186 records – page 1 of 10.

The everyday library for young people : volume iv : beast, bird and flower

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary1785
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Publication Date
c1924
Call Number
031 MEE v.4
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection
Special Collection
Material Type
Book
Accession Code
HV983.39.14
Call Number
031 MEE v.4
Contributor
Mee, Arthur, 1875-1943
Thompson, Holland, 1873-1940
Place of Publication
New York
Publisher
Grolier Society
Publication Date
c1924
Printer
Colonial Press
Physical Description
336 p. : ill., col. front. ; 25 cm.
Library Subject (LOC)
Encyclopedias and dictionaries
Natural history
Notes
Edited by Arthur Mee and Holland Thompson
"Novel and interesting accounts of animal, bird and plant life" --t.p.
Volume 4 of 4.
Less detail

The how and why wonder book of birds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary3833
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Author
Mathewson, Robert F.
Publication Date
c1960
Call Number
598.2 MAT
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection
Special Collection
Material Type
Book
Accession Code
BV004.20.20
Call Number
598.2 MAT
Author
Mathewson, Robert F.
Contributor
Ferguson, Walter
Smith, Ned, 1919-1985
Wolf, Donald D.
Blackwood, Paul E., 1913-1997
White, Oakes A.
Place of Publication
New York, N.Y.
Publisher
Wonder Books
Grosset & Dunlap
Publication Date
c1960
Series
How and why wonder books series, No. 5009.
Physical Description
[48] p. : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm.
Inscription
The How and Why Wonder Book of Birds
Library Subject (LOC)
Birds
Readers--Science
Subjects
Animals - Birds
Animals
Notes
Inculdes index.
White, Oakes A from Brookelyn Children's Museum, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Price: 59 cents
"Illustrated by Walter Ferguson and Ned Smith"
"Editorial producation" : Donald D. Wolf
"Edited under the supervision of Paul Everett Blackwood"
"Text and illustrations approved by Oakes A. White
Less detail

Adventures with birds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary6375
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Author
Forler, Gladys
Forler, Dorothy
Publication Date
c1961
Call Number
598 FOR
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection
Special Collection
Material Type
Book
Accession Code
BV014.17.52
Call Number
598 FOR
Author
Forler, Gladys
Forler, Dorothy
Contributor
Zallinger, Jean
Place of Publication
Racine, Wis.
Publisher
Whitman
Publication Date
c1961
Series
Burke's help yourself series
Physical Description
77 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm.
Inscription
"Paul James Adam" [printed in pencil on bottom of front cover]
Library Subject (LOC)
Birds
Subjects
Animals - Birds
Animals
Notes
"Illustrated by Jean Zallinger" -- t.p.
Less detail

The Story of Pacific Salmon

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary7500
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection
Special Collection
Material Type
Photograph
Accession Code
BV991.45.566
Author
Canada. Department of Fisheries
Contributor
Licastro, Joseph
Stanley, Cameron
Moller, Hans
Place of Publication
Canada
Publisher
National Film Board of Canada
Publication Date
c[1962]
Physical Description
1 filmstrip (unknown length) : cellulose acetate, col. interpositive ; 35 mm
Library Subject (LOC)
Documentary Films
Filmstrips
Pacific salmon--British Columbia
Pacific salmon fisheries--British Columbia
Salmon--Life cycles
Subjects
Animals - Fish
Environmental Issues - Environmental Protection
Object History
Came in with Oakalla Prison records and artifacts in 1991. Filmstrip was utilized by staff and inmates of Oakalla. Digitized by BVM into preservation and accessible formats in 2020.
Notes
Educational filmstrip describing the five species of Pacifc Salmon, their life cycle including migration, spawining and growth. Audio commentary is missing.
Images
Documents
Less detail

Interview with Tony Fabian by Kathy Bossort October 29, 2015 - Track 4

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory599
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1860-1995
Length
0:15:57
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Tony Fabian’s description of the history of setting aside parkland on Burnaby Mountain, the creation of the Pavilion area in 1957, the history of proposals for how Burnaby Mountain could be used, the land transfer to SFU in 1963, and difficulty accessing the m…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Tony Fabian’s description of the history of setting aside parkland on Burnaby Mountain, the creation of the Pavilion area in 1957, the history of proposals for how Burnaby Mountain could be used, the land transfer to SFU in 1963, and difficulty accessing the mountain for recreation prior to 1965. He also talks about the dispute between SFU and the City of Burnaby over land ownership and control.
Date Range
1860-1995
Length
0:15:57
Names
Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
Burnaby Mountain Centennial Park
Simon Fraser University
Subjects
Geographic Features - Parks
Recreational Activities
Geographic Access
Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
Interviewer
Bossort, Kathy
Interview Date
October 29, 2015
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with Tony Fabian conducted by Kathy Bossort. Tony Fabian was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about Tony Fabian’s part in park creation and protection of natural areas in Burnaby, particularly as a member of the Park and Recreation Commission in the 1970s; his childhood and how that contributed to his land ethic; and the history of the uses made of and setting aside parkland on Burnaby Mountain.
Biographical Notes
Tony S. Fabian was born in 1934 in north Saskatchewan. At less than a year old Tony, along with his siblings, was removed from his family home and eventually placed with an immigrant farm family. As a child he worked on the farm and witnessed what he considered abusive treatment of the land and farm animals. When he was about 12 years old his adoptive family moved to the BC coast where he went on his own, working for a variety of farmers in Richmond and Delta. At 19 he contracted polio, quit farm work, and found work with the telephone company. In 1956 Tony married, and in 1957 he and his wife moved to a home on Hardwick Street in Burnaby where he still lives. Tony entered civic politics in the 1960s when he objected to development on Hardwick Park and became concerned about the destruction of Burnaby’s natural landscapes. He became a life long advocate for preserving natural areas and helped to create large parks in Burnaby on the foreshore of the Fraser River and on Burrard Inlet. He served as a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission 1970-1975, is a long time volunteer with the Burnaby Lake Park Association, and continues to stay current on local and regional environmental issues. In 2008 Tony was presented with the City of Burnaby Environment Award for Community Stewardship.
Total Tracks
7
Total Length
1:43:22
Interviewee Name
Fabian, Tony S.
Interview Location
Tony Fabian's home in Burnaby
Interviewer Bio
Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.
Collection/Fonds
Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
Series
Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project series
Media Type
Sound Recording
Audio Tracks

Track four of interview with Tony Fabian

Less detail

Ernest Winch fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription64651
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1898-1961
Collection/Fonds
Ernest Winch fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
15 cm of textual records and 31 photographs
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of photographs, political leaflets, postcards, publications, correspondence and a scrapbook documenting the political careers of Ernest and Harold Winch.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1898-1961
Collection/Fonds
Ernest Winch fonds
Physical Description
15 cm of textual records and 31 photographs
Description Level
Fonds
Accession Number
2010-06
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of photographs, political leaflets, postcards, publications, correspondence and a scrapbook documenting the political careers of Ernest and Harold Winch.
History
Ernest Edward (Ernie) Winch was born at Harlow, Essex, England on March 22, 1879. Ernest was one of seven children; Walter, Albert, Alfred, Horace, Ernest, Emma and Caroline (Carrie). In 1898, when he was 19 years old, Ernest immigrated to Canada with his friend Jack Holttum to work on a farm in Saskatchewan. Ernest’s brother Alfred followed soon after and together the Winch brothers worked in British Columbia, then in Australia. Unfortunately the country was at the height of a heavy drought and so Ernest returned to Harlow and followed in his father's footsteps, apprenticing as a bricklayer. In 1905 Ernest Winch met and married Australian born Linda Marian Hendy. While in England they had Harold, born June 18, 1907, and Eileen, born in 1908. Ernest sailed back to Canada alone in 1910, his young family following him months later. He quickly became a member of the Bricklayers and Masons International Union No. 1, Vancouver Branch. Ernest began studying socialism in 1910 and joined the Social-Democratic Party of Canada in 1911. The Burnaby local of the Social-Democratic Party nominated Ernest Winch as a candidate for School Trustee in 1914. He received seven votes. In 1915 he and his eldest son Harold left the rest of the family at their home in White Rock and went to Mission to establish a homestead. While living in the Dewdney area, he organized a small Social-Democratic group in Mission and became its Secretary. However, he did not stay long in Dewdney. In the summer of 1918, Ernest left the Social-Democratic Party to join the Socialist Party. Once back in Burnaby, now 38 years old and looking for a way to support his family, Ernest answered a call for new workers from the Longshoremen’s Union. He joined the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) Auxiliary and soon was elected its Secretary. By 1917, he was a part of the Vancouver Trades and Labour Council, serving as its President by 1918. In 1919, he joined the B.C. Loggers Union (later the Lumber-Workers Industrial Unit), serving as Secretary. Ernest endorsed both the Vancouver General Strike in 1918 and the Winnipeg General Strike of 1919 and was active in his support of the One Big Union (O.B.U). After two and a half years, Ernest left the ILA and rejoined the Longshoremen’s Union along with his former O.B.U. brother, William A. Pritchard. Soon after, a strike broke out and its unsuccessful end caused Winch to go back to bricklaying. By this time, the four youngest Winch children had been born: Charlie, Grace, Alan and Eric. Ernest re-founded the Socialist Party of Canada (British Columbia) in 1932 and, with it, joined the new Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. In the 1933 provincial election he, his son Harold Winch, and five others became the first CCF Members of Legislative Assembly. As a CCF MLA for Burnaby, Ernest became a resolute advocate for immediate reform, exposing abuses and inadequacies in BC's social welfare and correctional institutions (including Oakalla) and taking a special interest in the problems of the aged. One of his many notable contributions was the creation of the New Vista Society, first developed to ease the problem of overcrowding in mental hospitals at the time. Ernest Winch held his seat in the legislature continuously until his death on January 11, 1957. One of his legacies left to the people of Burnaby are the New Vista Society senior citizens homes. He also founded the New Westminster branch of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (S.P.C.A.). Ernest and Linda’s eldest son Harold Edward, an electrician by trade, married Dorothy Ada Hutchinson on May 11, 1929. At 26 years old, he was elected CCF MLA for Vancouver East (in 1933) and became provincial party leader by 1938, serving as leader of the Opposition from 1941 to 1953. When the CCF was defeated in the controversial election of 1953, which saw W.A.C. Bennet come to power, Harold abandoned provincial politics for the House of Commons, where he represented Vancouver East until his retirement in 1972.
Media Type
Textual Record
Photograph
Creator
Winch, Ernest "Ernie"
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds
MSS129, photo catalogue 514
Less detail

Five children and a dog

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription82563
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1900-1930]
Collection/Fonds
Hill family and Vidal family fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 7 x 9 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph is a portrait of three unidentified boys, two unidentified girls and a dog sitting on logs in a clearing of a forest.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1900-1930]
Collection/Fonds
Hill family and Vidal family fonds
Series
Hill family and Vidal family photograph series
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 7 x 9 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
550-134
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2013-03
Scope and Content
Photograph is a portrait of three unidentified boys, two unidentified girls and a dog sitting on logs in a clearing of a forest.
Subjects
Persons - Children
Animals - Dogs
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

Interior of a blacksmith shop

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1138
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[before 1921]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia ; 12 x 17.5 cm mounted on board 18 x 22.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of the interior of a blacksmith shop. A man in a long jacket is moving next to the furnace at the front of the shop and a farrier (a specialist in equine hoof care) is holding the reins of a horse. The horse appears to be agitated and is kicking out with his hind leg. A third man is visi…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia ; 12 x 17.5 cm mounted on board 18 x 22.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of the interior of a blacksmith shop. A man in a long jacket is moving next to the furnace at the front of the shop and a farrier (a specialist in equine hoof care) is holding the reins of a horse. The horse appears to be agitated and is kicking out with his hind leg. A third man is visible walking through the doorway wearing protective equipment of some kind.
Subjects
Occupations - Blacksmiths
Animals - Horses
Accession Code
BV992.45.21
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Date
[before 1921]
Media Type
Photograph
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
01-Jun-09
Scale
100
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

Interview with Josephine Chow by Denise Fong February 7, 2020

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription12337
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1900-2020] (interview content), interviewed Feb. 7, 2020
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (mp3) (00:43:19 min.)
Scope and Content
Recording consists of an interview with Josephine Chow (nee Hong) conducted by BVM researcher Denise Fong at the Burnaby Village Museum. Josephine describes her family history and recollects her childhood experiences in 1950s and 60s while growing with her family on their "Hop On" farm in Burnaby. …
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Museum Oral Histories series
Subseries
Chinese Canadians in Burnaby subseries
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 sound recording (mp3) (00:43:19 min.)
Material Details
Interviewer: Denise Fong Interviewee: Josephine Chow Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: February 7, 2020 Total Number of Tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 00:43:19
Scope and Content
Recording consists of an interview with Josephine Chow (nee Hong) conducted by BVM researcher Denise Fong at the Burnaby Village Museum. Josephine describes her family history and recollects her childhood experiences in 1950s and 60s while growing with her family on their "Hop On" farm in Burnaby. The farm is situated in the Big Bend area along Marine Drive and is still in operation today. 0:00-08:45 Josephine Chow provides some historical background on the history of “Hop On Farm” and her family in British Columbia. She tells of how her grandfather Gay Tim Hong and three partners pooled money together to purchase twelve acres on Marine Drive in 1951. Prior to this, most of them farmed on the ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nation Reserve for 20-30 years. It all began when her great grandfather Sui Wing Hong, first came to Canada from China and slowly brought over her grandfather, father and other members of the family. Her grandfather, Gay Tim Hong went back and forth between Canada and China at least four times since he and her grandmother had four children including her father, who was born in 1931. Her father came to Canada at 10 years of age to live with his father. Josephine’s great grandfather came to Vancouver from Zhongshan county in Canton Province (also known as Guangdong). 8:46- 14:20 Josephine provides the names of her siblings from the eldest to the youngest; Pauline, Josephine (herself), Catherine, Noreen, Gary, Darlene and Marlene. She describes what life was like on the farm with her parents working from sunrise to sunset. The family farmed vegetable produce taking orders from local stores in the lower mainland. Often the children helped their parents with the orders starting at eight or nine years of age. Other workers on the farm travelled by bus from Vancouver’s Chinatown. She also tells of how her father was an animal lover and raised chickens, pigeons, geese, koy, goldfish and dogs. 14: 21 – 16:56 Josephine describes what Burnaby was like during the time that she grew up in the late 1950s. She explains that Burnaby was very quiet with nothing being open on Sundays. On the farm, she and her siblings would entertain themselves by playing games like soccer, baseball and kick ball or also by catching frogs, snails, caterpillars and ladybugs. There were neighbours living on Marine Drive and almost every house had someone who we went to the same elementary school. The neighbourhood children would often come to play with them on their farm. 16:56- 26:47 Josephine describes how when they were young there were farms all around them and how on Sunday drives with her father, they would go to feed horses or look at the cows. Josephine shares that her elder sister Pauline was the only one born in China and how when she first arrived that she lived on the ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nations Reserve with their parents before they moved to Burnaby. Josephine recollects that most of her friends were farmer’s kids from the neighbourhood but while in school, she had more Caucasian friends. Josephine and her siblings attended Glenwood Elementary on Marine Drive and later Junior Secondary at McPherson Park (grades 8-10) and Burnaby South Senior Secondary (grades 11-12. ). She shares some of her experiences while attending school. She said that there were about a dozen Asians in school with her, mostly from farming families in the “Flats”. 26:48- 30:45 Josephine describes what life was like for her and her siblings after school. They often helped on the farm when they got home, usually taking care of orders for green onions. Her mother made dinner and did all of the cooking for family and workers on the farm as well as working in the fields. Her father did all of the grocery shopping in Vancouver’s Chinatown two or three times per week where he purchased meat and fish. She says that her grandfather, often travelled by bus every Saturday or Sunday to meet up with friends in Chinatown. Extracurricular activities for her and her siblings included volley ball and soccer as long as it didn’t interfere with their work schedule on the farm. 30:46- 37:03 Josephine describes what occurred while living at home, the food they ate, shopping and attending Chinese school. Her mother cooked only Chinese food, she didn’t know how to cook “Western food”. For school lunches, the kids made their own sandwiches. She tells of a Chinese language school arranged by Mrs. Joe [sic] who lived on Gilley Road and was Canadian born Chinese. Mrs. Joe [sic] also arranged an English class for farmer’s wives on Tuesday nights in which her mother attended. Josephine recollects learning Mandarin from Mrs. Joe [sic] a few days a week after her regular school. Chinese school took place at Riverway School on Meadow Avenue in Burnaby. Mrs. Joe also taught them a lot about Chinese culture including Kung Fu, Chinese Dance and Chinese brush painting. 37:04- 39:39 Josephine describes Medical Care for her and her family in the 1950s and 1960s. She tells of a female Chinese doctor in Vancouver, Dr. Madeline Chung. Dr. Chung was responsible for delivering a lot of Chinese babies including Josephine. The family also visited herbalists in Vancouver Chinatown. They would often buy herbs for colds etc. Josephine also tells of how her parents stayed in touch with family in China by writing letters. Her mother’s family, including her parents and siblings were still in China while most of her father’s family were here in Canada. 39:40- 43:19 – In closing, Josephine shares how life is much busier now and of how she misses the quietness of her days growing up. She briefly describes her life on the family farm now and how different it is from when her parents worked the farm. She explains how farming methods have changed and how they don’t have to work as hard as her parents did.
History
Interviewee biography: Josephine Chow (nee Hong) is the second eldest child of Chan Kow Hong and Sui Ha Hong. In 1925, Josephine's grandfather, Gay Tim Hong immigrated to Canada from Zhongshan county in Canton Province (also known as Guangdong). In 1952, her father, Chan Kow Hong joined his father, Gay Tim Hong and by 1953, he established "Hop On Farms" in the Big Bend area of Burnaby near Marine Drive. Josephine grew up on the farm with her parents and six siblings; Pauline, Catherine, Norine, Gary, Darlene and Marlene. In 1969, Josephine's elder sister Pauline and her husband Jack Chan took over the family farm and in 1972 their father and grandfather moved to Kamloops to open a restaurant. As an adult, Josephine worked in several different areas including owning and running her own Aesthetics business. Josephine eventually retired and returned to the farm to assist her siblings. The farm is still in operation. 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
Agriculture - Farms
Education
Buildings - Schools
First Nations reserves - British Columbia
Names
Chow, Josephine
Glenwood Elementary School
McPherson Park Junior Secondary School
ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam)
Responsibility
Fong, Denise
Geographic Access
Byrne Road
Accession Code
BV020.6.1
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1900-2020] (interview content), interviewed Feb. 7, 2020
Media Type
Sound Recording
Historic Neighbourhood
Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Big Bend Area
Related Material
See also BV017.36*
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
12/3/2017
Scale
100
Notes
Title based on contents of interview
Photograph info: Gary Hong and Chan Kow Hong harvesting celery at Hop-On Farms [1969]. BV017.36.4
Images
Audio Tracks

Interview with Josephine Chow by Denise Fong February 7, 2020, [1900-2020] (interview content), interviewed Feb. 7, 2020

Interview with Josephine Chow by Denise Fong February 7, 2020, [1900-2020] (interview content), interviewed Feb. 7, 2020

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2020_0006_0001_001.mp3
Less detail

Murdock and Lillian McMurray interview November 17, 1975 - Track 5

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory247
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1904-1975
Length
0:09:26
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Murdock McMurray's memories of his first team of horses. Lillian (Wray) McMurray and her husband discuss their son Bob McMurray's volunteerism and professional activities.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Murdock McMurray's memories of his first team of horses. Lillian (Wray) McMurray and her husband discuss their son Bob McMurray's volunteerism and professional activities.
Date Range
1904-1975
Photo Info
Emerson Doran (left) and Murdoch McMurray, 1917. Item no. 229-004
Length
0:09:26
Names
McMurray, Bob
Subjects
Transportation - Sleighs
Animals - Horses
Interviewer
McGeachie, Doreen “Pixie”
Interview Date
November 17, 1975
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with Murdock McMurray and his wife Lillian (Wray) McMurray conducted by Pixie McGeachie on November 17, 1975. Major themes discussed are: Burnaby's development, the Wray Shoe store and Murdock McMurray's cordwood delivery business.
Biographical Notes
Murdock McMurray was born in Vancouver in 1892 to Wilhelmina May and Robert William McMurray. Other children in the family included older siblings John “Jack” and Margaret Lillian, younger siblings Minnie May born May 4, 1895 and Hampton born June 8, 1902. Murdock’s father Robert worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) but retired shortly after moving his family to Burnaby in 1906. He bought six acres of land of what had been previously the Gilley Ranch, the base of operations for Gilley Bros. Ltd. at 2519 Windsor Street (later renumbered and renamed to the 6400 block Imperial Street). Murdock McMurray quit school early to apprentice as a printer. By sixteen he had left the trade and gone into partnership with his older brother Jack. With a team of horses, harness and a wagon, the brothers helped to macadamize roads, haul building supplies for new homes, deliver cord wood for heating, clear land and excavate basements. When Jack McMurray set off to serve overseas during World War I as a driver in the engineer corps, Murdock bought his team of horses and continued working, mainly in the Deer Lake district. In 1916 Murdoch McMurray partnered with Emerson Doran, nephew of the owner of Doran's Mill to buy Edmonds Coal and Wood fuel yard. As everything was geared towards the war effort, Murdock and Emerson soon ran out of work and had to sell the business. Murdock sold off his horses and equipment and went to work at the ship yard on Pitt River. By 1919 Jack McMurray had returned home from overseas and was working as a fireman at the Shull Lumber and Shingle Mill on the Fraser River. In 1921, he and Murdock teamed up with Emerson Doran and repurchased the Edmonds Coal and Wood fuel yard which they ran together until 1947. Murdock McMurray married Lillian Wray on September 17, 1925. Lillian was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Wray, who came to settle in the Jubilee area of Burnaby in 1919. The family lived on Dow Road and Edward Wray operated Jubilee Shoe Store and Post Office. He was known throughout the district as "Wray - The Shoe Man." Mrs. Wray died in 1957 at the age of eight-six and Edward Wray died January 14, 1967 at age of ninety-three. Murdock and Lillian lived at Inverness Street (now Arcola) and raised three children together, Bob, Jack and Bessie. Murdock McMurray died in New Westminster on April 28, 1985 at the age of ninety-two. Lillian Ethel (Wray) McMurray died in Burnaby on February 28, 1986 at the age of eighty-seven.
Total Tracks
7
Total Length
0:58:55
Interviewee Name
McMurray, Lillian Wray
McMurray, Murdoch
Interviewer Bio
Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie was a resident of Burnaby for over sixty years. Pixie married John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie and raised their children Kathi (Dunlop) and David McGeachie in the house the couple built themselves in 1947. Pixie served as the editor for the Burnaby Examiner newspaper and wrote a column entitled "Burnaby History" for The News. In 1974 she authored her first book titled "Bygones of Burnaby" which was one of the first to develop anecdotal stories about pioneer life in Burnaby. She authored "Burnaby - A Proud Century" in 1992 and in 2002 she wrote a biography of the city's namesake in the book "Land of Promise: Robert Burnaby's letters from Colonial B.C." She also contributed many hours of volunteering; helping to establish Burnaby's first museum Heritage Village in 1971, serving as President of the Burnaby Historical Society from 1991-1993. She served a six year term on Burnaby's Heritage Commission leading the charge to preserve many historic sites throughout the city, and during her twenty years as the Community Archives volunteer archivist for the historical society, she succeeded in gathering thousands of rare and valuable historic photographs and documents which now forms the core of the photograph collection on the Heritage Burnaby website (as these items were donated by the Society to the City Archives in 2007). The City of Burnaby awarded Pixie McGeachie the Kushiro Cup as Citizen of the year in 2002. In 2006 she received a Heritage BC project award for leading the Friends of Interurban 1223 project, and in 2008 Heritage BC recognised her again by presenting her with the Ruby Nobb Award. John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie died October 12, 1981 at the age of sixty-seven. Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie died August 14, 2010 at the age of eighty-nine. On 24 September, 2011, the City of Burnaby dedicated the reading at the City Archives in honour of Pixie and formally named it the Pixie McGeachie Reading Room in recognition of her years of service to the community.
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 five of recording of interview with Lillian and Murdock McMurray

Less detail

Interview with Reidun Seim by Kathy Bossort January 13, 2016 - Track 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory650
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1904-1940
Length
0:11:22
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about her father’s immigration to the USA in 1904 at age 16, his return to Norway and marrying Martine, her parents emigration from Norway to Vancouver in 1930, her father’s purchase of an acre of land on Curtis Street and building a two ro…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about her father’s immigration to the USA in 1904 at age 16, his return to Norway and marrying Martine, her parents emigration from Norway to Vancouver in 1930, her father’s purchase of an acre of land on Curtis Street and building a two room house for the family, Reidun’s birth in 1931, and the family’s move to Curtis Street in 1932. She talks about her childhood memories of playing on a big stump and cedar log in the yard.
Date Range
1904-1940
Length
0:11:22
Names
Seim, Sjur
Seim, Martine
Subjects
Buildings - Residences - Houses
Land Clearing
Persons - Children
Geographic Access
Curtis Street
Historic Neighbourhood
Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Lochdale Area
Interviewer
Bossort, Kathy
Interview Date
January 13, 2016
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with Reidun Seim conducted by Kathy Bossort. Reidun Seim was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about Reidun Seim’s memories about her parent’s farm on Curtis Street, events in her childhood, and the people who lived in or visited her neighborhood. She takes us on a tour of her neighborhood in the 1940s, telling us stories about families who lived on Curtis Street on and east of 7300 block, including people who lived on Burnaby Mountain in the old Hastings Grove subdivision above the end of municipal water service at Philips Avenue. She describes changes to Curtis Street, particularly after it provided access to Simon Fraser University in 1965. She also talks about her teaching career, and about how she values the green space and conservation area on Burnaby Mountain.
Biographical Notes
Reidun Seim was born in 1931 in Vancouver B.C. to Sjur and Martine Seim. Sjur and Martine Seim emigrated to Canada from Norway in 1930, and after settling in Vancouver, moved to an acre of land and a new home at the base of Burnaby Mountain in 1932. Sjur attended UBC to learn about poultry farming and began his own chicken and egg business in 1935. The farm animals and large garden also contributed to the family’s livelihood and self-sufficiency. The Curtis Street neighborhood was a lively place and extended well up Curtis Street on the west slope of Burnaby Mountain, where Reidun would babysit for families. Reidun attended Sperling Avenue Elementary School (Gr. 1-8), Burnaby North High School, and Vancouver Normal School for teacher training in 1950-1951. She began teaching primary grades in Port Coquitlam at James Park School. Most of her career was spent in North Delta, teaching at Kennedy and Annieville schools from 1954-1958, appointed Primary Consultant (1958-1960) and Primary Supervisor (1960-1985), before retiring in 1986. Reidun lived at home with her parents on Curtis Street, commuting to Delta, and continues to live in the original farmhouse.
Total Tracks
14
Total Length
2:35:58
Interviewee Name
Seim, Reidun
Interview Location
Burnaby City Hall in the Law Library
Interviewer Bio
Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.
Collection/Fonds
Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
Series
Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project series
Media Type
Sound Recording
Audio Tracks

Track one of interview with Reidun Seim

Less detail

Interview with Maureen Olofson by Kathy Bossort October 14, 2015 - Track 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory569
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1906-1950
Length
0:09:08
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Maureen Olofson’s parents immigration to Saskatchewan, her mother Kerstin in 1912 and father Axel in 1928, Maureen’s birth on a trip to Sweden in 1938, and her family’s move to Burnaby in 1942 and the start of their mink ranch, the GAK Fur Farm, near Curtis Av…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Maureen Olofson’s parents immigration to Saskatchewan, her mother Kerstin in 1912 and father Axel in 1928, Maureen’s birth on a trip to Sweden in 1938, and her family’s move to Burnaby in 1942 and the start of their mink ranch, the GAK Fur Farm, near Curtis Avenue in the old Hastings Grove subdivision on Burnaby Mountain.
Date Range
1906-1950
Length
0:09:08
Names
Olofson, Axel
GAK Fur Farm
Skofteby, Gus
Ericksson, Karin
Subjects
Agriculture
Geographic Access
Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
Historic Neighbourhood
Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Westridge Area
Interviewer
Bossort, Kathy
Interview Date
October 14, 2015
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with Maureen Olofson conducted by Kathy Bossort. Maureen Olofson was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about Maureen Olofson’s memories of growing up on her parent’s Burnaby Mountain mink ranch between 1942 and 1950 and about the operation of the farm. She also talks about her parents’ history, her teaching career, and her thoughts about the beauty and value of Burnaby Mountain’s natural area.
Biographical Notes
Maureen Olofson was born 1938 in Glote, Harjedalen, Sweden, to Axel (1906-1998) and Kerstin Margareta (1906-1980). Axel and Kerstin Olofson, who had separately immigrated to Canada in 1928 and 1913 respectively, married in Canada and then returned to Sweden where Maureen was born. They moved to Burnaby in 1942 with their daughters Maureen and Anita Lea, and bought land and a mink ranch on Burnaby Mountain with their partners Gus Skofteby and Karin Ericksson (Kerstin’s sister). The GAK Fur Farm, located in the old Hastings Grove subdivision on 4th Avenue near Curtis Street, was one of the largest mink ranches in BC, an award winning operation with over 1200 mink animals. In 1950 the partners sold the land and the Olofson family moved to rented homes on Sperling Avenue. In 1952 Axel sold the last of his minks and opened a sporting goods store on Hastings Street. In 1954 the family moved to North Vancouver where Axel Olofson reestablished his sports business. Maureen attended Sperling Avenue School from Gr. 1 to Gr. 8 and Burnaby North High School to Gr. 11, completing school in North Vancouver, before going to UBC where she trained as a teacher. She returned to Burnaby in 1977 to teach, retiring in 1997. She is a volunteer with the Swedish Canadian Rest Home Association and the Dania Homes Society. Maureen continues to enjoy activities on Burnaby Mountain and works toward preserving the natural beauty of the mountain.
Total Tracks
8
Total Length
1:19:04
Interviewee Name
Olofson, B. Maureen
Interview Location
Maureen Olofson's home in Burnaby
Interviewer Bio
Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.
Collection/Fonds
Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds
Series
Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project series
Media Type
Sound Recording
Audio Tracks

Track one of interview with Maureen Olofson

Less detail

Cat on a post

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription39335
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[between 1910 and 1925]
Collection/Fonds
Peers Family and Hill Family fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 6.2 x 8 cm on page 24.5 x 32.5 cm (pasted in album)
Scope and Content
Photograph of a small tabby cat standing on the top of a post.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[between 1910 and 1925]
Collection/Fonds
Peers Family and Hill Family fonds
Series
Kitty Hill Peers family photograph series
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 6.2 x 8 cm on page 24.5 x 32.5 cm (pasted in album)
Description Level
Item
Record No.
477-654
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2007-12
Scope and Content
Photograph of a small tabby cat standing on the top of a post.
Subjects
Animals - Cats
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

Gan Jones, Charlotte and Dorothy

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription82421
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[between 1910 and 1920]
Collection/Fonds
Hill family and Vidal family fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia ; 7.5 x 8.5
Scope and Content
Photograph is a portrait of a woman holding a girl standing beside a second girl.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[between 1910 and 1920]
Collection/Fonds
Hill family and Vidal family fonds
Series
Hill family and Vidal family photograph series
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia ; 7.5 x 8.5
Description Level
Item
Record No.
550-041
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2013-03
Scope and Content
Photograph is a portrait of a woman holding a girl standing beside a second girl.
Subjects
Animals - Dogs
Names
Hill, Charlotte Elizabeth Vidal
Loomis, Dorothy Kate Vidal
Vidal, Louisa Sophia "Lou" Jones
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on caption accompanying photograph and contents of photograph
Note in pencil on page photograph is mounted on reads: "Charlotte / Dorothy / Alex"
Note in blue pen on verso reads: "Uncle? / Mom / Aunt Dor"
Images
Less detail

Unidentified woman holding a dog

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription82424
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[between 1910 and 1920]
Collection/Fonds
Hill family and Vidal family fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 11.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a woman holding a dog in front of a house.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[between 1910 and 1920]
Collection/Fonds
Hill family and Vidal family fonds
Series
Hill family and Vidal family photograph series
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 11.5 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
550-044
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2013-03
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a woman holding a dog in front of a house.
Subjects
Animals - Dogs
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Note in black pen on verso reads: "I expect you are sick of the sight of these snaps, but they are the only ones I can find. We are printing on Monday so will send you some next time I write"
Photograph stamp on verso reads what appears to be German
Images
Less detail

Group portrait in the woods

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription82449
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[between 1910 and 1920]
Collection/Fonds
Hill family and Vidal family fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia ; 6 x 10.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph is a portrait of Charlotte and Dorothy Vidal and six other women. Charlotte Vidal is second from the left and Dorothy Vidal is on the far right.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[between 1910 and 1920]
Collection/Fonds
Hill family and Vidal family fonds
Series
Hill family and Vidal family photograph series
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia ; 6 x 10.5 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
550-057
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2013-03
Scope and Content
Photograph is a portrait of Charlotte and Dorothy Vidal and six other women. Charlotte Vidal is second from the left and Dorothy Vidal is on the far right.
Subjects
Animals - Dogs
Recreational Activities
Names
Hill, Charlotte Elizabeth Vidal
Loomis, Dorothy Kate Vidal
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

Edwin Wettenhall Bateman

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1198
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[between 1910 and 1921]
Collection/Fonds
E.W. Bateman family fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 13.5 x 8 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Edwin Wettenhall Bateman in front of his 7th Avenue home in Vancouver. He is dressed in a suit and hat and is holding a cane in his right hand. A Jack Russell terrier is lying on the lawn beside him.
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
E.W. Bateman family fonds
Series
Bateman family photographs series
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 13.5 x 8 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Edwin Wettenhall Bateman in front of his 7th Avenue home in Vancouver. He is dressed in a suit and hat and is holding a cane in his right hand. A Jack Russell terrier is lying on the lawn beside him.
Subjects
Animals - Dogs
Names
Bateman, Edwin W.
Geographic Access
Vancouver
Accession Code
BV994.22.5
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[between 1910 and 1921]
Media Type
Photograph
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
01-Jun-09
Scale
100
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

Stone fountain in lake

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1416
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1920]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 6.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of a small stone fountain spraying water in a pond laid with stones along the edges. There are swans and ducks in the pond, with trees and a part of a wooden building in the background. A note in the accession register speculates the location is Beaver Lake in Stanley Park, Vancouver.
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 6.5 cm
Material Details
The name "velox" is lightly printed on the back of the photo paper: thus, the photograph is printed on Kodak velox photo paper made in early 1900s for amateur photography.
stamped on verso, "729"
Scope and Content
Photograph of a small stone fountain spraying water in a pond laid with stones along the edges. There are swans and ducks in the pond, with trees and a part of a wooden building in the background. A note in the accession register speculates the location is Beaver Lake in Stanley Park, Vancouver.
Subjects
Fountains
Geographic Features - Lakes and Ponds
Animals - Fowl
Geographic Access
Vancouver
Accession Code
BV985.5790.1
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1920]
Media Type
Photograph
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
2024-02-02
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

Deer in the woods

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1439
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[between 1910 and 1920]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia ; 8 x 6 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of two deer foraging in the woods. According to the inscription the photograph was likely taken when camping at an unidentified location.
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia ; 8 x 6 cm
Material Details
inscribed in black ink, verso, t. "A couple of deer/ snapped just below/ camp. They are quite/ thick there."
Scope and Content
Photograph of two deer foraging in the woods. According to the inscription the photograph was likely taken when camping at an unidentified location.
Subjects
Animals - Deer
Geographic Features - Forests
Accession Code
BV985.5814.1
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[between 1910 and 1920]
Media Type
Photograph
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
2024-02-27
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

Dogs swimming

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19319
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[c. 1910]
Collection/Fonds
Esther Love Stanley fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 10.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of three dogs swimming towards the shore of a lake or river.
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Esther Love Stanley fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 10.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of three dogs swimming towards the shore of a lake or river.
Subjects
Geographic Features - Natural Waterways
Animals - Dogs
Accession Code
BV022.32.36
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[c. 1910]
Media Type
Photograph
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
2023-04-04
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Photograph is part of Esther Love Stanley photograph album 1 (BV022.32.1)
Images
Less detail

186 records – page 1 of 10.