby to live with his g…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Jesse Love farmhouse series
Subseries
Love farmhouse oral history project subseries
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 audio cassette (0:08:10 min) + 2 p. of textual records
Material Details
Interviewer: Jim Wolf Interviewee: Albert Parker Location of Interview: Love Farmhouse, Burnaby Interview Date: May 9, 1988 Total Number of Tracks: 8 Total Length of all Tracks: 1:11:15
Scope and Content
Track 1: This portion of the recording pertains to Albert’s family background and how his family came to live in the Love house. He mentions the house on Newcombe Street where he was born and recalls that his family moved to the Love family farmhouse on Cumberland Road in Burnaby to live with his grandfather after his grandmother’s death. Albert notes that his family purchased the house and property after Jesse Love’s death and continued living in it. He describes the house’s amenities and changes which were made to it. He and Jim Wolf discuss the locations and appearances of the various outbuildings on the property.
History
Recording is an interview with Albert Parker about the Love family house, which was his family’s home and which has been relocated to the Burnaby Village Museum site as an exhibit. He also briefly discusses his parents, William Parker and Sarah Love Parker, his siblings William and Elsie, and his grandfather Jesse Love.
Creator
Wolf, Jim
Subjects
Buildings - Heritage
Buildings - Residential - Houses
Names
Parker, Albert "Bert"
Love, Jesse, 1849-1928
Parker, Sarah Maria Love
Parker, William Michael
Accession Code
BV018.41.48
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[between 1925 and 1930] (interview content), interviewed May 9 1988
Media Type
Sound Recording
Related Material
Photograph of William, Sarah and Albert Parker, [ca. 1917]. Item no. BV018.41.174
Notes
Title based on content of file
1 copy of audio cassette accompanying along with interview notes
Images
Audio Tracks

Oral history interview with Albert Parker - May 9, 1988 - Track 1, [between 1925 and 1930] (interview content), interviewed May 9 1988

Oral history interview with Albert Parker - May 9, 1988 - Track 1, [between 1925 and 1930] (interview content), interviewed May 9 1988

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2018_0041_0048_001.mp3
Less detail

100 records – page 5 of 5.