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Interview with W.H. O'Brien July / August 1975 - Track 2
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory19
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1932-1936
- Length
- 0:09:26
- Summary
- This portion of the interview pertains to W.H. "Harry" O'Brien's decision to join the Army of the Common Good and its Cooperative (CG Co-op) as well as the South Burnaby Union of the Unemployed. Harry discusses his father's work as caretaker at Central Park and helping to deal with wood cutting per…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview pertains to W.H. "Harry" O'Brien's decision to join the Army of the Common Good and its Cooperative (CG Co-op) as well as the South Burnaby Union of the Unemployed. Harry discusses his father's work as caretaker at Central Park and helping to deal with wood cutting permits and land clearing by men who were on script.
- Date Range
- 1932-1936
- Photo Info
- Harry and Gertrude (Sutherland) O'Brien on their wedding day, October 12, 1940. Item no. 315-005
- Length
- 0:09:26
- Names
- Central Park
- Subjects
- Organizations
- Geographic Access
- Central Park
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Interviewer
- Bradbury, Dr. Bettina
- Interview Date
- July / August 1975
- Scope and Content
- Recording is a taped interview with W.H. "Harry" O'Brien by SFU (Simon Fraser University) graduate student Bettina Bradbury. Major themes discussed are: the Army of the Common Good, the Union of the Unemployed and the Common Good Credit Union (now the South Burnaby Credit Union). To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".
- Biographical Notes
- W.H. “Harry” O’Brien was born in the coal mining town of Nanaimo, British Columbia on October 20, 1914. He came to Burnaby with his parents and five siblings in 1927. Harry’s mother, a school teacher, wanted her children to live closer to school in order to obtain a better education, so the O’Brien family settled at Inman Avenue, Burnaby. Harry's mother, Mary Anne Crossan, was Gilmore Avenue School's first teacher. Harry left school in June of 1929. Harry’s father worked as the caretaker at Central Park around this time and Harry helped him to clear brush, plant trees and enforce the land clearing and wood cutting permit regulations held by men who were on script. Although too young to vote by just over a week, Harry O'Brien worked as a scrutineer for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) during the 1935 Federal Election. On October 12, 1940 Harry O'Brien married Gertrude Sutherland at St. John the Divine in Burnaby. The Sutherland family came to Burnaby from Winnipeg in 1933 and settled at Nelson Avenue. Harry began his involvement with the Unemployment Organization in Burnaby by participating in an organised protest against the municipality for homeowner evictions brought on by unpaid taxes. The South Burnaby Union of the Unemployed organised in order to protest rules around receiving Relief. Harry became involved, eventually becoming one of the spearheads of the organization, taking over as secretary by 1936. Harry was an original member of the Army of the Common Good, helping to produce over one hundred and twenty-five tons of vegetables from its own gardens to feed Burnaby citizens suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression years. The members of the Army of the Common Good who cut wood for consumption or worked in the gardens were given credit for their work through LU (Labour Units) which they could then use to buy groceries and that at the Army's Cooperative stores, one of which was at McKay Avenue, where Harry began working as Manager of Groceries in 1937. The Credit Union movement of British Columbia was also organized by Harry O'Brien and his fellow Army of the Common Good members. W.H. "Harry" O'Brien died July 1, 1992.
- Total Tracks
- 9
- Total Length
- 1:17:56
- Interviewee Name
- O'Brien, Harry
- Interviewer Bio
- Bettina Bradbury teaches history and women's studies at York University. She is the author of Wife to Widow. Lives, Laws and Politics in Nineteenth-century Montreal. (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, June 2011), 520p; Working Families. Age, Gender and Daily Survival in Industrializing Montreal. (Toronto: Canadian Social History Series, McClelland and Stewart, 1993); (Republished Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1996) (3rd edition, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007). These interviews were undertaken after she completed her MA at Simon Fraser University in 1975 with the support of an LIP grant.
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Oral history subseries
- Transcript Available
- None
- 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 two of interview with W.H.
Track two of interview with W.H.
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-25/100-13-25_Track_2.mp3
First May Day
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35293
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1925 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the first Burnaby May Day in 1925. Margaret Urquhart (Peggy) and her mother Lillias Urquhart (circled) were spectators.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1925 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Pioneer Tales subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 17.8 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 204-150
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1988-03
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the first Burnaby May Day in 1925. Margaret Urquhart (Peggy) and her mother Lillias Urquhart (circled) were spectators.
- Names
- Urquhart, Lillias
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Stride, Charles Edgar
- Notes
- Title based on caption on photograph
- Parallel Name Authority: "Stride Studios"
- Geographic Access
- Central Park
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Maywood Area
Images
![Having tea on the porch, [190-] (date of original), copied 1977 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1977/1977_0123_0025_001.jpg?width=280)
Having tea on the porch
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription619
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [190-] (date of original), copied 1977
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.2 x 25.2 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a family having tea on the porch.There are two tables with tea and snacks, and some wicker chairs. An accompanying note in the accession file identifies the elderly man sitting on the rail as B.R. (Bernard Richard) Hill, and the man and the boy by the other side of the rail as Claude …
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.2 x 25.2 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a family having tea on the porch.There are two tables with tea and snacks, and some wicker chairs. An accompanying note in the accession file identifies the elderly man sitting on the rail as B.R. (Bernard Richard) Hill, and the man and the boy by the other side of the rail as Claude (son of Bernard Hill) and his son Kenneth. One of the women, unclear which one, is identified as "Maude's mother."
- Subjects
- Furniture
- Geographic Access
- Canada Way
- Street Address
- 4990 Canada Way
- Accession Code
- HV977.123.25
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [190-] (date of original), copied 1977
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2023-07-25
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
![Having tea on the porch, [190-] (date of original), copied 1977 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1977/1977_0123_0025_001.jpg)
![Gordon Presbyterian Church Refreshment Building, [1918] (date of original), copied 1987 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/126/193-003.jpg?width=280)
Gordon Presbyterian Church Refreshment Building
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35102
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1918] (date of original), copied 1987
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.8 x 12.5 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the Gordon Presbyterian Church refreshment building at the Central Park Agricultural Exhibition. Signs on the building read, "Gordon Presby Church," "Continuous Performance," "This is the Best," "Home Cooking / [illegible] just like Mother's / [Smells?] Good! Tastes B…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1918] (date of original), copied 1987
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Gordon Presbyterian Church subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.8 x 12.5 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 193-003
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1987-02
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of the Gordon Presbyterian Church refreshment building at the Central Park Agricultural Exhibition. Signs on the building read, "Gordon Presby Church," "Continuous Performance," "This is the Best," "Home Cooking / [illegible] just like Mother's / [Smells?] Good! Tastes Better!," "Place to Dine," and "Hot Meals." Three women and a boy are outside the building.
- Subjects
- Exhibitions - Agricultural
- Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants
- Advertising Medium - Signs and Signboards
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Central Park
- Imperial Street
- Street Address
- 3883 Imperial Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Maywood Area
Images
![Gordon Presbyterian Church Refreshment Building, [1918] (date of original), copied 1987 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/126/193-003.jpg)
![Sprott sisters sitting together on a long tressle. Helen Sprott is seated on the right, wearing glasses [1906]. Item no. HV978.1.10 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/1977/197800010010.jpg?width=280)
Interview with Helen Sprott August 10, 1977 - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory207
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1900-1908
- Length
- 0:05:47
- Summary
- This portion of the interview pertains to Helen Fanny Sprott's memories of her family's first years of living in Burnaby. She mentions the Hazard House and Mayfield Farms.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview pertains to Helen Fanny Sprott's memories of her family's first years of living in Burnaby. She mentions the Hazard House and Mayfield Farms.
- Date Range
- 1900-1908
- Photo Info
- Sprott sisters sitting together on a long tressle. Helen Sprott is seated on the right, wearing glasses [1906]. Item no. HV978.1.10
- Length
- 0:05:47
- Subjects
- Buildings - Residences - Houses
- Geographic Access
- Canada Way
- Burnaby Lake
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Morley-Buckingham Area
- Interview Date
- August 10, 1977
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Helen Sprott, August 10, 1977. Major themes discussed are: the Sprott home.
- Biographical Notes
- Helen Sprott was born in Burnaby on June 22, 1902. Her father, Louis Edgar Sprott and younger brother came out to Burnaby from England, following their older brother Charles F. Sprott. The two younger brothers were in the Merchant Marines together prior to arriving in to Burnaby and learning to farm. Louis Edgar Sprott and Helen Louise F. Nicholls were married June 30, 1900 and stayed at the Haszard House while their own house was being built. By 1902, "the Dovecote" was built and Helen was born. The house was added on to and later renamed "Mayfield Farms." Helen's grandmother and aunt on her mother's side came to live at Mayfield Farms in 1907 or 1908. Helen Sprott was living in Penticton at the time of her death, April 8, 1978 at the age of seventy-five.
- Total Tracks
- 2
- Total Length
- 0:08:57
- Interviewee Name
- Sprott, Helen
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Oral history subseries
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
Images
![Sprott sisters sitting together on a long tressle. Helen Sprott is seated on the right, wearing glasses [1906]. Item no. HV978.1.10 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/1977/197800010010.jpg)
Audio Tracks
Track one of interview with Helen Sprott
Track one of interview with Helen Sprott
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-019-2/MSS137-019-2_Track_1.mp3