Research

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Summary

This portion of the recording pertains to the Brown-Johns first settling in Burnaby. Elsie (Brown-John) Ansdell discusses land clearing for the family home, each of her parents and her brothers.

Date Range

1910-1946

Photo Info

Elsie Brown-John (bottom, far right) with her class at Kitchener Street School, [1936]. Item no. 549-001.

Length

0:09:17

Name

Brown-John, Victor Joseph Charles

Brown-John, Winnifred Douglas

Subject

Land Clearing

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Historic Neighbourhood

Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area

Willingdon Heights Area

Interviewer

Damer, Eric

Interview Date

September 18, 2012

Scope and Content

Recording is an interview with early Burnaby resident Elsie (Brown-John) Ansdell conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, September 18, 2012. Major themes discussed are: settling in Burnaby and the early years of the Brown-John family.

Biographical Notes

Elsie (Brown-John) Ansdell’s father, a trained carpenter and cabinet maker, Victor Brown-John came to Canada from Wales in 1910. He cleared three lots at Napier and Gilmore Streets and built a two-roomed house. In 1912, he was joined by his wife and two eldest sons, Victor and Archie. Twin boys, Frank and Roy, were born in 1914 in the Burnaby home and their fifth son, Clive, was born in 1915. From 1916 to 1919 Victor John-Brown left Burnaby to serve overseas. Elsie Brown-John (later Ansdell) was born in 1921. Her younger brother, Gwyn "Jerry" was born in 1923. In 1925 Victor Brown-John suffered a fatal accident while working as a longshoreman in Northern British Columbia. Elsie attended Kitchener Elementary and North Burnaby High School. She married during the Second World War and moved to South Burnaby to raise her family whilst continuing to work in various department stores both in Vancouver and Burnaby.

Total Tracks

4

Total Length

33:02

Other Tracks

View All Tracks

Interviewee Name

Ansdell, Elsie Brown-John

Interview Location

Burnaby Village Museum

Interviewer Bio

Eric Damer is a lifelong British Columbian born in Victoria, raised in Kamloops, and currently residing in Burnaby. After studying philosophy at the University of Victoria, he became interested in the educational forces that had shaped his own life. He completed master’s and doctoral degrees in educational studies at the University of British Columbia with a particular interest in the history of adult and higher education in the province. In 2012, Eric worked for the City of Burnaby as a field researcher and writer, conducting interviews for the City Archives and Museum Oral History Program.

Collection/Fonds

Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds

Series

Burna-Boom Oral History Project series

Item No.

MSS171-001_ Track_1

Transcript Available

None

Media Type

Sound Recording

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

October 1946

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-004

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.4 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of a site at Napier Street (west) and Madison Avenue with five partially constructed houses. Completed houses are visible in the distance distance. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - Madison Avenue

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

October 1946

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-005

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.4 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of a site Napier Street (west) and Carleton Avenue (south) with a house under construction. Other houses are visible in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - Carleton Avenue

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

October 1946

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-006

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.9 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of Napier Street and Carleton Avenue (south). This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Geographic Features - Roads

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - Carleton Avenue

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

March 16, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-009

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.2 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of Napier Street (west) and Carleton Avenue with lumber and a pile of dirt in the foreground. Houses and partially completed houses can be seen on either side of the road. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Construction

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - Carleton Avenue

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

March 16, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-010

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photogaph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.2 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of Carlton Avenue (south) and Napier Street with houses on either side of the road. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Carleton Avenue

Burnaby - Napier Street

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

March 16, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-012

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.3 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of house construction at Napier Street (west) and Madison Avenue with and a man and dog on the road. Other houses are visible in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Animals - Dogs

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - Madison Avenue

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

March 16, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-024

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.4 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of land clearing machines at 4124 Napier Street. Partially constructed houses and lumber are visible, and a sign on the side of a bulldozer reads "Holmes and Wilson Trucking." This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Construction Tools and Equipment

Land Clearing

Names

Holmes and Wilson Trucking Company Limited

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - 4124 Napier Street

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

March 22, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-032

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.4 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of Napier Street and Willingdon Avenue with houses under construction and nearing completion. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - Willingdon Avenue

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

March 29, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-035

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.2 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of Rosser Avenue and Napier Street with a cleared area with a house on either side. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Land Clearing

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Rosser Avenue

Burnaby - Napier Street

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

May 20, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-100

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.2 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of Napier Street and Willingdon Avenue with the road in the foreground and houses under construction, some of which are completed or nearing completion, in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Geographic Features - Roads

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - Willingdon Avenue

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

June 4, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-105

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.8 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of Napier Street and Rosser Avenue with construction workers working on houses. Completed houses can be seen in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Occupations - Labourers

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Geographic Features - Roads

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - Rosser Avenue

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

July 10, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-138

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.4 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of Napier Street and Willingdon Avenue with lumber scattered on a cleared area and houses in the background. There are vehicles on the road, including a truck whose side reads "Mother Hubbard Bread" and machinery reading "G.W. Ledingham, Contractors." This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Industries - Construction

Transportation - Trucks

Construction Tools and Equipment

Names

G.W. Ledingham, Contractors

Mother Hubbard Bread

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - Willingdon Avenue

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

[1921 or 1922] (date of original), digitally copied 2012

Collection/Fonds

Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds

Series

Burna-Boom Oral History Project series

Description Level

Item

Item No.

549-008

Accession Number

2012-30

Storage Location

See Location of AIP field

Physical Description

1 photograph (jpeg) : col. ; 300ppi

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

May be restricted by third party rights

Scope and Content

Photograph of members of the Brown-John family sitting and standing on the blasting stump. This stump was located near the corner of Gilmore Avenue and Napier Street.

Subjects

Plants - Trees

Names

Brown-John, Victor Joseph Charles

Brown-John, Archie

Brown-John, Frank

Brown-John, Roy

Ansdell, Elsie Brown-John

Brown-John, Clive

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Gilmore Avenue

Burnaby - Napier Street

Historic Neighbourhood

Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area

Willingdon Heights Area

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

[1920] (date of original), digitally copied 2012

Collection/Fonds

Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds

Series

Burna-Boom Oral History Project series

Description Level

Item

Item No.

549-009

Accession Number

2012-30

Storage Location

See Location of AIP field

Physical Description

1 photograph (jpeg) : col. ; 300ppi

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

May be restricted by third party rights

Scope and Content

Photograph of the Brown-John children playing on the blasting stump that was located near the corner of Gilmore Avenue and Napier Street.

Subjects

Plants - Trees

Names

Brown-John, Victor

Brown-John, Archie

Brown-John, Frank

Brown-John, Roy

Brown-John, Clive

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Gilmore Avenue

Burnaby - Napier Street

Historic Neighbourhood

Vancouver Heights (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area

Willingdon Heights Area

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

March 16, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-017

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.4 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of the 4300 block of Napier Street at Madison Avenue with several houses under construction, piles of lumber, and a man and dogs outside one of the houses. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Animals - Dogs

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - 4300 Block Napier Street

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

March 16, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-018

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.4 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of the 4300 block of Napier Street at Madison Avenue with houses under construction on either side of the road. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - 4300 Block Napier Street

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

March 16, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-021

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.2 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of the 4100 block of Napier Street at Gilmore Avenue with a partially constructed house and a car parked on the side of the road. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - 4100 Block Napier Street

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

March 16, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-022

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.2 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of the 4100 block of Napier Street with partially constructed houses with a man and woman standing beside them. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - 4100 Block Napier Street

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

May 9, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-089

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.2 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of cleared land at the 4400 Block of Napier Street (south) with houses visible in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Land Clearing

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - 4400 Block Napier Street

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

August 12, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-146

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.5 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of Home No. 1 on the 4200 block of Napier Street. The house is nearing completion. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - 4200 Block Napier Street

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

August 12, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-147

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.9 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of Unit Home No. 1 on the 4200 block of Napier Street. The house is near completion and other houses on the block can be seen in the background. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - 4200 Block Napier Street

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

August 30, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-158

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.4 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of Unit Home No. 1 on the 4200 block of Napier Street (north). The house is near completion and houses on either side of it can be seen; no landscaping has been done. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Geographic Features - Roads

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - 4200 Block Napier Street

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

August 30, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-159

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.2 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of the 4100 block of Napier Street (south) with completed houses on the street. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Geographic Features - Roads

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - 4100 Block Napier Street

Less detail

Repository

City of Burnaby Archives

Date

June 25, 1947

Collection/Fonds

Alfred Bingham fonds

Description Level

Item

Item No.

010-124

Accession Number

BHS2007-4

Storage Location

AV Storage

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w negative ; 6.8 x 11.4 cm

Media Type

Photograph

Access Restriction

No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction

No known restrictions

Scope and Content

Photograph of the 4200 blocks of Parker Street, Napier Street, William Street, and Charles Street with completed houses. This is part of the Willingdon Heights subdivision site.

Photographer

Bingham, Alfred

Subjects

Industries - Construction

Buildings - Residences - Houses

Geographic Features - Roads

Notes

Title based on contents of photograph

Geographic Access

Burnaby - Parker Street

Burnaby - 4200 Block Parker Street

Burnaby - Napier Street

Burnaby - 4200 Block Napier Street

Burnaby - William Street

Burnaby - 4200 Block William Street

Burnaby - Charles Street

Burnaby - 4200 Block Charles Street

Less detail