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City of Burnaby Archives photograph collection
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription93710
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1920]-[1979]
- Collection/Fonds
- City of Burnaby Archives photograph collection
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 43 photographs (39 tiffs ; 2 jpegs ; 3 col. prints, 9 x 9 cm) and 3 p. of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Collection consists of photographs that were selected for preservation because of their relevance to documenting the heritage and development of the City of Burnaby. The items in this collection depict Burnaby citizens, locations, businesses, residences, geography, and events throughout the history…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1920]-[1979]
- Collection/Fonds
- City of Burnaby Archives photograph collection
- Physical Description
- 43 photographs (39 tiffs ; 2 jpegs ; 3 col. prints, 9 x 9 cm) and 3 p. of textual records
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Accession Number
- 2010-01
- 2013-31
- 2016-24
- 2021-10
- Scope and Content
- Collection consists of photographs that were selected for preservation because of their relevance to documenting the heritage and development of the City of Burnaby. The items in this collection depict Burnaby citizens, locations, businesses, residences, geography, and events throughout the history of the City of Burnaby. The items in this collection are acquisitions of discrete items or small sets of items that do not form a discrete fonds or collection.
- History
- Burnaby’s first municipal archive officially opened on November 10, 2001, and is located in the McGill Branch Public Library at 4595 Albert Street. The City Archives functions as a branch of the Office of the City Clerk and operates as the official repository of Burnaby’s municipal records, containing records dating back to Burnaby’s incorporation in 1892. In 2007, the City of Burnaby Archives expanded its collection mandate to include private as well as public records. Types of records held at the Archives include City Records (Council minutes and reports, bylaws, departmental records and photographs) and records from private individuals and community organizations (correspondence, reports, minutes, photographs, moving images and sound recordings). The Archives storage area is equipped with the sophisticated environmental controls necessary to preserve Burnaby’s unique archival material into the future. The mandate of the City of Burnaby Archives is to identify, acquire, preserve and make accessible archival material in the form of civic and private records documenting the history of the City of Burnaby.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Creator
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Notes
- Title based on contents of collection.
Digney Family fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription85415
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1936-19[61]
- Collection/Fonds
- Digney Family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w + 1 film reel : col. ; 16mm + 7 optical discs (DVDs) + 1 portable drive
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of a reel of film (digitized into four segments) created by Andy Digney; a panorama photograph of the Digney Pee-Wee Bowling League from 1958 or 1959; and 18 film segments on DVD that were originally created by Andy Digney between 1934 and 1961 and digitized by his grandson Paul Dign…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1936-19[61]
- Collection/Fonds
- Digney Family fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w + 1 film reel : col. ; 16mm + 7 optical discs (DVDs) + 1 portable drive
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of a reel of film (digitized into four segments) created by Andy Digney; a panorama photograph of the Digney Pee-Wee Bowling League from 1958 or 1959; and 18 film segments on DVD that were originally created by Andy Digney between 1934 and 1961 and digitized by his grandson Paul Digney in 2012. The 16mm film is divided into the following segments: the Oak Theatre in 1936 (construction and opening); the Royal Visit (from the King and Queen) in 1939; Burnaby Sports and May Day events (ca. 1937); and the Labour parade (ca. 1935). The 18 film segments contain footage of the Digney family at their home in Brandon, Manitoba, and Burnaby; views of the Oak Theatre and Digney Speedway in operation; and their travels throughout British Columbia and abroad. The 18 film segments are described at the item level and titled: Andy's first film; Brandon, Manitoba; Burnaby and Digney recreational events; Trip to Kamloops; Burnaby; Burnaby, Vancouver and the north shore; Galiano Island, Oak Theatre and Calgary; Travels to Ontario, Quebec and England; Travels to England #2; Travels to England #3; Parades; Digney family in Burnaby; Paul Digney and family; Digney family and the Oak Theatre gardens; Digney family at Bonsor Avenue and family outings; Building and opening the Digney Speedway; Digney family travel the praries; and San Francisco Trip.
- History
- Andy Digney was born in London, England, on July 27, 1886. His given names were Andrew Charles. In 1905, he immigrated with his elder brother to Raymore, Saskatchewan, and worked on a farm. In 1914, he met and married Alice Swan and in 1920 they had their one and only child, Ernest ('Dig'). The young family lived in Beatty, Saskatchewan, where they ran a small general store with a pool hall over the top. Andy sold the store and they moved to Carberry, Manitoba, where Andy worked selling lightning rods and hanging wallpaper. At this time, he met and formed a partnership with someone who owned a hand cranked move projector and in the evenings, he and his wife traveled to church halls in neighbouring towns, showing movies. Eventually, Digney purchased his own movie projector and opened a small theatre in Carberry. He worked odd jobs during the daytime and projected movies in his small theatre at night. Eventually he made enough money to move to Brandon, Manitoba, where he purchased a restaurant, which he turned into a theatre with living quarters above. Andy called the theatre 'The Oak' since the mighty oak was strong and stood forever. After starting the first Oak Theatre in Brandon, Manitoba, when talking pictures came along, Andy Digney, his wife Alice and son Ernest ('Dig') moved to Burnaby in 1935 and chose the site of their new theatre and home at the corner of Kingsway and Marlborough. The Oak Theatre - which opened on August 4, 1937 - was hailed as an artistic masterpiece for its ultra modern white stucco exterior, floodlights and pink-and-green neon marquee. The interior featured a mirrored ceiling, fireplace, and aquarium and had a colour scheme of orchid, royal blue, silver and black. Andy was a very involved member of the Burnaby community, becoming the founding president of the Lion's club and the chairman of the committee raising money for war bonds during World War II. In 1944, Andy suffered a severe heart attack, forcing him to retire, so in 1945, he sold the theatre to Odeon Theatres of Canada who continued to operate at this location until 1968 when competition forced its closure and demolition. Andy and his family relocated to a home on Bonsor Avenue on 3/4 acres where he spent much of his time cultivating a lovely garden. In about 1946, Andy was approached by the B.C. Midget Auto Racing Association [original name retained for historical accuracy], who were looking for a good location to race the smaller racing cars popular at the time. Andy was interested and purchased 10 acres of property located near the corner of Irmin Street and MacPherson Avenue and built a race track. The Digney Speedway opened on July 8, 1948, with stands that had capacity of holding 4500 people. In 1949, when the popularity of this kind of racing declined, Digney started racing roadsters. However, he struggled to find local drivers, and it was expensive to bring in drivers from elsewhere. In 1951, Digney found a winner: jalopy racing. Local men would buy 1930s cars and strip them down, remove the glass, and weld the doors shut. By early 1952 over 40 cars were showing up for jalopy races. By the early 1950s, the Speedway was well established, with coverage in the sports pages and on radio. Andy's son Dig worked at the race track but moved away with his wife in 1951 to work in Seattle. Dig and his wife Joyce, along with their two young sons, Paul and Bruce, returned to Burnaby in 1953, moving into a 550-square-foot apartment located above the Digney Speedway restrooms. In 1954, Simpson Sears built a large store on Kingsway and their parking lot came up to the back garden of the family home on Bonsor Avenue. Andy thought of building small stores on his property but in the end decided to build a bowling alley, clearing out his beautiful garden. The Digney Bowl opened on August 19, 1955, and Andy, Alice, Dig, and Joyce all worked at both the Speedway and the bowling alley. In 1956, Andy decided to finally retire and sold the bowling alley and home to his son Dig, which he paid for over time. Dig and his family moved into the house on Bonsor Avenue and ran the bowling alley until their son Bruce took over in 1980. Andy Digney died in 1964 while travelling with his wife in England. Alice died on June 3, 1982, and Dig died on November 27, 2009.
- Media Type
- Moving Images
- Photographer
- Digney, Andy
- Creator
- Digney family
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
- Photo/MI catalogue 562
Don McQueen fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription88836
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1961-1964
- Collection/Fonds
- Don McQueen fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 99 photographs (35 large b&w prints; 36 medium b&w prints; 15 small b&w prints; 5 large b&w panoramas) + 0.5 cm. of textual records.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of a scrapbook organized by Don McQueen containing photographs, newspaper articles, and clippings from the Fraser Valley Milk Producers Association (FVMPA) newsletter "Fraser Valley Milk Break". The scrapbook documents and chronologizes the planning, construction, and implementation …
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1961-1964
- Collection/Fonds
- Don McQueen fonds
- Physical Description
- 99 photographs (35 large b&w prints; 36 medium b&w prints; 15 small b&w prints; 5 large b&w panoramas) + 0.5 cm. of textual records.
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- In Archives only
- Reproduction Restriction
- No reproduction permitted
- Accession Number
- 2015-10
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of a scrapbook organized by Don McQueen containing photographs, newspaper articles, and clippings from the Fraser Valley Milk Producers Association (FVMPA) newsletter "Fraser Valley Milk Break". The scrapbook documents and chronologizes the planning, construction, and implementation of the FVMPA Plant located on Lougheed Highway in Burnaby as well as providing some background history on this organization.
- History
- Don McQueen was born September 7, 1918, in Wilkie, Saskatchewan, and was the son of Thomas Kerningham McQueen (1873-1948) and Ethel (Badley) McQueen (1889-1981) and brother to Tom Alexander McQueen (1920-1999). In 1924, Don moved with his family from Wilkie, Saskatchewan, to North Vancouver, where they lived until 1930 when they moved to Burnaby. In 1942, Don moved back to North Vancouver, and in 1951, he settled in West Vancouver. As a child, Don attended Queen Mary Elementary School in North Vancouver, followed by attending Burnaby North High School and completing a degree in Engineering at the University of British Columbia in 1948. Don married Rosina Amelia Hewett in 1942 and together they had four children: Donald James (Winnie) McQueen; Rose Anne (Wayne) McQueen; Robin Elaine (Robert) McQueen; and Robert Douglas McQueen. Following the death of Don's first wife, Rosina, in 1966, Don was married three more times, beginning with Laverne Cyr, followed by Marian Schreiber and Gregoria Noble. He had seven grandchildren: Tanja, Mark, Todd, Karina, Morgan, Anthony, and Kosal. During World War II, Don worked at Boeing Air Craft, building planes, and after the war, from 1945 until 1948, he worked at the shipyards in North Vancouver. In 1948, he joined Dairyland, which was affiliated with the Fraser Valley Milk Producers' Association (FVMPA), working as the head of Engineering until his retirement in 1980. Building the FVMPA plant, which opened in 1964, was a highlight of his career, where he was employed as the lead Engineer in creating a state-of-the-art plant located at Lougheed Highway and Sperling Avenue in Burnaby. Don spent three years directing research investigations into modern dairies and ice cream plants throughout Canada and the USA. This plant served the FVMPA for many years to come, and his dedication resulted in giving hundreds of hours of overtime for which he was never paid. The FVPMA was organized by farmers to protect the quality and price of milk. It was granted its charter on June 18th, 1913, and the organization was represented by farmers of every district in the Fraser Valley with 22 locals. In 1919, the Association purchased manufacturing plants and a milk company, and in 1920, the firm acquired another milk company and condensery. In 1923, the FVPMA became the first Canadian dairy organization to establish a quality control laboratory and employ a bacteriologist, and in 1943, the Association established Dairyland dairies. The original headquarters for the FVMPA was located at 425 W. 8th Avenue in Vancouver and as a result of FVMPA's growing success and need for expansion, a modern plant was opened in Burnaby in 1964. The four-million-dollar plant was built on a 24-acre site located at Sperling and Lougheed Highway. This location also housed the association's head office, the Dairyland Fluid Milk Division plant and offices, the Arctic Ice Cream Division plant and offices and the Concentrated Milk Division (Pacific Evaporated and Powder) sales and offices. The facility included a processing plant, service block, garage, primary and secondary mechanical and electrical services, and air conditioned office space. The general contract to build the plant was awarded to John Laing and Son (Canada) Ltd. and was overseen by the FVMPA engineering department, headed by D.R. McQueen, P. Eng. Don belonged to the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of B.C. (APEGB) from 1948, was a founding member of the Hollyburn Country Club in West Vancouver, and between 1950 and the 1960s, was a director on the board for the West Vancouver YMCA. Don had many hobbies including Russian ballet, kinesiology, drawing, photography, sailing, canoeing, and teaching ballroom dancing and downhill skiing. He competed in fencing in the Empire Games in the 1950s and was slated to canoe for Canada in the 1940 Olympics but was prevented by the war. He was a carpenter and handyman, beginning with building his first sailboat at 12 years of age, and later enjoyed building and restoring furniture. Don passed away on October 22, 2017 at the age of 99.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Creator
- McQueen, Don
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
- MSS193, photo catalogue 588
Ed Brown family fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97218
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1912-1920
- Collection/Fonds
- Ed Brown Family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 12 photographs: 7 b&w jpgs.; 4 sepia jpgs., 1 med. b&w print.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs that belonged to the Brown family. Photographs depict Ed Brown, his wife Jennie, and their children at their homes on Royal Oak Avenue and McKay Avenue; Brown's trucking company; and other Burnaby locations and events.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1912-1920
- Collection/Fonds
- Ed Brown Family fonds
- Physical Description
- 12 photographs: 7 b&w jpgs.; 4 sepia jpgs., 1 med. b&w print.
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Accession Number
- 2008-03
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs that belonged to the Brown family. Photographs depict Ed Brown, his wife Jennie, and their children at their homes on Royal Oak Avenue and McKay Avenue; Brown's trucking company; and other Burnaby locations and events.
- History
- The following is copied from an article written by Brown's grandson, Jim Ervin, for "Old Autos" in 2003, in an article entitled "Grandfather was a trucker...": The roots of my family run deep in Burnaby, especially on my mother’s side. It was her father, my grandfather, who started one of Burnaby’s first trucking businesses, E.S. Brown’s Transfer. I could find no record of when he actually began operations but I have pictures to show that he was using horses before he had trucks. One of my enclosed pictures dates from about 1910 since I know the birth dates of his two oldest daughters and they are in the picture as very small children. He met and married my grandmother, whose maiden name was Jennie Birtch, from Ontario, and I still have relatives back east from both branches of the family. They were married on Sept. 27, 1905. But where, I can’t say. They had their first child, Hazel, born April 2, 1908. Then came seven more daughters but no sons to help with the family business. The business was located at the family home at 3131 Royal Oak Ave. in South Burnaby. That was close to the top of one of the steepest hills in Burnaby and must have made for a real test of man and machine to drive it, especially in winter. The children loved it for sleigh riding but probably not father. My mother, Inez, was the second oldest daughter, born Oct. 9, 1909. She would have been born, along with her sister Hazel, in the big house shown in the picture and built by my grandfather. But this house was to later burn down. That’s when Edward Sadler Brown decided to move his family from the side of the hill to the top and much closer to the main road, Kingsway. Most of the area was forest at that time and one of Ed’s first jobs was to haul shingle bolts out of the forest, with a team of horses. Please don’t ask me what a shingle bolt is but my mother knew and used to have to grease the skids placed on the logging trails for the loaded sleds to be pulled out on. One time, as she told me, there was a huge forest fire and my grandfather barely escaped with his life and one last load. Later, when the area had been cleared, he helped to build the Oakalla Prison Farm, now replaced by town-houses on Royal Oak Ave. This job led to him becoming the first contractor to haul the license plates made by the prisoners. Some of these plates would be worn by Ed’s own trucks. The trucks, which he eventually acquired, included some pretty obscure makes such as Hufman, Garford, Stewart (which my mother often said was no good), Gotfredson and the more common names of Chevrolet and GMC. A Ford Model T would probably have been too light for the kind of hauling Ed was doing in the 1920s. I always thought that his main cargo was coal and coke, but I received quite a surprise with some recently discovered information. It started when I was removing boxes of general junk from the house to the garage to make more space. One of those boxes broke open and one item which came out wasn’t junk by any means. It was a copy of a business card for Brown’s Transfer, a company which hauled coal, coke, wood and did furniture moving as well. My mother often described my grandfather as a “go-getter” for business. I believe I see what she meant. Never was I so glad to have a cardboard box break open and to retrieve such an important item. My mother was a saver like you wouldn’t believe, a habit which the Great Depression drilled into her. In another box containing old receipts, I found a copy of one from Brown’s Transfer which offered even more insight into the company. The receipt isn’t dated but only the last number of the year required filling in on the form. And this dates it as issued sometime during the 1920s. The surprising thing is the amount of items sold by my grandfather. Not just coal, wood and coke anymore. Now he was into sand, gravel, cement, brick lime, tile and sewer pipe. Furniture moving seemed to be sort of a sideline, mentioned in smaller letters at the bottom. But notice some of the other items on the hand written receipt. There’s lumber, grass seed, paint, glass, a loan (spelled lone) on painting a house. I’m not sure that I understand that one or the payment on house or the one about the toilet. But it’s obvious that this was a man who knew how to make a buck in many ways. He was almost his own building supply store, it would seem. Also mentioned on the form is an office location at 4009 Kingsway. The building is no longer there but it did survive into my life time. Often, my mother would point out to me where the office once was on the north side of Kingsway, near McKay Ave. Still standing, though, ist he old family home at the former address (now changed) of 3131 Royal Oak Ave. That’s where my mother and all seven of her sisters were born. These were the “swampers” on dad’s trucks, a job hard enough for a man. Ed did hire men as well to work as drivers and even employed his own mechanic. But for the girls, it wasn’t really a paying kind of job. “Some times he would buy us an ice-cream cone,” my mother would say. In those days, parents wanted large families to help with all the work which needed doing. Payment in dollars and cents just wasn’t usually part of the deal. I never knew my grandmother, Jennie, who died in 1946 at age 61, an early age to go but likely reflective of a lifetime of hard work and too many children. However, I did know my grandfather who lived into his 70s.His company came to a rather sad end, as related by my mother, in the dirty 30s. Apparently a certain sister of my grandmother, great aunt to myself, reported to the local school board that grandfather was supplying them with an inferior grade of coal for the schools. Then the school board cancelled his contract and that put him into bankruptcy. Whether the story is true or not doesn’t seem to matter much any more since no one who could have known is still among the living. Ed Brown, the industrious, rugged individualist did make a small come-back in the early 1950s with his own plumbing business. The details of that enterprise, I don’t know. But I do remember his old International panel truck he used. People such as my grandfather made a great contribution to Burnaby.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
- BHS298
Warren Mulligan fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription71783
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1963-1974
- Collection/Fonds
- Warren Mulligan fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 12 ledgers (hardcover) ; textual records
- Scope and Content
- The fonds consists of ledgers created by Warren Mulligan, containing his daily logs while on duty at Oakalla Prison Farm.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1963-1974
- Collection/Fonds
- Warren Mulligan fonds
- Physical Description
- 12 ledgers (hardcover) ; textual records
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- Subject to FOIPPA
- Reproduction Restriction
- Reproductions subject to FOIPPA
- Accession Number
- 2011-03
- Scope and Content
- The fonds consists of ledgers created by Warren Mulligan, containing his daily logs while on duty at Oakalla Prison Farm.
- History
- Warren Mulligan, son of Julia Mulligan and brother of Maurice Mulligan, was born in Semans, Saskatchewan, in [1921] and moved to Langley, British Columbia, in 1934. During his youth, he attended Langley High School and was a member of the first Tuxis group at the United Church in Langley. He was also an Assistant Scoutmaster of the Milner Troop under Reverend Daniel Donaldson. During World War II, he spent seven years serving in the Royal Canadian Navy and retired in 1947. In 1949, Warren married Mary Beulah Bush, who was also from Langley. They had two sons. Warren joined the B.C. Jail Service in 1949 as a guard at Oakalla Prison Farm, later becoming the Chief Custodial Officer for the Young Offenders' Unit. He also had experience in the Westgate Area. In 1955, he was named Deputy Warden of the Prince George Provincial Jail. He was appointed as Warden of the Prince George Provincial Jail in 1956. During his time at the P.G. Jail, Warren was involved in administration and professional program training. In 1963, he was appointed as Warden of Oakalla Prison Farm, a position he served in until 1974. During his time within the B.C. Provincial Jail Service, Warren was credited with innovations in the provincial penal system, particularly in relation to prisoners' group therapy and relations between prison staff and inmates.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Creator
- Mulligan, Warren
- Notes
- MSS163