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Subject
- Buildings - Civic 1
- Buildings - Civic - Fire Halls 1
- Buildings - Commercial - Service Stations 3
- Clothing - Uniforms 1
- Documentary Artifacts - Photographs 1
- Occupations - Fire Fighters 3
- Occupations - Mechanics 2
- Public Services - Fire Protection 2
- Transportation - Automobiles 1
- Transportation - Fire Trucks 5
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
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 Fire Department papers
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription64453
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1924-1943
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of papers pertaining to the development of a unified Fire Department; including Bylaw 451, a letter addressing the unlawfulness of the previous system of fire protection from lawyer P. McD. Kerr and related correspondence between the North Burnaby Board of Trade and Burnaby Council.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1924-1943
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- North Burnaby Board of Trade subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Description Level
- File
- Record No.
- MSS118-003
- Accession Number
- BHS2005-8
- Scope and Content
- File consists of papers pertaining to the development of a unified Fire Department; including Bylaw 451, a letter addressing the unlawfulness of the previous system of fire protection from lawyer P. McD. Kerr and related correspondence between the North Burnaby Board of Trade and Burnaby Council.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Title based on contents of file
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
Burnaby 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
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
Daily 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
Fire Department fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription47
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1920-2019
- Collection/Fonds
- Fire Department fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 m of textual records, graphic material, and cartographic material
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of news clippings; notes correspondence; and layout and research materials used in the development and creation of the Burnaby Fire Department history entitled “Follow that Fire.” Also consists of administrative records created by the Fire Department related to its management, direct…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1920-2019
- Collection/Fonds
- Fire Department fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 m of textual records, graphic material, and cartographic material
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- Subject to FOIPPA
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproductions subject to FOIPPA
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of news clippings; notes correspondence; and layout and research materials used in the development and creation of the Burnaby Fire Department history entitled “Follow that Fire.” Also consists of administrative records created by the Fire Department related to its management, direction, coordination, training services, and planning, including daily record books, emergency preparedness pamphlets, a departmental practice manual, procedural directives, scrapbooks, and an orthophoto map (in 63 pieces) of the City of Burnaby.
- History
- Serving the City since 1911, the Burnaby Fire Department is committed to providing timely, professional, and effective fire-related emergency services to save lives, property and the environment. Their dedicated staff serves the City via seven fire stations located strategically across Burnaby. Each of our stations is equipped with up-to-date vehicles and equipment. Their highly skilled and trained team of men and women provide many services, including fire suppression and prevention, investigation, inspection, training, medical, vehicle extrication, technical and other speciality rescues, hazardous materials response and public education services. The following information pertains to the publication "Follow That Fire": Communities have always lived with the threat of fire. Early Burnaby residents banded together to extinguish out-of-control brush fires. In the 1920s, the Municipal Police were responsible for fire-related matters, earning three dollars for attending a fire. Donations to the Vancouver and New Westminster Fire Departments' Benevolent Funds brought the first fire engines to Burnaby's rescue. As the population increased, by-laws were enacted to develop a full-time fire service. Several members saw the value in jotting down recollections of their experiences as Burnaby firemen, which sparked an interest in completing the History of the Burnaby Fire Department. While researching this project, the author was fortunate in being able to draw from the resources of retired chiefs Fred Blake and Lewis Auvache, who were original members of the Department. The Department's progression includes heated and sometimes humorous debates regarding who should be responsible for fire protection, deciding if there was a need for a fire services, and how taxes would be levied to support the service. Photographs throughout the text represent stages of development which include a pictorial record of Burnaby fire trucks from 1923 to the present platform ladder trucks. From its humble beginning as two separate fire departments operating from a converted police horse stable and a water pumping station, the Burnaby Fire Department has developed into a professional organization serving its citizens from six fire stations.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Cartographic Material
- Creator
- City of Burnaby
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds.
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
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
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.mp3Interview 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.mp3Interview 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.mp3North Burnaby Board of Trade subseries
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription124
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1920]-[1958]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Subseries
- Physical Description
- Textual records and photographs
- Scope and Content
- Subseries consists of documents related to the North Burnaby Board of Trade (previously Burnaby Board of Trade), including its certificate of formation, reports and bylaws pertaining to both the Burnaby Fire Department and Barnet Park, correspondence, District of Burnaby financial reports, annual r…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1920]-[1958]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- North Burnaby Board of Trade subseries
- Physical Description
- Textual records and photographs
- Description Level
- Subseries
- Accession Number
- BHS2005-08
- Scope and Content
- Subseries consists of documents related to the North Burnaby Board of Trade (previously Burnaby Board of Trade), including its certificate of formation, reports and bylaws pertaining to both the Burnaby Fire Department and Barnet Park, correspondence, District of Burnaby financial reports, annual reports, a map, and photographs of Burnaby parks, schools and neighbourhoods.
- History
- The Burnaby Board of Trade formed on September 4, 1926 and registered with the province December 14, 1926. George Conway Brown was elected as Secretary. On May 30, 1927, The Governor General officially granted the Board to change its name to the North Burnaby Board of Trade. The Board's boundaries, under Secretary Thomas B. Blake, were changed from "the Municipality of Burnaby" to "that portion of the Municipality of Burnaby which lies north of Still Creek, Burnaby Lake and Brunette River" British Columbia. On April 26, 1932, the North Burnaby Board of Trade Constitution and Bylaws were adopted with A.G. Kidd as Secretary. Membership was open to all persons directly or indirectly engaged or interested in the trade and commerce or the economic welfare of the district of North Burnaby. The Secretary was the executive officer of the Board, ordered to keep the books, conduct the correspondence, preserve official documents, take minutes at all meetings, have custody of the seal and be in charge of all funds and accounts held by the Board. The North Burnaby Board of Trade was involved in many historic municipal decisions including the development of Barnet Park and establishing a unified Fire Department under one Fire Chief.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Creator
- North Burnaby Board of Trade
- Notes
- PC476, MSS118
- Title based on contents of subseries
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"