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Fred Blake subseries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription65815
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1942- [1997]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Subseries
Physical Description
Textual records
Scope and Content
Subseries consists of an essay written by Fred Blake entitled "Growing Up in North Burnaby," a hand-drawn map of Gilmore School, an RCAF pamphlet, an Emergency Rescue Training Pocket Manual and a Handbook for Auxiliary Firemen.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1942- [1997]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Fred Blake subseries
Physical Description
Textual records
Description Level
Subseries
Accession Number
BHS2003-15
BHS2005-01
Scope and Content
Subseries consists of an essay written by Fred Blake entitled "Growing Up in North Burnaby," a hand-drawn map of Gilmore School, an RCAF pamphlet, an Emergency Rescue Training Pocket Manual and a Handbook for Auxiliary Firemen.
History
Thomas Blake and his wife Gertrude came to Burnaby in 1921 with their three children: Thomas "Tom", Susie and Frederick "Fred" (b. 1912). They lived at 4456 Pandora street, owning that lot and the adjoining 66 foot lot on the west. The Municipality cleared a trail, later putting down a one-plank sidewalk and bringing in a half-inch water line for the family. The Blake family lived in two wall tents for a few years while they cleared their land and built their house. In 1921 at the age of nine, Fred Blake attended Gilmore School where he learned about different woods and how to use hand tools. In 1927, he attended North Burnaby High School in a commercial course were he learned typing, shorthand, book-keeping a commercial law. Throughout his teenage years, Fred worked at Armour Photo Finishing, developing rolls of film and collecting and delivering the films and finished prints. Thomas Blake worked part-time for the Burnaby Advertiser and part-time for the Vancouver Sun to pay his way through university and become a Burnaby school teacher. In 1927, at the age of sixteen, Fred began his firefighting career as a volunteer, with the first major fire of his career taking place December 31, 1927 at the 4600 block of Albert Street. He continued as a volunteer until 1934 when he went to the logging camps as a steam fireman in the Queen Charlotte Islands and on the coast. In the early 1930s, Fred was a member of the Army of the Common Good, and with the falling crew cut second growth timber on Capitol Hill for firewood to be shared with other members. The Army also produced over 125 tons of vegetables from its own gardens to feed children and youth who were near starvation from lack of adequate relief funds from the municipality. The Army was in operations for ten years and during that time the members organised the Credit Union movement of British Columbia and drew up the Credit Union act thorough the Vancouver Co-operative Council. They also started Co-Op stores and the Co-Op Wholesale Society. During this time, while on Relief (now welfare) Fred also worked for the municipality on the two projects of the clearing of Confederation Park and the clearing of Lougheed Highway. Fred re-joined the Burnaby fire department on April 1, 1939, as a paid member at No. 1 Hall. He came up through the ranks to become Training Officer for the department in 1949 and full time training officer with the rank of District Chief in 1952. Fred was promoted to Assistant Chief in 1966. He retired from service March 1, 1972.
Media Type
Textual Record
Creator
Blake, Fredrick "Fred"
Notes
MSS150
Title based on contents and creator of subseries
Less detail