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Murdock and Lillian McMurray interview November 17, 1975 - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory243
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1892-1911
- Length
- 0:09:58
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Murdock McMurray's memories of the work that he and his brother did on the roadways; Canada Way, Kingsway. He discusses helping out at the Hatt-Cook residence as a boy as well as the tram system of the time. Lillian (Wray) McMurray is heard helping her husb…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Murdock McMurray's memories of the work that he and his brother did on the roadways; Canada Way, Kingsway. He discusses helping out at the Hatt-Cook residence as a boy as well as the tram system of the time. Lillian (Wray) McMurray is heard helping her husband with these descriptions.
- Date Range
- 1892-1911
- Photo Info
- Emerson Doran (left) and Murdoch McMurray, 1917. Item no. 229-004
- Length
- 0:09:58
- Subjects
- Construction - Road Construction
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Interviewer
- McGeachie, Doreen “Pixie”
- Interview Date
- November 17, 1975
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Murdock McMurray and his wife Lillian (Wray) McMurray conducted by Pixie McGeachie on November 17, 1975. Major themes discussed are: Burnaby's development, the Wray Shoe store and Murdock McMurray's cordwood delivery business.
- Biographical Notes
- Murdock McMurray was born in Vancouver in 1892 to Wilhelmina May and Robert William McMurray. Other children in the family included older siblings John “Jack” and Margaret Lillian, younger siblings Minnie May born May 4, 1895 and Hampton born June 8, 1902. Murdock’s father Robert worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) but retired shortly after moving his family to Burnaby in 1906. He bought six acres of land of what had been previously the Gilley Ranch, the base of operations for Gilley Bros. Ltd. at 2519 Windsor Street (later renumbered and renamed to the 6400 block Imperial Street). Murdock McMurray quit school early to apprentice as a printer. By sixteen he had left the trade and gone into partnership with his older brother Jack. With a team of horses, harness and a wagon, the brothers helped to macadamize roads, haul building supplies for new homes, deliver cord wood for heating, clear land and excavate basements. When Jack McMurray set off to serve overseas during World War I as a driver in the engineer corps, Murdock bought his team of horses and continued working, mainly in the Deer Lake district. In 1916 Murdoch McMurray partnered with Emerson Doran, nephew of the owner of Doran's Mill to buy Edmonds Coal and Wood fuel yard. As everything was geared towards the war effort, Murdock and Emerson soon ran out of work and had to sell the business. Murdock sold off his horses and equipment and went to work at the ship yard on Pitt River. By 1919 Jack McMurray had returned home from overseas and was working as a fireman at the Shull Lumber and Shingle Mill on the Fraser River. In 1921, he and Murdock teamed up with Emerson Doran and repurchased the Edmonds Coal and Wood fuel yard which they ran together until 1947. Murdock McMurray married Lillian Wray on September 17, 1925. Lillian was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Wray, who came to settle in the Jubilee area of Burnaby in 1919. The family lived on Dow Road and Edward Wray operated Jubilee Shoe Store and Post Office. He was known throughout the district as "Wray - The Shoe Man." Mrs. Wray died in 1957 at the age of eight-six and Edward Wray died January 14, 1967 at age of ninety-three. Murdock and Lillian lived at Inverness Street (now Arcola) and raised three children together, Bob, Jack and Bessie. Murdock McMurray died in New Westminster on April 28, 1985 at the age of ninety-two. Lillian Ethel (Wray) McMurray died in Burnaby on February 28, 1986 at the age of eighty-seven.
- Total Tracks
- 7
- Total Length
- 0:58:55
- Interviewee Name
- McMurray, Lillian Wray
- McMurray, Murdoch
- Interviewer Bio
- Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie was a resident of Burnaby for over sixty years. Pixie married John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie and raised their children Kathi (Dunlop) and David McGeachie in the house the couple built themselves in 1947. Pixie served as the editor for the Burnaby Examiner newspaper and wrote a column entitled "Burnaby History" for The News. In 1974 she authored her first book titled "Bygones of Burnaby" which was one of the first to develop anecdotal stories about pioneer life in Burnaby. She authored "Burnaby - A Proud Century" in 1992 and in 2002 she wrote a biography of the city's namesake in the book "Land of Promise: Robert Burnaby's letters from Colonial B.C." She also contributed many hours of volunteering; helping to establish Burnaby's first museum Heritage Village in 1971, serving as President of the Burnaby Historical Society from 1991-1993. She served a six year term on Burnaby's Heritage Commission leading the charge to preserve many historic sites throughout the city, and during her twenty years as the Community Archives volunteer archivist for the historical society, she succeeded in gathering thousands of rare and valuable historic photographs and documents which now forms the core of the photograph collection on the Heritage Burnaby website (as these items were donated by the Society to the City Archives in 2007). The City of Burnaby awarded Pixie McGeachie the Kushiro Cup as Citizen of the year in 2002. In 2006 she received a Heritage BC project award for leading the Friends of Interurban 1223 project, and in 2008 Heritage BC recognised her again by presenting her with the Ruby Nobb Award. John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie died October 12, 1981 at the age of sixty-seven. Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie died August 14, 2010 at the age of eighty-nine. On 24 September, 2011, the City of Burnaby dedicated the reading at the City Archives in honour of Pixie and formally named it the Pixie McGeachie Reading Room in recognition of her years of service to the community.
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Oral history subseries
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track one of recording of interview with Lillian and Murdock McMurray
Track one of recording of interview with Lillian and Murdock McMurray
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-010/MSS137-010_Track_1.mp3Interview with Florence Hart Godwin by Bettina Bradbury July 2, 1975 - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory10
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1898-1917
- Length
- 0:06:11
- Summary
- This portion of the interview pertains to Florence (Hart) Godwin's early childhood including the reasons why her family first moved to Burnaby, other early residents of the Deer Lake district, farming practices, and why the Hart family chose to leave Burnaby in 1917.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview pertains to Florence (Hart) Godwin's early childhood including the reasons why her family first moved to Burnaby, other early residents of the Deer Lake district, farming practices, and why the Hart family chose to leave Burnaby in 1917.
- Date Range
- 1898-1917
- Photo Info
- Florence Hart Godwin on her wedding day, August 7, 1922. Item no. 477-601
- Length
- 0:06:11
- Names
- Woodward, Harriet
- Subjects
- Agriculture - Fruit and Berries
- Geographic Access
- Deer Lake
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Morley-Buckingham Area
- Interviewer
- Bradbury, Dr. Bettina
- Interview Date
- July 2, 1975
- Scope and Content
- Recording is a taped interview with Florence Hart Godwin by SFU (Simon Fraser University) graduate student Bettina Bradbury, July 2, 1975. Major themes discussed are: Victoria Order of Nurses (VON) and the Edmonds Historic Neighbourhood. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes."
- Biographical Notes
- Florence Hart was born in 1898 in New Westminster. Florence first saw Burnaby in April of 1905 on a trip made by horse and buggy from the family home in New Westminster where her father worked as a real estate agent. By 1911, he had built a permanent home for his family in Burnaby, building what is now known as the Hart house and is currently owned by the municipality. Frederick John “Fred” Hart married Alice Chapman in Yale BC on August 13, 1895. They had four children together; Kingsley Chapman born May 27, 1897, Florence Elizabeth born October 23, 1898, and ten years later, Edwyna and Jack. They followed their family nurse, Miss Maude Woodward to Burnaby and purchased thirteen acres of land at Deer Lake to build a summer cottage. Mrs Hill and the children spent the summer months there while Frederick continued working in New Westminster, joining his family on the weekends. Florence Hart attended Douglas Road School before boarding at Crofton House in Vancouver. Kingsley Hart had enlisted in the army on March 23, 1915 when he was only seventeen years old. He was killed in action on September 26, 1916. The Hart family then moved to Kerrisdale, Vancouver. Florence worked at the Carnegie Library. On August 7, 1922 Florence Hart married Harold “Hal” Godwin and moved back to Edmonds in Burnaby where they remained for their entire married lives. In 1929, Florence and Harold’s daughter, Elizabeth Godwin was born. Alice (Chapman) Hart died May 24, 1935 at the age of sixty-eight. Frederick John Hart died August 29, 1945 at the age of seventy-seven. Florence Hart Godwin was named Good Citizen of Burnaby in 1971 and received a life membership to the IODE (Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire) for her long tenure. Both Florence and her husband Harold were awarded life memberships from the VON (Victorian Order of Nurses) for more than half a century of service. Harold Ward Godwin died December 12, 1962 at the age of sixty-six.
- Total Tracks
- 8
- Total Length
- 0:47:57
- Interviewee Name
- Godwin, Florence Hart
- Interviewer Bio
- Bettina Bradbury teaches history and women's studies at York University. She is the author of Wife to Widow. Lives, Laws and Politics in Nineteenth-century Montreal. (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, June 2011), 520p; Working Families. Age, Gender and Daily Survival in Industrializing Montreal. (Toronto: Canadian Social History Series, McClelland and Stewart, 1993); (Republished Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1996) (3rd edition, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007). These interviews were undertaken after she completed her MA at Simon Fraser University in 1975 with the support of an LIP grant.
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Oral history subseries
- Transcript Available
- None
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track one of interview with Florence Hart Godwin by Bettina Bradbury
Track one of interview with Florence Hart Godwin by Bettina Bradbury
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-17/100-13-17_Track_1.mp3Burnaby's first Municipal Hall
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37100
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1899 and 1911] (date of original), copied 1995
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of council members and others sitting and standing on the steps of Burnaby's first Municipal Hall.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1899 and 1911] (date of original), copied 1995
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Byrne family subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 316-006
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1995-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of council members and others sitting and standing on the steps of Burnaby's first Municipal Hall.
- Names
- Burnaby City Hall
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Street Address
- 7252 Kingsway
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
Images
Gilley Brothers Logging Camp
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38559
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1900]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w : 28 x 35.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a large group of workmen posing for a picture outside the Gilley Bros. logging camp at Imperial and Colborne. All are unidentified.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1900]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w : 28 x 35.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 461-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a large group of workmen posing for a picture outside the Gilley Bros. logging camp at Imperial and Colborne. All are unidentified.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Residential - Cabins
- Industries - Forestry
- Occupations - Lumberjacks
- Industries - Logging/lumber
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Imperial Street
- Colborne Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Kingsway-Beresford Area
Images
Murdock and Lillian McMurray interview November 17, 1975 - Track 3
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory245
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1904-1975
- Length
- 0:09:45
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Murdock McMurray's opinion of shopping at a store in the present day. He mentions George Green's book "History of Burnaby", the Royal Oak Hotel and the development of Alta Vista. As well, Murdock mentions his father Robert William McMurray. Lillian (Wray) M…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Murdock McMurray's opinion of shopping at a store in the present day. He mentions George Green's book "History of Burnaby", the Royal Oak Hotel and the development of Alta Vista. As well, Murdock mentions his father Robert William McMurray. Lillian (Wray) McMurray is heard helping her husband with these descriptions.
- Date Range
- 1904-1975
- Photo Info
- Emerson Doran (left) and Murdoch McMurray, 1917. Item no. 229-004
- Length
- 0:09:45
- Subjects
- Buildings - Commercial
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Interviewer
- McGeachie, Doreen “Pixie”
- Interview Date
- November 17, 1975
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Murdock McMurray and his wife Lillian (Wray) McMurray conducted by Pixie McGeachie on November 17, 1975. Major themes discussed are: Burnaby's development, the Wray Shoe store and Murdock McMurray's cordwood delivery business.
- Biographical Notes
- Murdock McMurray was born in Vancouver in 1892 to Wilhelmina May and Robert William McMurray. Other children in the family included older siblings John “Jack” and Margaret Lillian, younger siblings Minnie May born May 4, 1895 and Hampton born June 8, 1902. Murdock’s father Robert worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) but retired shortly after moving his family to Burnaby in 1906. He bought six acres of land of what had been previously the Gilley Ranch, the base of operations for Gilley Bros. Ltd. at 2519 Windsor Street (later renumbered and renamed to the 6400 block Imperial Street). Murdock McMurray quit school early to apprentice as a printer. By sixteen he had left the trade and gone into partnership with his older brother Jack. With a team of horses, harness and a wagon, the brothers helped to macadamize roads, haul building supplies for new homes, deliver cord wood for heating, clear land and excavate basements. When Jack McMurray set off to serve overseas during World War I as a driver in the engineer corps, Murdock bought his team of horses and continued working, mainly in the Deer Lake district. In 1916 Murdoch McMurray partnered with Emerson Doran, nephew of the owner of Doran's Mill to buy Edmonds Coal and Wood fuel yard. As everything was geared towards the war effort, Murdock and Emerson soon ran out of work and had to sell the business. Murdock sold off his horses and equipment and went to work at the ship yard on Pitt River. By 1919 Jack McMurray had returned home from overseas and was working as a fireman at the Shull Lumber and Shingle Mill on the Fraser River. In 1921, he and Murdock teamed up with Emerson Doran and repurchased the Edmonds Coal and Wood fuel yard which they ran together until 1947. Murdock McMurray married Lillian Wray on September 17, 1925. Lillian was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Wray, who came to settle in the Jubilee area of Burnaby in 1919. The family lived on Dow Road and Edward Wray operated Jubilee Shoe Store and Post Office. He was known throughout the district as "Wray - The Shoe Man." Mrs. Wray died in 1957 at the age of eight-six and Edward Wray died January 14, 1967 at age of ninety-three. Murdock and Lillian lived at Inverness Street (now Arcola) and raised three children together, Bob, Jack and Bessie. Murdock McMurray died in New Westminster on April 28, 1985 at the age of ninety-two. Lillian Ethel (Wray) McMurray died in Burnaby on February 28, 1986 at the age of eighty-seven.
- Total Tracks
- 7
- Total Length
- 0:58:55
- Interviewee Name
- McMurray, Lillian Wray
- McMurray, Murdoch
- Interviewer Bio
- Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie was a resident of Burnaby for over sixty years. Pixie married John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie and raised their children Kathi (Dunlop) and David McGeachie in the house the couple built themselves in 1947. Pixie served as the editor for the Burnaby Examiner newspaper and wrote a column entitled "Burnaby History" for The News. In 1974 she authored her first book titled "Bygones of Burnaby" which was one of the first to develop anecdotal stories about pioneer life in Burnaby. She authored "Burnaby - A Proud Century" in 1992 and in 2002 she wrote a biography of the city's namesake in the book "Land of Promise: Robert Burnaby's letters from Colonial B.C." She also contributed many hours of volunteering; helping to establish Burnaby's first museum Heritage Village in 1971, serving as President of the Burnaby Historical Society from 1991-1993. She served a six year term on Burnaby's Heritage Commission leading the charge to preserve many historic sites throughout the city, and during her twenty years as the Community Archives volunteer archivist for the historical society, she succeeded in gathering thousands of rare and valuable historic photographs and documents which now forms the core of the photograph collection on the Heritage Burnaby website (as these items were donated by the Society to the City Archives in 2007). The City of Burnaby awarded Pixie McGeachie the Kushiro Cup as Citizen of the year in 2002. In 2006 she received a Heritage BC project award for leading the Friends of Interurban 1223 project, and in 2008 Heritage BC recognised her again by presenting her with the Ruby Nobb Award. John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie died October 12, 1981 at the age of sixty-seven. Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie died August 14, 2010 at the age of eighty-nine. On 24 September, 2011, the City of Burnaby dedicated the reading at the City Archives in honour of Pixie and formally named it the Pixie McGeachie Reading Room in recognition of her years of service to the community.
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Oral history subseries
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track three of recording of interview with Lillian and Murdock McMurray
Track three of recording of interview with Lillian and Murdock McMurray
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-010/MSS137-010_Track_3.mp3East Burnaby School Class
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34837
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1905 (date of original), copied 1985
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.8 x 12.5 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of an East Burnaby School (later renamed Edmonds Street School) class. Front row, left to right: Miss Draper, Esther Passmore, Esther Love, Jane Allen, Mary Salt, Fred Madill, Maud Mervin, Ada Lewis, Lillie Lewis, Rose Passmore, [first name unknown] Mervin, Edith Davis (who became Mrs. F…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1905 (date of original), copied 1985
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Every-Clayton family subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.8 x 12.5 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 141-007
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1985-11
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of an East Burnaby School (later renamed Edmonds Street School) class. Front row, left to right: Miss Draper, Esther Passmore, Esther Love, Jane Allen, Mary Salt, Fred Madill, Maud Mervin, Ada Lewis, Lillie Lewis, Rose Passmore, [first name unknown] Mervin, Edith Davis (who became Mrs. Frank Summers), Ernie Clayton (killed in the first world war), Dick Hall, Stanley Ferguson, Leonard Love, Tom Scott, George Powys, Norman Allen, and Harry Dowling (standing, end of row). Second row, left to right: [first name unknown] Mervin, Winnie Hill, May Wilson, Lizie Hall, Margret McDermit, Francis Clark, Phoebe Love, Manota Vernon, Jack Clayton, Bill Bently, and Edmond Powys. Third row, left to right: Minard Hill, Morris Troup, Bill Davis, Byron Vernon, John Hall, Cicil Ledger, and Edward Clayton (standing on rail).
- Subjects
- Occupations - Teachers
- Names
- Allen, Jane
- Allen Norman
- Bently, Bill
- Edmonds Community School
- Clark, Francis
- Clayton, Edward
- Every-Clayton, Ernest "Ernie"
- Clayton, Jack
- Davis, Bill
- Dowling, Harry
- Ferguson, Stanley
- Hall, Dick
- Hall, John
- Hall, Lizie
- Rowe, Winnie Hill
- Ledger, Cicil
- Lewis, Ada
- Love, Leonard
- Feedham, Phoebe Leonard Love
- Madill, Fred
- McDermit, Margret
- Mervin, Maud
- Hill, Minard Gerald "Gerry"
- Passmore, Esther
- Passmore, Rose
- Porter, Lillie Lewis
- Powys, George
- Powys, Edmond
- Salt, Mary
- Scott, Tom
- Stanley, Esther Love
- Summers, Edith Davis
- Troup, Morris
- Vernon, Byron
- Vernon, Manota
- Wilson, May
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
Images
Murdock and Lillian McMurray interview November 17, 1975 - Track 2
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory244
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1906-1975
- Length
- 0:09:00
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Murdock McMurray's memories of riding the tram as a young man and briefly, of working for Ed Brown. Murdock mentions Reeve Byrne and the development of first water system in Burnaby. He also discusses Gilley Brother's Logging Company practices near his fath…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the recording pertains to Murdock McMurray's memories of riding the tram as a young man and briefly, of working for Ed Brown. Murdock mentions Reeve Byrne and the development of first water system in Burnaby. He also discusses Gilley Brother's Logging Company practices near his father's ranch of six acres, which grew mostly strawberries to sell in Vancouver.
- Date Range
- 1906-1975
- Photo Info
- Emerson Doran (left) and Murdoch McMurray, 1917. Item no. 229-004
- Length
- 0:09:00
- Subjects
- Agriculture - Fruit and Berries
- Geographic Access
- Imperial Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Kingsway-Beresford Area
- Interviewer
- McGeachie, Doreen “Pixie”
- Interview Date
- November 17, 1975
- Scope and Content
- Recording is of an interview with Murdock McMurray and his wife Lillian (Wray) McMurray conducted by Pixie McGeachie on November 17, 1975. Major themes discussed are: Burnaby's development, the Wray Shoe store and Murdock McMurray's cordwood delivery business.
- Biographical Notes
- Murdock McMurray was born in Vancouver in 1892 to Wilhelmina May and Robert William McMurray. Other children in the family included older siblings John “Jack” and Margaret Lillian, younger siblings Minnie May born May 4, 1895 and Hampton born June 8, 1902. Murdock’s father Robert worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) but retired shortly after moving his family to Burnaby in 1906. He bought six acres of land of what had been previously the Gilley Ranch, the base of operations for Gilley Bros. Ltd. at 2519 Windsor Street (later renumbered and renamed to the 6400 block Imperial Street). Murdock McMurray quit school early to apprentice as a printer. By sixteen he had left the trade and gone into partnership with his older brother Jack. With a team of horses, harness and a wagon, the brothers helped to macadamize roads, haul building supplies for new homes, deliver cord wood for heating, clear land and excavate basements. When Jack McMurray set off to serve overseas during World War I as a driver in the engineer corps, Murdock bought his team of horses and continued working, mainly in the Deer Lake district. In 1916 Murdoch McMurray partnered with Emerson Doran, nephew of the owner of Doran's Mill to buy Edmonds Coal and Wood fuel yard. As everything was geared towards the war effort, Murdock and Emerson soon ran out of work and had to sell the business. Murdock sold off his horses and equipment and went to work at the ship yard on Pitt River. By 1919 Jack McMurray had returned home from overseas and was working as a fireman at the Shull Lumber and Shingle Mill on the Fraser River. In 1921, he and Murdock teamed up with Emerson Doran and repurchased the Edmonds Coal and Wood fuel yard which they ran together until 1947. Murdock McMurray married Lillian Wray on September 17, 1925. Lillian was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Wray, who came to settle in the Jubilee area of Burnaby in 1919. The family lived on Dow Road and Edward Wray operated Jubilee Shoe Store and Post Office. He was known throughout the district as "Wray - The Shoe Man." Mrs. Wray died in 1957 at the age of eight-six and Edward Wray died January 14, 1967 at age of ninety-three. Murdock and Lillian lived at Inverness Street (now Arcola) and raised three children together, Bob, Jack and Bessie. Murdock McMurray died in New Westminster on April 28, 1985 at the age of ninety-two. Lillian Ethel (Wray) McMurray died in Burnaby on February 28, 1986 at the age of eighty-seven.
- Total Tracks
- 7
- Total Length
- 0:58:55
- Interviewee Name
- McMurray, Lillian Wray
- McMurray, Murdoch
- Interviewer Bio
- Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie was a resident of Burnaby for over sixty years. Pixie married John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie and raised their children Kathi (Dunlop) and David McGeachie in the house the couple built themselves in 1947. Pixie served as the editor for the Burnaby Examiner newspaper and wrote a column entitled "Burnaby History" for The News. In 1974 she authored her first book titled "Bygones of Burnaby" which was one of the first to develop anecdotal stories about pioneer life in Burnaby. She authored "Burnaby - A Proud Century" in 1992 and in 2002 she wrote a biography of the city's namesake in the book "Land of Promise: Robert Burnaby's letters from Colonial B.C." She also contributed many hours of volunteering; helping to establish Burnaby's first museum Heritage Village in 1971, serving as President of the Burnaby Historical Society from 1991-1993. She served a six year term on Burnaby's Heritage Commission leading the charge to preserve many historic sites throughout the city, and during her twenty years as the Community Archives volunteer archivist for the historical society, she succeeded in gathering thousands of rare and valuable historic photographs and documents which now forms the core of the photograph collection on the Heritage Burnaby website (as these items were donated by the Society to the City Archives in 2007). The City of Burnaby awarded Pixie McGeachie the Kushiro Cup as Citizen of the year in 2002. In 2006 she received a Heritage BC project award for leading the Friends of Interurban 1223 project, and in 2008 Heritage BC recognised her again by presenting her with the Ruby Nobb Award. John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie died October 12, 1981 at the age of sixty-seven. Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie died August 14, 2010 at the age of eighty-nine. On 24 September, 2011, the City of Burnaby dedicated the reading at the City Archives in honour of Pixie and formally named it the Pixie McGeachie Reading Room in recognition of her years of service to the community.
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Oral history subseries
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track two of recording of interview with Lillian and Murdock McMurray
Track two of recording of interview with Lillian and Murdock McMurray
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-010/MSS137-010_Track_2.mp3Burnaby Substation
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36541
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [September 1907]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w postcard ; 7.5 x 13 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of the British Columbia Electric Railway Company's Burnaby Substation that was built in 1903 and put into operation to receive and distribute power from the B.C.E.R. Buntzen Lake power dam. The electric lines came across the inlet at Barnet, along the Barnet-Hastings Road to S…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [September 1907]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- John DeForest subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w postcard ; 7.5 x 13 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 293-002
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1992-30
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of the British Columbia Electric Railway Company's Burnaby Substation that was built in 1903 and put into operation to receive and distribute power from the B.C.E.R. Buntzen Lake power dam. The electric lines came across the inlet at Barnet, along the Barnet-Hastings Road to Sperling Avenue (built for this project and called Pole Line Road) and then south to this site at the corner of Griffiths and the old Central Park interurban line (later this section was called the Highland Park line). This substation was constructed to convert the alternating current being delivered from the Buntzen power plant to direct current for the operation of the tram cars operating on the Central Park interurban route. The new brick substation replaced the wood fed steam powered 1891 Powerhouse that operated south of this site, across the tracks until its closure on May 31,1905. It was demolised in the late 1920s. This brick substation originally known as the Burnaby Substation, eventually became known as the Newell Substation. The original brick building was replaced by a new structure in 1930, which was demolished in the 1960s in favour of the open field substation that continues to operate on the same site today at 7260 Griffiths Avenue.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Industrial - Powerhouses
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Griffiths Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
Images
Interior of the Burnaby Substation
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36544
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1907
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 12 x 17cm, mounted on board 22 x 27 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the interior of the British Columbia Electric Railway Company's Burnaby Substation that was built in 1903 and put into operation to receive and distribute power from the B.C.E.R. Buntzen Lake power dam. The electric lines came across the inlet at Barnet, along the Barnet-Hastings Road…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1907
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- John DeForest subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 12 x 17cm, mounted on board 22 x 27 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 293-005
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1992-30
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the interior of the British Columbia Electric Railway Company's Burnaby Substation that was built in 1903 and put into operation to receive and distribute power from the B.C.E.R. Buntzen Lake power dam. The electric lines came across the inlet at Barnet, along the Barnet-Hastings Road to Sperling Avenue (built for this project and called Pole Line Road) and then south to this site at the corner of Griffiths and the old Central Park interurban line (later this section was called the Highland Park line). This substation was constructed to convert the alternating current being delivered from the Buntzen power plant to direct current for the operation of the tram cars operating on the Central Park interurban route. The new brick substation replaced the wood fed steam powered 1891 Powerhouse that operated south of this site, across the tracks until its closure on May 31,1905. It was demolised in the late 1920s. This brick substation originally known as the Burnaby Substation, eventually became known as the Newell Substation. The original brick building was replaced by a new structure in 1930, which was demolished in the 1960s in favour of the open field substation that continues to operate on the same site today at 7260 Griffiths Avenue.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Industrial - Powerhouses
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Photographer's handwritten note (on the negative causing it to show) on recto of photograph reads: "Burnaby Substation/ B.C.E.R.C/O"
- Geographic Access
- Griffiths Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
Images
D.C. Patterson house
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34981
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1908 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.8 x 12.5 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the home of Dugald C. Patterson, Sr., and his family. The house was originally located at 7260 Edmonds Street (near Kingsway). It was relocated in 1955 to 7106 18th Avenue and is a city heritage site.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1908 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Patterson family subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.8 x 12.5 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 171-002
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1986-20
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the home of Dugald C. Patterson, Sr., and his family. The house was originally located at 7260 Edmonds Street (near Kingsway). It was relocated in 1955 to 7106 18th Avenue and is a city heritage site.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Residential - Houses
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Edmonds Street
- 18th Avenue
- Street Address
- 7260 Edmonds Street
- 7106 18th Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
Images
Horse and wagon at D.C. Patterson's house
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34983
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1908] (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.8 x 12.5 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of horse and wagon standing outside Dugald C. Patterson's Edmonds District home (not visible). The house was originally located at 7260 Edmonds Street (near Kingsway). It was relocated in 1955 to 7106 18th Avenue and is a city heritage site.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1908] (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Patterson family subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.8 x 12.5 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 171-004
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1986-20
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of horse and wagon standing outside Dugald C. Patterson's Edmonds District home (not visible). The house was originally located at 7260 Edmonds Street (near Kingsway). It was relocated in 1955 to 7106 18th Avenue and is a city heritage site.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Edmonds Street
- 18th Avenue
- Street Address
- 7260 Edmonds Street
- 7106 18th Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
Images
Linden Avenue
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35000
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1908 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.8 x 12.5 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of trees and stumps on Linden Avenue, Edmonds District. The caption at the bottom right of the photograph reads, "Linden Ave. / Edmonds 1908."
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1908 (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Patterson family subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.8 x 12.5 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 171-021
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1986-20
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of trees and stumps on Linden Avenue, Edmonds District. The caption at the bottom right of the photograph reads, "Linden Ave. / Edmonds 1908."
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Geographic Access
- Linden Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Richmond Park Area
Images
Interior of the Burnaby Substation
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36542
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [September 1908]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w postcard ; 7.5 x 13 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of the interior of the British Columbia Electric Railway Company's Burnaby Substation that was built in 1903 and put into operation to receive and distribute power from the B.C.E.R. Buntzen Lake power dam. The electric lines came across the inlet at Barnet, along the Barnet-Ha…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [September 1908]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- John DeForest subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w postcard ; 7.5 x 13 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 293-003
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1992-30
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of the interior of the British Columbia Electric Railway Company's Burnaby Substation that was built in 1903 and put into operation to receive and distribute power from the B.C.E.R. Buntzen Lake power dam. The electric lines came across the inlet at Barnet, along the Barnet-Hastings Road to Sperling Avenue (built for this project and called Pole Line Road) and then south to this site at the corner of Griffiths and the old Central Park interurban line (later this section was called the Highland Park line). This substation was constructed to convert the alternating current being delivered from the Buntzen power plant to direct current for the operation of the tram cars operating on the Central Park interurban route. The new brick substation replaced the wood fed steam powered 1891 Powerhouse that operated south of this site, across the tracks until its closure on May 31,1905. It was demolised in the late 1920s. This brick substation originally known as the Burnaby Substation, eventually became known as the Newell Substation. The original brick building was replaced by a new structure in 1930, which was demolished in the 1960s in favour of the open field substation that continues to operate on the same site today at 7260 Griffiths Avenue.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Industrial - Powerhouses
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Griffiths Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
Images
Interior of the Burnaby Substation
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36543
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [September 1908]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w postcard ; 7.5 x 13 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of the interior of the British Columbia Electric Railway Company's Burnaby Substation that was built in 1903 and put into operation to receive and distribute power from the B.C.E.R. Buntzen Lake power dam. The electric lines came across the inlet at Barnet, along the Barnet-Ha…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [September 1908]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- John DeForest subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w postcard ; 7.5 x 13 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 293-004
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1992-30
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of the interior of the British Columbia Electric Railway Company's Burnaby Substation that was built in 1903 and put into operation to receive and distribute power from the B.C.E.R. Buntzen Lake power dam. The electric lines came across the inlet at Barnet, along the Barnet-Hastings Road to Sperling Avenue (built for this project and called Pole Line Road) and then south to this site at the corner of Griffiths and the old Central Park interurban line (later this section was called the Highland Park line). This substation was constructed to convert the alternating current being delivered from the Buntzen power plant to direct current for the operation of the tram cars operating on the Central Park interurban route. The new brick substation replaced the wood fed steam powered 1891 Powerhouse that operated south of this site, across the tracks until its closure on May 31,1905. It was demolised in the late 1920s. This brick substation originally known as the Burnaby Substation, eventually became known as the Newell Substation. The original brick building was replaced by a new structure in 1930, which was demolished in the 1960s in favour of the open field substation that continues to operate on the same site today at 7260 Griffiths Avenue.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Industrial - Powerhouses
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Griffiths Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
Images
St. Alban's Anglican Church
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35003
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1909] (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w postcard ; 8.5 x 11.8 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph on a postcard of the exterior of St. Alban's Anglican Church at 7717 19th Avenue, near Douglas Road (now Canada Way) and Edmonds Street.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1909] (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Patterson family subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w postcard ; 8.5 x 11.8 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 171-024
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1986-20
- Scope and Content
- Photograph on a postcard of the exterior of St. Alban's Anglican Church at 7717 19th Avenue, near Douglas Road (now Canada Way) and Edmonds Street.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- 19th Avenue
- Street Address
- 7717 19th Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Edmonds Area
Images
Edmonds School class
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35969
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1909 or 1910]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 10 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of an Edmonds Street School class lined up in rows outside of their classroom. All of the children have their arms folded in front of them, with the first two rows sitting cross-legged, and the last two rows standing on their feet.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1909 or 1910]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Edmonds School subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 10 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 207-018
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1988-07
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of an Edmonds Street School class lined up in rows outside of their classroom. All of the children have their arms folded in front of them, with the first two rows sitting cross-legged, and the last two rows standing on their feet.
- Names
- Edmonds Community School
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- 18th Avenue
- Street Address
- 7651 18th Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Edmonds Area
Images
B.G. Walker house
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription36021
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1909
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 8 x 14 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of the B.G. Walker House, at Edmonds & Kingsway.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1909
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Patterson family subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 8 x 14 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 213-003
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1988-13
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of the B.G. Walker House, at Edmonds & Kingsway.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Residential - Houses
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Edmonds Street
- Street Address
- 7328 Edmonds Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Richmond Park Area