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Subject
- Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores 1
- Clothing 2
- Documentary Artifacts - Postcards 1
- Education 1
- Geographic Features - Beaches 1
- Geographic Features - Lakes and Ponds 2
- Migration 1
- Occupations - Grocers 1
- Occupations - Teachers 1
- Organizations 1
- Organizations - Business Associations 1
- Persons - Chinese Canadians 1
Interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20285
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recordings (wav) (121min., 14 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (121 min., 13 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 25, 2023. The interview is divided into four sections: early life of Harry Toy, the Canada Way Food Market, the Fraser M…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Subseries
- Many Voices Project Interviews subseries
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recordings (wav) (121min., 14 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (121 min., 13 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Denise Fong Interviewees: Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy Location of Interview: Residence of Harry Toy Interview Date: September 25, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 02:01:13 Digital master recording (wav) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 25, 2023. The interview is divided into four sections: early life of Harry Toy, the Canada Way Food Market, the Fraser Merchants’ Association and Harry's daughters, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy's memories of growing up in Burnaby. 00:00:00 – 00:23:53 Harry Toy shares biographical information about himself and his ancestors. Harry provides information about his migration to Canada and his life in Manitoba, attending school, working at the family restaurant and teaching high school. 00:23:53 – 00:41:16 Harry talks about moving his family to Burnaby and his experiences owning and operating the Canada Way Food Market. 00:41:17 – 00:54:19 Harry talks about his involvement with the Fraser Merchants Association (FMA) and provides some history about the organization. 00:54:20 – 1:22:44 Harry talks about running the Canada Way Food Market and the alterations that he made to the store over the years. Harry and his daughters comment as they look through photographs of Harry and his store and the Fraser Merchants Association. 1:22:45 – 2:01:14 Beverley and Christina talk about their early childhood in Manitoba and growing up in Burnaby. They recall what it was like growing up and working in the family owned store.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Harry Wee Koon Toy was born in February 9, 1936 in Taikong, Toisan county, Guangdong, China. Harry's father William Toy came to Canada in the early 1920s when he was ten years old. Harry arrived in Vancouver, Canada on September 9, 1950. After staying in Vancouver for one night, he joined his father in Neepawa, Manitoba where the family operated a cafe business (Royal Cafe). Harry grew up in Neepawa and graduated from the University of Manitoba and teacher's college. He became a high school teacher and worked at schools in Minnedosa and Gladstone, Manitoba teaching various subjects including, science, business, geography, history and physical education. Harry and his wife, had three daughters, Melinda, Beverley and Christina who were all born in Neepawa. When the family decided to move to the west coast, Harry was introduced to the grocery store business through an uncle who was a store operator. Around 1970, Harry purchased a grocery store at 4694 Canada Way in Burnaby which he named "Canada Way Food Market" and Harry and his daughters made their home at the back of the store. Harry owned and operated the store for approximately 40 years between 1970 and 2010. Around 1986, Harry purchased the butcher shop next door (4692 Canada Way) which was no longer in operation, expanding his store and adding a second storey to use a residence. Harry's children helped him operate the store throughout their childhood. In the early 1970s, corner stores were threatened by the spread of small chain-operated convenience stories from Eastern Canada to Vancouver. Formed in April 1972, the Fraser Merchants’ Association was established to protect the rights of corner store operators. With no paid legal help, the association was incorporated in Victoria, BC for the cost of 56 cents. The benefits of being a member of the association included warehouse and group purchasing, common advertising and other advantages of being part of an association. Founded by Gary Lee Ling and five others, Fraser Merchants’ Association’s first member was Graham Grocery. By 1978, the association represented over 200 corner stores in the Lower Mainland (Delta, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Coquitlam, and New Westminster) and Fraser Valley. The association remained active into the 1980s and 1990s. Harry has served as President of the Fraser Merchants' Association from 1992 to present. 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
- Education
- Migration
- Occupations - Teachers
- Occupations - Grocers
- Organizations
- Organizations - Business Associations
- Persons - Chinese Canadians
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores
- Names
- Toy, Christina
- Toy, Harry Wee Koon "Harry"
- Babey, Beverley
- Canada Way Food Market
- Fraser Merchants' Association
- Responsibility
- Fong, Denise
- Geographic Access
- Canada Way
- Street Address
- 4694 Canada Way
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.19
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Related Material
- See also: BV023.25 - Harry Toy fonds
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy, [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023
Interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy, [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0019_002.mp3![At a fence, [190-] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1983/1983_0042_0056_001.jpg?width=280)
At a fence
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription316
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [190-]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 6.9 x 5.8 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of three women, two of whom are sitting on a wooden log fence, and another woman standing by them. All three women are wearing overcoats and large hats with brims decorated with feathers or flowers. The women seated on the fence are wearing fur stoles around their necks. The backgroun…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 6.9 x 5.8 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of three women, two of whom are sitting on a wooden log fence, and another woman standing by them. All three women are wearing overcoats and large hats with brims decorated with feathers or flowers. The women seated on the fence are wearing fur stoles around their necks. The background shows a wooded area with a few houses. An annotation on the back of the photo reads: "Mrs. Slade. / Miss Bird. [Gloriana Bird or "Birdie"] / Miss Kerr."
- Names
- Bird, Gloriana "Birdie"
- Accession Code
- HV983.42.56
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [190-]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2023-10-31
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
![At a fence, [190-] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1983/1983_0042_0056_001.jpg)
![Jean Dyson and Birdie in Lake Winnipeg, [between 1905 and 1907] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1983/198300420039.jpg?width=280)
Jean Dyson and Birdie in Lake Winnipeg
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription299
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [between 1905 and 1907]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 7.5 x 8.6 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two women in bathing suits, standing in a large body of water at a point where the water is up to their knees. Their bathing suits appear like sailor shirts with skirts and stockings, with caps over their heads. The inscription identifies the girl on the left as Jean Dyson, and the g…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 7.5 x 8.6 cm
- Material Details
- inscribed in pencil, verso, t. "
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two women in bathing suits, standing in a large body of water at a point where the water is up to their knees. Their bathing suits appear like sailor shirts with skirts and stockings, with caps over their heads. The inscription identifies the girl on the left as Jean Dyson, and the girl on the right is identified as Gloriana Bird (or Birdie). They are at a beach in Winnipeg. The inscription dates the photograph circa 1906 or 1907. However, other prints of the same image are dated circa 1905. Annotations on the back of the postcard read: "Taken 1906 or 1907 [erased and corrected dates. Previously written 1905 or 1906]" and "Jean & Birdie / in Lake Wpeg."
- Subjects
- Clothing
- Sports - Swimming
- Geographic Features - Lakes and Ponds
- Documentary Artifacts - Postcards
- Accession Code
- HV983.42.39
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [between 1905 and 1907]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Related Material
- For other prints of this image, see HV983.42.38 - .41
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2023-09-26
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
![Jean Dyson and Birdie in Lake Winnipeg, [between 1905 and 1907] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1983/198300420039.jpg)
![Jean Dyson and friends, [1905] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1983/198300420033.jpg?width=280)
Jean Dyson and friends
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription293
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1905]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.1 x 10.7 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two men and four women. The men are in suits, with hats, and one of them is leaning on a cane. The women are in long dresses and most of them have large brimmed hats decorated with lace, feathers, and flowers. They are standing in front of the woods. One of the women standing in the c…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 6.1 x 10.7 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two men and four women. The men are in suits, with hats, and one of them is leaning on a cane. The women are in long dresses and most of them have large brimmed hats decorated with lace, feathers, and flowers. They are standing in front of the woods. One of the women standing in the centre is identified by annotation as "1905 / Jean Dyson." Annotations on the back of the photograph read: "Jean Dyson 1905" and "Birdie [possibly Gloriana Bird] / [illegible] / [illegible]."
- Accession Code
- HV983.42.33
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1905]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2023-09-12
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
![Jean Dyson and friends, [1905] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1983/198300420033.jpg)
![Seated on a lawn, [190-] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1983/1983_0042_0053_001.jpg?width=280)
Seated on a lawn
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription313
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [190-]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.6 x 14.1 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two women seated on a lawn. Behind them, a large multi-storey building with multiple bays and a grand entrance can be seen. One of the women is wearing a striped dress with shoes with buckles. The other woman is wearing a long polka dot dress. The woman in the polka dot dress rese…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.6 x 14.1 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two women seated on a lawn. Behind them, a large multi-storey building with multiple bays and a grand entrance can be seen. One of the women is wearing a striped dress with shoes with buckles. The other woman is wearing a long polka dot dress. The woman in the polka dot dress resembles the woman in other photographs in this accession identified as Gloriana Bird, or Birdie.
- Names
- Bird, Gloriana "Birdie"
- Accession Code
- HV983.42.53
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [190-]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2023-10-31
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
![Seated on a lawn, [190-] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1983/1983_0042_0053_001.jpg)
![Sitting on a canoe, [1905] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1983/198300420037.jpg?width=280)
Sitting on a canoe
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription297
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1905]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 6.3 x 10.3 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two girls in bathing suits sitting on a canoe that has been turned upside down on a sand beach. The bathing suits appear like sailor shirts with skirts and stockings, with caps over their heads. In comparing the photograph with other photographs of the same subject, the girls are id…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 6.3 x 10.3 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two girls in bathing suits sitting on a canoe that has been turned upside down on a sand beach. The bathing suits appear like sailor shirts with skirts and stockings, with caps over their heads. In comparing the photograph with other photographs of the same subject, the girls are identified as Jean Dyson and Gloriana Bird (or Birdie) at a beach in Winnipeg.
- Accession Code
- HV983.42.37
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1905]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Related Material
- For other photographs of these two girls in the same bathing suits, see HV983.42.38 - .41
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2023-09-12
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
![Sitting on a canoe, [1905] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1983/198300420037.jpg)
![Women in bathing suits, [1905] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1983/1983_0042_0041_001.jpg?width=280)
Women in bathing suits
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription301
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1905]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 5.7 x 10.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two young women in bathing suits, standing in a large body of water at a point where the water is up to their knees. Their bathing suits appear like sailor shirts with skirts and stockings, with caps over their heads. They are at a beach at Lake Winnipeg.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 5.7 x 10.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of two young women in bathing suits, standing in a large body of water at a point where the water is up to their knees. Their bathing suits appear like sailor shirts with skirts and stockings, with caps over their heads. They are at a beach at Lake Winnipeg.
- Accession Code
- HV983.42.41
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1905]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Related Material
- For other prints of this image, see HV983.42.38 - .41
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2023-09-26
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- The photograph is a reversed image of photographs HV983.42.38 - .40
Images
![Women in bathing suits, [1905] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1983/1983_0042_0041_001.jpg)