Narrow Results By
Subject
- Accidents 3
- Animals - Dogs 2
- Buildings - Civic 2
- Buildings - Civic - Archives 1
- Buildings - Civic - City Halls 2
- Buildings - Civic - Fire Halls 12
- Buildings - Civic - Hospitals 4
- Buildings - Civic - Museums 1
- Buildings - Commercial 1
- Buildings - Commercial - Malls 1
- Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants 1
- Buildings - Commercial - Service Stations 3
Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory464
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1911-1990
- Length
- 00:05:22
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about how Al Nixon began collecting and saving photographs, records and stories about the history of the Burnaby Fire Department in the mid 1980's. Finding the first scrapbook of photographs lead to other discoveries that placed the beginning of the Burnaby Fire Dep…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about how Al Nixon began collecting and saving photographs, records and stories about the history of the Burnaby Fire Department in the mid 1980's. Finding the first scrapbook of photographs lead to other discoveries that placed the beginning of the Burnaby Fire Department in 1911.
- Date Range
- 1911-1990
- Length
- 00:05:22
- 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
- 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
Track one of interview with Al Nixon
Track one of interview with Al Nixon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_1.mp3Burnaby Garage
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1473
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1922
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 5.5 x 10 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Bill Banks' "Burnaby Garage" at Britton and Kingsway. A large store front sign reads, "W.M. BANKS. PROP./ Phone 1605/ BURNABY GARAGE/ SERVICE CAR/ REPARIS OILS GREASES/ TIRES & TUBES." Bill Banks was a mechanic with whom the Burnaby Fire Department had an agreement to maintain the fir…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 5.5 x 10 cm
- Material Details
- Photograph was likely taken out of an album as there is black paper residue on its recto
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Bill Banks' "Burnaby Garage" at Britton and Kingsway. A large store front sign reads, "W.M. BANKS. PROP./ Phone 1605/ BURNABY GARAGE/ SERVICE CAR/ REPARIS OILS GREASES/ TIRES & TUBES." Bill Banks was a mechanic with whom the Burnaby Fire Department had an agreement to maintain the fire truck and drive it to emergencies on an on-call basis.
- Names
- Burnaby Garage
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Accession Code
- BV999.55.22
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Date
- 1922
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 08-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Note in blue ink on recto of photograph reads: "1922"
Images
Converted Fire Truck
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35334
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1923 (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 a Packard 12-cylinder limousine converted by Bill Banks (Burnaby Fire Department District Chief) into a fire vehicle for Burnaby Fire Department. The limousine was rumoured to have been owned by wealthy Vancouver bootlegger, Joe Martin.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1923 (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.
- 204-191
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1988-03
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a Packard 12-cylinder limousine converted by Bill Banks (Burnaby Fire Department District Chief) into a fire vehicle for Burnaby Fire Department. The limousine was rumoured to have been owned by wealthy Vancouver bootlegger, Joe Martin.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
South Burnaby's first fire truck
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1301
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1923 (date of original)
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 9.5 x 13.5 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of South Burnaby's first fire truck, a Model T Ford hose truck.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 9.5 x 13.5 cm print
- Material Details
- Copy print is of poor quality
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of South Burnaby's first fire truck, a Model T Ford hose truck.
- Subjects
- Transportation - Fire Trucks
- Names
- Burnaby Fire Department
- Accession Code
- BV998.31.16
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- 1923 (date of original)
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 02-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Typed sticker on verso of photograph reads: "South Burnaby's first/ fire truck. Model T/ Ford hose truck. 1923"
- Address sticker on verso of photograph reads: "MR & MRS F BLAKE 4165 PANDORA ST BURNABY BC V5C 2B2"
Images
Fire hall no. 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1296
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1925] (date of original)
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of North Burnaby's first fire hall (the building was originally used as a pump house before it was converted).
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of North Burnaby's first fire hall (the building was originally used as a pump house before it was converted).
- Subjects
- Buildings - Civic - Fire Halls
- Names
- Burnaby Fire Department
- Geographic Access
- Carleton Avenue
- Eton Street
- Accession Code
- BV998.31.5
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1925] (date of original)
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Heights Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 01-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Photographer
- Blake, Frederick "Fred"
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Typed sticker on verso of photograph reads: "Burnaby's first fire hall Carleton Ave. and Eton St. 290 N (1925)"
- Address sticker on verso of photograph reads: "MR & MRS F BLAKE 4165 PANDORA ST BURNABY BC V5C 2B2"
Images
Firefighter Albert Killer behind the wheel
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1297
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1925] (date of original)
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Firefighter Albert Killer behind the wheel of the second fire truck in North Burnaby. It was a 4 cylinder Dodge combination hose and chemical truck.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Firefighter Albert Killer behind the wheel of the second fire truck in North Burnaby. It was a 4 cylinder Dodge combination hose and chemical truck.
- Accession Code
- BV998.31.6
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1925] (date of original)
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 01-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Photographer
- Blake, Frederick "Fred"
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Typed sticker on verso of photograph reads: "First North Burnaby fire engine. Albert Killer on 1925 DODGE combination hose and chemical truck. 4 cyl."
- Address sticker on verso of photograph reads: "MR & MRS F BLAKE 4165 PANDORA ST BURNABY BC V5C 2B2"
Images
Bill Banks in front of his garage
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1462
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1925]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 5.5 x 10 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of W. M. (Bill) Banks standing in coveralls in front of his garage at Britton and Kingsway. Bill Banks was a mechanic with whom the Burnaby Fire Department had an agreement to maintain the fire truck and drive it to emergencies on an on-call basis. An unidentified man in a suit is standi…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 5.5 x 10 cm
- Material Details
- Photograph was likely taken out of an album as there is black paper residue on its recto
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of W. M. (Bill) Banks standing in coveralls in front of his garage at Britton and Kingsway. Bill Banks was a mechanic with whom the Burnaby Fire Department had an agreement to maintain the fire truck and drive it to emergencies on an on-call basis. An unidentified man in a suit is standing on the left, smoking.
- Subjects
- Occupations - Fire Fighters
- Occupations - Mechanics
- Buildings - Commercial - Service Stations
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Britton Street
- Accession Code
- BV999.55.11
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Date
- [1925]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 08-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Burnaby Garage
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1463
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1925]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 5.5 x 10 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Bill Banks' garage at Britton and Kingsway, with a sign at the edge of the driveway (to the left) which reads, "BURNABY GARAGE." Bill Banks was a mechanic with whom the Burnaby Fire Department had an agreement to maintain the fire truck and drive it to emergencies on an on-call basis.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 5.5 x 10 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Bill Banks' garage at Britton and Kingsway, with a sign at the edge of the driveway (to the left) which reads, "BURNABY GARAGE." Bill Banks was a mechanic with whom the Burnaby Fire Department had an agreement to maintain the fire truck and drive it to emergencies on an on-call basis.
- Subjects
- Occupations - Fire Fighters
- Occupations - Mechanics
- Buildings - Commercial - Service Stations
- Names
- Burnaby Garage
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Britton Street
- Accession Code
- BV999.55.12
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Date
- [1925]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 08-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
Images
1925 Dodge fire engine
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1680
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1925] (date of original)
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Burnaby Fire Department's 1925 four cylinder Dodge combination hose and chemical fire engine, the first of its kind to be used in North Burnaby. Commercial buildings are visible behind the truck and a sign on the window display reads, "Better and Better."
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Burnaby Fire Department's 1925 four cylinder Dodge combination hose and chemical fire engine, the first of its kind to be used in North Burnaby. Commercial buildings are visible behind the truck and a sign on the window display reads, "Better and Better."
- Subjects
- Transportation - Fire Trucks
- Names
- Burnaby Fire Department
- Accession Code
- BV002.75.2
- Access Restriction
- Restricted access
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- [1925] (date of original)
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 09-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Typed note on verso of photograph reads: "1925 4 cylinder Dodge/ Combination hose and/ chemical fire engine./ The first in North Burnaby"
- Address sticker on verso of photograph reads: "Mr & Mrs F. Blake 4165 Pandora Street Burnaby, B.C. Canada V5C 2B2"
Images
Daily record book for Burnaby #2 Fire Hall - 1926-1927
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription2255
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1926-1927
- Collection/Fonds
- Fire Department fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- Textual record
- Scope and Content
- Item is a black record book with dark red spine and corners (untitled) in which information about a Fire Hall (likely #2 or #3) of the Burnaby Fire Department - such as who was on duty, calls/runs made, and notes about equipment - was recorded daily for the years 1926-1927.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1926-1927
- Collection/Fonds
- Fire Department fonds
- Physical Description
- Textual record
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 4150
- Accession Number
- 2001-02
- Scope and Content
- Item is a black record book with dark red spine and corners (untitled) in which information about a Fire Hall (likely #2 or #3) of the Burnaby Fire Department - such as who was on duty, calls/runs made, and notes about equipment - was recorded daily for the years 1926-1927.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 3
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory466
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1927-1990
- Length
- 00:04:05
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about the equipment used by the fire department over the years, in particular about the pump and ladder trucks, and about Chief Waddell's wise choice of locations for the fire halls.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about the equipment used by the fire department over the years, in particular about the pump and ladder trucks, and about Chief Waddell's wise choice of locations for the fire halls.
- Date Range
- 1927-1990
- Length
- 00:04:05
- Names
- Waddell, Gordon
- 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
- 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
Track three of interview with Al Nixon
Track three of interview with Al Nixon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_3.mp3Daily record book for Burnaby #2 Fire Hall - 1927-1930
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription2256
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1927-1930
- Collection/Fonds
- Fire Department fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- Textual record
- Scope and Content
- Item is a black record book with dark red spine and corners (untitled) in which information about a Fire Hall (likely #2 or #3) of the Burnaby Fire Department - such as who was on duty, calls/runs made, and notes about equipment - was recorded daily for the years 1927-1930.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1927-1930
- Collection/Fonds
- Fire Department fonds
- Physical Description
- Textual record
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 4151
- Accession Number
- 2001-02
- Scope and Content
- Item is a black record book with dark red spine and corners (untitled) in which information about a Fire Hall (likely #2 or #3) of the Burnaby Fire Department - such as who was on duty, calls/runs made, and notes about equipment - was recorded daily for the years 1927-1930.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
Interview with Allan Nixon by Rod Fowler February 21, 1990 - Track 8
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory471
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1928-1990
- Length
- 00:07:51
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon's father Basil Nixon, who was Provincial Fire Marshall, and his mother Agnes, whose father Thomas Douglas was murdered in 1934, perhaps for political reasons. He also talks about the Burquitlam neighbourhood where his Douglas grandparents lived in the…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon's father Basil Nixon, who was Provincial Fire Marshall, and his mother Agnes, whose father Thomas Douglas was murdered in 1934, perhaps for political reasons. He also talks about the Burquitlam neighbourhood where his Douglas grandparents lived in the heritage home "Seven Gables" on Sullivan Street. He relates some childhood events, including the train wreck on Burnette Creek in 1936.
- Date Range
- 1928-1990
- Length
- 00:07:51
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burquitlam (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Lyndhurst Area
- Cameron Area
- 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
- 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
Track eight of interview with Al Nixon
Track eight of interview with Al Nixon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-014/MSS187-014_Track_8.mp3Daily record book for Burnaby #2 Fire Hall 1931-1936
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription2263
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1930-1936
- Collection/Fonds
- Fire Department fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- Textual record
- Scope and Content
- Item is a black record book with dark red spine and corners (untitled) in which information about the calls of the [#2?] Fire Hall of the Burnaby Fire Department was recorded for the years 1930-1936.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1930-1936
- Collection/Fonds
- Fire Department fonds
- Physical Description
- Textual record
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 4158
- Accession Number
- 2001-02
- Scope and Content
- Item is a black record book with dark red spine and corners (untitled) in which information about the calls of the [#2?] Fire Hall of the Burnaby Fire Department was recorded for the years 1930-1936.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
Receipt Book, Burnaby Fire Department
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription5789
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1932-1936
- Collection/Fonds
- Fire Department fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- Textual record
- Scope and Content
- One black ledger book with a label on the front reading "Instructions to Financial Secretaries" followed by two paragraphs of instructions as to how to make entries in the book. The financial transactions recorded on pages in the middle section of the ledger seem to be the receipts of initiation f…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1932-1936
- Collection/Fonds
- Fire Department fonds
- Physical Description
- Textual record
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 8740
- Accession Number
- 2001-02
- Scope and Content
- One black ledger book with a label on the front reading "Instructions to Financial Secretaries" followed by two paragraphs of instructions as to how to make entries in the book. The financial transactions recorded on pages in the middle section of the ledger seem to be the receipts of initiation fees paid by members of the fire department. There is no written indication as to who kept this ledger, but by virtue of its location next to Burnaby Firefighters Association Local 323 bank book, it seems that this ledger served the same purpose and did belong to Local 323.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
Massey residence
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription88827
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1933 and 1948] (date of original), copied 2015
- Collection/Fonds
- James Massey family fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph (tiff) : sepia ; 600 dpi
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Massey family residence in Robert Burnaby Park. The house is surrounded by trees and has a fish pond in the front yard. After the Massey family moved out, the house was rented by Jack and Daphne Shaw (Burnaby clerk), followed by Roy and Grace McKay. In the late 1950s or early 1960…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1933 and 1948] (date of original), copied 2015
- Collection/Fonds
- James Massey family fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph (tiff) : sepia ; 600 dpi
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 581-015
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- 2014-34
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the Massey family residence in Robert Burnaby Park. The house is surrounded by trees and has a fish pond in the front yard. After the Massey family moved out, the house was rented by Jack and Daphne Shaw (Burnaby clerk), followed by Roy and Grace McKay. In the late 1950s or early 1960s, the house was burned down by the Burnaby Fire Department during a fire practice.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- East Burnaby (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Lakeview-Mayfield Area
Images
Fire Department at Fire Hall No. 2
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35199
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1934 (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 Burnaby fire department trucks and firefighters, in front of fire hall No. 2. Note the old Burnaby Municipal Hall on the left.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1934 (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.
- 204-056
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1988-03
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby fire department trucks and firefighters, in front of fire hall No. 2. Note the old Burnaby Municipal Hall on the left.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Civic - City Halls
- Transportation - Fire Trucks
- Occupations - Fire Fighters
- Buildings - Civic - Fire Halls
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Street Address
- 7252 Kingsway
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
Images
District Chief Bill Banks
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1471
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [between 1935 and 1937]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 8 x 5.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Bill Banks, Officer in Charge of Fire Area no. 1 in South Burnaby, sitting behind the steering wheel of Burnaby Fire Department fire truck no. 2. Bill Banks was the owner of Burnaby Garage where he built and serviced fire trucks for the municipality.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 8 x 5.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Bill Banks, Officer in Charge of Fire Area no. 1 in South Burnaby, sitting behind the steering wheel of Burnaby Fire Department fire truck no. 2. Bill Banks was the owner of Burnaby Garage where he built and serviced fire trucks for the municipality.
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Street Address
- 7282 Kingsway
- Accession Code
- BV999.55.20
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Date
- [between 1935 and 1937]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 08-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Note in black ink on verso of photograph reads: "fire chief Banks"
Images
Bill Banks in protective gear
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1481
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [after 1935]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10.5 x 6 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of District Chief Bill Banks wearing a helmet and a projective jacket over his suit as he stands beside a house.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10.5 x 6 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of District Chief Bill Banks wearing a helmet and a projective jacket over his suit as he stands beside a house.
- Subjects
- Occupations - Fire Fighters
- Accession Code
- BV999.55.30
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Date
- [after 1935]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Related Material
- For another photograph of the same fireman in the same setting, see BV999.55.31
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 09-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Bill Banks in protective gear
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1482
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [after 1935]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10.5 x 6 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of District Chief Bill Banks wearing a helmet and a projective jacket over his suit as he
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10.5 x 6 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of District Chief Bill Banks wearing a helmet and a projective jacket over his suit as he
- Subjects
- Occupations - Fire Fighters
- Accession Code
- BV999.55.31
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Date
- [after 1935]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Related Material
- For another photograph of the same fireman in the same setting, see BV999.55.30
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 09-Jun-09
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph