3 records – page 1 of 1.
Digney Family fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/permalink/museumvideo10597
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [between 1934 and 1964] (date of originals), copied in 2016 and 2019
- Collection/Fonds
- Digney Family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 7 mp4 videos (approx. 3hr., 18 min.) : digital, 23 fps
- Storage Location
- Digital only
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of various short films created by Andy Digney and his son Ernest "Dig" Digney. Films include; a compilation of Burnaby content shot by Andy Digney and narrated by Lisa Codd (Curator of Burnaby Village Museum) along with a collection of six films shot on 8 mm film. Film content inclu…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [between 1934 and 1964] (date of originals), copied in 2016 and 2019
- Collection/Fonds
- Digney Family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Accession Code
- BV019.18
- Storage Location
- Digital only
- Physical Description
- 7 mp4 videos (approx. 3hr., 18 min.) : digital, 23 fps
- Material Details
- Films were digitized in 2019 from original 8 mm format
- Formats
- mp4
- Media Type
- Moving Images
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of various short films created by Andy Digney and his son Ernest "Dig" Digney. Films include; a compilation of Burnaby content shot by Andy Digney and narrated by Lisa Codd (Curator of Burnaby Village Museum) along with a collection of six films shot on 8 mm film. Film content includes footage of members of the Digney family and friends in Burnaby; the Digney homes on Bonsor Avenue and Kaymar Drive; construction of the Digney Bowling Alley and the Simpsons-Sears building; Lawn bowling at Central Park as well as various family events, gatherings, vacations and trips. Films are arranged and described at item level.
- History/Biography
- Andy Digney was born in London, England on July 27, 1886. His given names were Andrew Charles and 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 lightening 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, he 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 1936 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 house at 2698 Bonsor Avenue (after 1959-6521 Bonsor Ave.) 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, 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 midget 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 forty 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 Ernest Digney (also known as 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 Digney, his wife Alice, son 'Dig' and daughter in law 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 England in 1964 while on his world tour. His wife Alice died on June 3, 1982 and their son, Ernest ('Dig') died November 27, 2009.
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
- Names
- Digney, Alice
- Digney, Andy
- Digney, Bruce
- Digney, Dorothy
- Digney, Ernest Frank "Dig"
- Digney, Paul
- Digney, Joyce
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby
- Burnaby - 6521 Bonsor Avenue
- Burnaby - Kaymar Drive
Digney family at Bonsor Avenue and family outings
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/permalink/archivevideo85309
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1946 and 1947]
- Collection/Fonds
- Digney Family fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 film clip (13 min., 10 sec.) : digital,col., si.
- Item No.
- 562-003-15
- Storage Location
- 56-5-1-3
- Scope and Content
- Item is a digitized silent colour film segment identified as Reel 15. Film footage opens with Andy and Alice Digney in the yard of the Digney family home on Bonsor Avenue and their son Ernest Frank (Dig) and his wife Dorothy (Dot) with thier infant son Paul at age 6 months and later as a toddler wi…
1 Video
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1946 and 1947]
- Collection/Fonds
- Digney Family fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Item No.
- 562-003-15
- Accession Number
- 2014-04
- Storage Location
- 56-5-1-3
- Physical Description
- 1 film clip (13 min., 10 sec.) : digital,col., si.
- Media Type
- Moving Images
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Scope and Content
- Item is a digitized silent colour film segment identified as Reel 15. Film footage opens with Andy and Alice Digney in the yard of the Digney family home on Bonsor Avenue and their son Ernest Frank (Dig) and his wife Dorothy (Dot) with thier infant son Paul at age 6 months and later as a toddler with a variety of family members. Footage also includes a view of Prince George, family members with Elephants and ponies from the Bible Brothers Circus, the Crystal Pool and Butchart Gardens in Victoria. The film closes with Paul, grandpa Dig and the family dog, Nero back in the yard of their home on Bonsor Avenue.
- Notes
- Title based on contents of film
- Creator
- Andy Digney
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby - Bonsor Avenue
- British Columbia - Victoria
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Maywood Area
Video Tracks
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Burnaby, Vancouver and the north shore
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/permalink/archivevideo85238
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1937 and 1938]
- Collection/Fonds
- Digney Family fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 film clip (5 min., 21 sec.) : digital, b&w, col., si.
- Item No.
- 562-003-6
- Storage Location
- 56-5-1-3
- Scope and Content
- Item is a silent digitized film segment identified as Reel 6. The film segment opens with colour footage of people lawn bowling at Burnaby's Central Park. Dot Digney, Sid and Connie Swan can be seen bowling. This footage is followed with Andy Digney and Charles E. Jones at the Bird's of Paradise b…
1 Video
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1937 and 1938]
- Collection/Fonds
- Digney Family fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Item No.
- 562-003-6
- Accession Number
- 2014-04
- Storage Location
- 56-5-1-3
- Physical Description
- 1 film clip (5 min., 21 sec.) : digital, b&w, col., si.
- Media Type
- Moving Images
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Scope and Content
- Item is a silent digitized film segment identified as Reel 6. The film segment opens with colour footage of people lawn bowling at Burnaby's Central Park. Dot Digney, Sid and Connie Swan can be seen bowling. This footage is followed with Andy Digney and Charles E. Jones at the Bird's of Paradise bird sanctuary followed by footage of Stanley Park. The footage continues and interchanges between black and white and colour as the Digney's take a ferry ride to North Vancouver where they visit the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Fishermen's Cove. The reel closes with footage of skiers on Grouse Mountain and a fire at Pier D in 1938.
- Notes
- Title based on contents of film
- Creator
- Andy Digney
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby - Kingsway
- Vancouver
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Kingsway-Beresford Area
Video Tracks
Media missing or not available.
An unexpected error occurred.
Update Required
To play the media you will need to update your
browser to a recent version, or update your Flash plugin.