"Electrical " found 20 records

Interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright June 27, 1975 - Track 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory103

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1914-1920

Length: 0:09:27

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to James Haddon and Logan Wright's boyhood days in the Lozells neighbourhood of Burnaby. Their wives, Jean Haddon and Amy Wright are also introduced.

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to James Haddon and Logan Wright's boyhood days in the Lozells neighbourhood of Burnaby. Their wives, Jean Haddon and Amy Wright are also introduced.

Date Range: 1914-1920

Length: 0:09:27

Historic Neighbourhood: Lozells (Historic Neighbourhood)

Interviewer: Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 27, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with James "Jim" Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright by Simon Fraser University student Bettina Bradbury, June 27, 1975. Major theme discussed is: the Depression. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: James "Jim", "Jimmy" Haddon was born in 1914 at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. Jim's father used to hunt in Burnaby as a boy and liked it so much that when he grew up, he built a house at Government Road and Piper Avenue and moved his young family there. Jim's father was a logger and contractor with a team of two horses. Jim began his schooling at Sperling Avenue School in 1921. He attended Sperling for one year, then switched to Seaforth School from 1922 on. Jim's older brother Art hauled gravel for the municipality while Jim was at Seaforth. In 1929, at sixteen years old, Jim left school to work for his father driving the truck, helping to haul logs, wood and gravel. Throughout the 1930s, he did contracting for the municipality. Jim Haddon met his wife Jean when her family moved into the neighbourhood in the 1930s. Jean Haddon was born in Saskatchewan in 1914. Her father's work had gone into receivership and so the family of nine packed up and drove out west in a Dodge Touring car. With two brothers and four sisters, Jean was the oldest. The family settled on Government Road and Phillips Avenue. Jean and her husband Jim Haddon were at a dance together at Cultus Lake when the war broke out. Logan Wright was born in 1915 and moved with his family from Mount Pleasant to Burnaby in 1923 to Phillips Avenue and Greenwood. The Wright family had five acres of land that held one hundred and twenty fruit trees. His father worked for BC Electric in Vancouver, and faced a ten dollar a month cut in pay during the Depression. Logan began at Sperling Avenue School in 1923, then Seaforth School in 1924. He attended Seaforth until 1932 when he left to begin working, first as a farmer, then a gold miner, and a construction worker before securing a job at BC Electric. Amy Wright was born in 1920. Her family lived at the 4300 block of Cambridge Street in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood of North Burnaby, moving there just a year before she was born. Her father worked at Mac and Mack's in downtown Vancouver five and a half days a week. On the weekends, her family took the Union Steamship to Gibson's. Amy's mother was an active member of the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). Amy graduated high school in 1938 and went on to University. Logan Wright met his wife Amy in 1946 through Logan's sister Francis, who invited her neighbour Amy to dinner.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 1:16:28

Interviewee Name: Haddon, James "Jimmy"; Haddon, Jean; Wright, Amy; Wright, Logan

Interview Location: Gibsons, British Columbia

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Audio Tracks

Track one of interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-15/100-13-15_Track_1.mp3

Interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright June 27, 1975 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory104

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1921-1927

Length: 0:07:12

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to James Haddon and Logan Wright's school days in the Lozells neighbourhood of Burnaby.

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to James Haddon and Logan Wright's school days in the Lozells neighbourhood of Burnaby.

Date Range: 1921-1927

Length: 0:07:12

Names: Seaforth School; Sperling Avenue School

Historic Neighbourhood: Lozells (Historic Neighbourhood)

Interviewer: Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 27, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with James "Jim" Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright by Simon Fraser University student Bettina Bradbury, June 27, 1975. Major theme discussed is: the Depression. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: James "Jim", "Jimmy" Haddon was born in 1914 at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. Jim's father used to hunt in Burnaby as a boy and liked it so much that when he grew up, he built a house at Government Road and Piper Avenue and moved his young family there. Jim's father was a logger and contractor with a team of two horses. Jim began his schooling at Sperling Avenue School in 1921. He attended Sperling for one year, then switched to Seaforth School from 1922 on. Jim's older brother Art hauled gravel for the municipality while Jim was at Seaforth. In 1929, at sixteen years old, Jim left school to work for his father driving the truck, helping to haul logs, wood and gravel. Throughout the 1930s, he did contracting for the municipality. Jim Haddon met his wife Jean when her family moved into the neighbourhood in the 1930s. Jean Haddon was born in Saskatchewan in 1914. Her father's work had gone into receivership and so the family of nine packed up and drove out west in a Dodge Touring car. With two brothers and four sisters, Jean was the oldest. The family settled on Government Road and Phillips Avenue. Jean and her husband Jim Haddon were at a dance together at Cultus Lake when the war broke out. Logan Wright was born in 1915 and moved with his family from Mount Pleasant to Burnaby in 1923 to Phillips Avenue and Greenwood. The Wright family had five acres of land that held one hundred and twenty fruit trees. His father worked for BC Electric in Vancouver, and faced a ten dollar a month cut in pay during the Depression. Logan began at Sperling Avenue School in 1923, then Seaforth School in 1924. He attended Seaforth until 1932 when he left to begin working, first as a farmer, then a gold miner, and a construction worker before securing a job at BC Electric. Amy Wright was born in 1920. Her family lived at the 4300 block of Cambridge Street in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood of North Burnaby, moving there just a year before she was born. Her father worked at Mac and Mack's in downtown Vancouver five and a half days a week. On the weekends, her family took the Union Steamship to Gibson's. Amy's mother was an active member of the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). Amy graduated high school in 1938 and went on to University. Logan Wright met his wife Amy in 1946 through Logan's sister Francis, who invited her neighbour Amy to dinner.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 1:16:28

Interviewee Name: Haddon, James "Jimmy"; Haddon, Jean; Wright, Amy; Wright, Logan

Interview Location: Gibsons, British Columbia

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Audio Tracks

Track two of interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-15/100-13-15_Track_2.mp3

Interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright June 27, 1975 - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory105

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1919-1939

Length: 0:09:18

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Amy Wright's memories of growing up in North Burnaby, as well as Logan Wright and Jim Haddon's memories of Blind Lake (also known as Squint Lake), where the clubhouse now stands at the golf course at Simon Fraser University (SFU).

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Amy Wright's memories of growing up in North Burnaby, as well as Logan Wright and Jim Haddon's memories of Blind Lake (also known as Squint Lake), where the clubhouse now stands at the golf course at Simon Fraser University (SFU).

Date Range: 1919-1939

Length: 0:09:18

Planning Study Area: Burnaby Mountain Area

Interviewer: Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 27, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with James "Jim" Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright by Simon Fraser University student Bettina Bradbury, June 27, 1975. Major theme discussed is: the Depression. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: James "Jim", "Jimmy" Haddon was born in 1914 at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. Jim's father used to hunt in Burnaby as a boy and liked it so much that when he grew up, he built a house at Government Road and Piper Avenue and moved his young family there. Jim's father was a logger and contractor with a team of two horses. Jim began his schooling at Sperling Avenue School in 1921. He attended Sperling for one year, then switched to Seaforth School from 1922 on. Jim's older brother Art hauled gravel for the municipality while Jim was at Seaforth. In 1929, at sixteen years old, Jim left school to work for his father driving the truck, helping to haul logs, wood and gravel. Throughout the 1930s, he did contracting for the municipality. Jim Haddon met his wife Jean when her family moved into the neighbourhood in the 1930s. Jean Haddon was born in Saskatchewan in 1914. Her father's work had gone into receivership and so the family of nine packed up and drove out west in a Dodge Touring car. With two brothers and four sisters, Jean was the oldest. The family settled on Government Road and Phillips Avenue. Jean and her husband Jim Haddon were at a dance together at Cultus Lake when the war broke out. Logan Wright was born in 1915 and moved with his family from Mount Pleasant to Burnaby in 1923 to Phillips Avenue and Greenwood. The Wright family had five acres of land that held one hundred and twenty fruit trees. His father worked for BC Electric in Vancouver, and faced a ten dollar a month cut in pay during the Depression. Logan began at Sperling Avenue School in 1923, then Seaforth School in 1924. He attended Seaforth until 1932 when he left to begin working, first as a farmer, then a gold miner, and a construction worker before securing a job at BC Electric. Amy Wright was born in 1920. Her family lived at the 4300 block of Cambridge Street in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood of North Burnaby, moving there just a year before she was born. Her father worked at Mac and Mack's in downtown Vancouver five and a half days a week. On the weekends, her family took the Union Steamship to Gibson's. Amy's mother was an active member of the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). Amy graduated high school in 1938 and went on to University. Logan Wright met his wife Amy in 1946 through Logan's sister Francis, who invited her neighbour Amy to dinner.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 1:16:28

Interviewee Name: Haddon, James "Jimmy"; Haddon, Jean; Wright, Amy; Wright, Logan

Interview Location: Gibsons, British Columbia

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Audio Tracks

Track three of interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-15/100-13-15_Track_3.mp3

Interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright June 27, 1975 - Track 4

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory106

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1930-1939

Length: 0:10:01

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Jean Haddon's memories of first coming to Burnaby with her family, as well as Jim Haddon's memories of working for the municipality as a contractor during the Depression. He also briefly mentions the Edmonds riot of 1932.

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Jean Haddon's memories of first coming to Burnaby with her family, as well as Jim Haddon's memories of working for the municipality as a contractor during the Depression. He also briefly mentions the Edmonds riot of 1932.

Date Range: 1930-1939

Length: 0:10:01

Historic Neighbourhood: Lozells (Historic Neighbourhood)

Interviewer: Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 27, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with James "Jim" Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright by Simon Fraser University student Bettina Bradbury, June 27, 1975. Major theme discussed is: the Depression. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: James "Jim", "Jimmy" Haddon was born in 1914 at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. Jim's father used to hunt in Burnaby as a boy and liked it so much that when he grew up, he built a house at Government Road and Piper Avenue and moved his young family there. Jim's father was a logger and contractor with a team of two horses. Jim began his schooling at Sperling Avenue School in 1921. He attended Sperling for one year, then switched to Seaforth School from 1922 on. Jim's older brother Art hauled gravel for the municipality while Jim was at Seaforth. In 1929, at sixteen years old, Jim left school to work for his father driving the truck, helping to haul logs, wood and gravel. Throughout the 1930s, he did contracting for the municipality. Jim Haddon met his wife Jean when her family moved into the neighbourhood in the 1930s. Jean Haddon was born in Saskatchewan in 1914. Her father's work had gone into receivership and so the family of nine packed up and drove out west in a Dodge Touring car. With two brothers and four sisters, Jean was the oldest. The family settled on Government Road and Phillips Avenue. Jean and her husband Jim Haddon were at a dance together at Cultus Lake when the war broke out. Logan Wright was born in 1915 and moved with his family from Mount Pleasant to Burnaby in 1923 to Phillips Avenue and Greenwood. The Wright family had five acres of land that held one hundred and twenty fruit trees. His father worked for BC Electric in Vancouver, and faced a ten dollar a month cut in pay during the Depression. Logan began at Sperling Avenue School in 1923, then Seaforth School in 1924. He attended Seaforth until 1932 when he left to begin working, first as a farmer, then a gold miner, and a construction worker before securing a job at BC Electric. Amy Wright was born in 1920. Her family lived at the 4300 block of Cambridge Street in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood of North Burnaby, moving there just a year before she was born. Her father worked at Mac and Mack's in downtown Vancouver five and a half days a week. On the weekends, her family took the Union Steamship to Gibson's. Amy's mother was an active member of the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). Amy graduated high school in 1938 and went on to University. Logan Wright met his wife Amy in 1946 through Logan's sister Francis, who invited her neighbour Amy to dinner.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 1:16:28

Interviewee Name: Haddon, James "Jimmy"; Haddon, Jean; Wright, Amy; Wright, Logan

Interview Location: Gibsons, British Columbia

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Audio Tracks

Track four of interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-15/100-13-15_Track_4.mp3

Interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright June 27, 1975 - Track 5

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory107

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1929-1938

Length: 0:10:02

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Logan and Amy Wright's thoughts on why Burnaby went into receivership, the (Co-operative Commonwealth Federation) and their family's politics. Amy also touches on her mother's involvement with the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON).

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Logan and Amy Wright's thoughts on why Burnaby went into receivership, the (Co-operative Commonwealth Federation) and their family's politics. Amy also touches on her mother's involvement with the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON).

Date Range: 1929-1938

Length: 0:10:02

Names: Victorian Order of Nurses

Interviewer: Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 27, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with James "Jim" Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright by Simon Fraser University student Bettina Bradbury, June 27, 1975. Major theme discussed is: the Depression. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: James "Jim", "Jimmy" Haddon was born in 1914 at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. Jim's father used to hunt in Burnaby as a boy and liked it so much that when he grew up, he built a house at Government Road and Piper Avenue and moved his young family there. Jim's father was a logger and contractor with a team of two horses. Jim began his schooling at Sperling Avenue School in 1921. He attended Sperling for one year, then switched to Seaforth School from 1922 on. Jim's older brother Art hauled gravel for the municipality while Jim was at Seaforth. In 1929, at sixteen years old, Jim left school to work for his father driving the truck, helping to haul logs, wood and gravel. Throughout the 1930s, he did contracting for the municipality. Jim Haddon met his wife Jean when her family moved into the neighbourhood in the 1930s. Jean Haddon was born in Saskatchewan in 1914. Her father's work had gone into receivership and so the family of nine packed up and drove out west in a Dodge Touring car. With two brothers and four sisters, Jean was the oldest. The family settled on Government Road and Phillips Avenue. Jean and her husband Jim Haddon were at a dance together at Cultus Lake when the war broke out. Logan Wright was born in 1915 and moved with his family from Mount Pleasant to Burnaby in 1923 to Phillips Avenue and Greenwood. The Wright family had five acres of land that held one hundred and twenty fruit trees. His father worked for BC Electric in Vancouver, and faced a ten dollar a month cut in pay during the Depression. Logan began at Sperling Avenue School in 1923, then Seaforth School in 1924. He attended Seaforth until 1932 when he left to begin working, first as a farmer, then a gold miner, and a construction worker before securing a job at BC Electric. Amy Wright was born in 1920. Her family lived at the 4300 block of Cambridge Street in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood of North Burnaby, moving there just a year before she was born. Her father worked at Mac and Mack's in downtown Vancouver five and a half days a week. On the weekends, her family took the Union Steamship to Gibson's. Amy's mother was an active member of the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). Amy graduated high school in 1938 and went on to University. Logan Wright met his wife Amy in 1946 through Logan's sister Francis, who invited her neighbour Amy to dinner.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 1:16:28

Interviewee Name: Haddon, James "Jimmy"; Haddon, Jean; Wright, Amy; Wright, Logan

Interview Location: Gibsons, British Columbia

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Audio Tracks

Track five of interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-15/100-13-15_Track_5.mp3

Interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright June 27, 1975 - Track 6

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory108

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1929-1938

Length: 0:09:00

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Jean Haddon's and Logan Wright's memories of growing up in a large family. Logan Wright also discusses his employment history, including his time prospecting up near Alberni.

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Jean Haddon's and Logan Wright's memories of growing up in a large family. Logan Wright also discusses his employment history, including his time prospecting up near Alberni.

Date Range: 1929-1938

Length: 0:09:00

Subjects: Occupations - Gold Miners

Interviewer: Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 27, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with James "Jim" Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright by Simon Fraser University student Bettina Bradbury, June 27, 1975. Major theme discussed is: the Depression. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: James "Jim", "Jimmy" Haddon was born in 1914 at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. Jim's father used to hunt in Burnaby as a boy and liked it so much that when he grew up, he built a house at Government Road and Piper Avenue and moved his young family there. Jim's father was a logger and contractor with a team of two horses. Jim began his schooling at Sperling Avenue School in 1921. He attended Sperling for one year, then switched to Seaforth School from 1922 on. Jim's older brother Art hauled gravel for the municipality while Jim was at Seaforth. In 1929, at sixteen years old, Jim left school to work for his father driving the truck, helping to haul logs, wood and gravel. Throughout the 1930s, he did contracting for the municipality. Jim Haddon met his wife Jean when her family moved into the neighbourhood in the 1930s. Jean Haddon was born in Saskatchewan in 1914. Her father's work had gone into receivership and so the family of nine packed up and drove out west in a Dodge Touring car. With two brothers and four sisters, Jean was the oldest. The family settled on Government Road and Phillips Avenue. Jean and her husband Jim Haddon were at a dance together at Cultus Lake when the war broke out. Logan Wright was born in 1915 and moved with his family from Mount Pleasant to Burnaby in 1923 to Phillips Avenue and Greenwood. The Wright family had five acres of land that held one hundred and twenty fruit trees. His father worked for BC Electric in Vancouver, and faced a ten dollar a month cut in pay during the Depression. Logan began at Sperling Avenue School in 1923, then Seaforth School in 1924. He attended Seaforth until 1932 when he left to begin working, first as a farmer, then a gold miner, and a construction worker before securing a job at BC Electric. Amy Wright was born in 1920. Her family lived at the 4300 block of Cambridge Street in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood of North Burnaby, moving there just a year before she was born. Her father worked at Mac and Mack's in downtown Vancouver five and a half days a week. On the weekends, her family took the Union Steamship to Gibson's. Amy's mother was an active member of the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). Amy graduated high school in 1938 and went on to University. Logan Wright met his wife Amy in 1946 through Logan's sister Francis, who invited her neighbour Amy to dinner.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 1:16:28

Interviewee Name: Haddon, James "Jimmy"; Haddon, Jean; Wright, Amy; Wright, Logan

Interview Location: Gibsons, British Columbia

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Audio Tracks

Track six of interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-15/100-13-15_Track_6.mp3

Interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright June 27, 1975 - Track 7

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory109

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1929-1938

Length: 0:10:05

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Logan and Amy Wright's and Jim and Jean Haddon's thoughts the changes that occurred when Burnaby went into receivership. The group also discusses recreational activities that they took part in during the Depression years.

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Logan and Amy Wright's and Jim and Jean Haddon's thoughts the changes that occurred when Burnaby went into receivership. The group also discusses recreational activities that they took part in during the Depression years.

Date Range: 1929-1938

Length: 0:10:05

Interviewer: Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 27, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with James "Jim" Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright by Simon Fraser University student Bettina Bradbury, June 27, 1975. Major theme discussed is: the Depression. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: James "Jim", "Jimmy" Haddon was born in 1914 at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. Jim's father used to hunt in Burnaby as a boy and liked it so much that when he grew up, he built a house at Government Road and Piper Avenue and moved his young family there. Jim's father was a logger and contractor with a team of two horses. Jim began his schooling at Sperling Avenue School in 1921. He attended Sperling for one year, then switched to Seaforth School from 1922 on. Jim's older brother Art hauled gravel for the municipality while Jim was at Seaforth. In 1929, at sixteen years old, Jim left school to work for his father driving the truck, helping to haul logs, wood and gravel. Throughout the 1930s, he did contracting for the municipality. Jim Haddon met his wife Jean when her family moved into the neighbourhood in the 1930s. Jean Haddon was born in Saskatchewan in 1914. Her father's work had gone into receivership and so the family of nine packed up and drove out west in a Dodge Touring car. With two brothers and four sisters, Jean was the oldest. The family settled on Government Road and Phillips Avenue. Jean and her husband Jim Haddon were at a dance together at Cultus Lake when the war broke out. Logan Wright was born in 1915 and moved with his family from Mount Pleasant to Burnaby in 1923 to Phillips Avenue and Greenwood. The Wright family had five acres of land that held one hundred and twenty fruit trees. His father worked for BC Electric in Vancouver, and faced a ten dollar a month cut in pay during the Depression. Logan began at Sperling Avenue School in 1923, then Seaforth School in 1924. He attended Seaforth until 1932 when he left to begin working, first as a farmer, then a gold miner, and a construction worker before securing a job at BC Electric. Amy Wright was born in 1920. Her family lived at the 4300 block of Cambridge Street in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood of North Burnaby, moving there just a year before she was born. Her father worked at Mac and Mack's in downtown Vancouver five and a half days a week. On the weekends, her family took the Union Steamship to Gibson's. Amy's mother was an active member of the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). Amy graduated high school in 1938 and went on to University. Logan Wright met his wife Amy in 1946 through Logan's sister Francis, who invited her neighbour Amy to dinner.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 1:16:28

Interviewee Name: Haddon, James "Jimmy"; Haddon, Jean; Wright, Amy; Wright, Logan

Interview Location: Gibsons, British Columbia

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Audio Tracks

Track seven of interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-15/100-13-15_Track_7.mp3

Interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright June 27, 1975 - Track 8

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory110

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1929-1938

Length: 0:11:34

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Logan and Amy Wright's and Jim and Jean Haddon's thoughts on unemployment and the impact of the Depression on their lives.

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Logan and Amy Wright's and Jim and Jean Haddon's thoughts on unemployment and the impact of the Depression on their lives.

Date Range: 1929-1938

Length: 0:11:34

Interviewer: Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 27, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with James "Jim" Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright by Simon Fraser University student Bettina Bradbury, June 27, 1975. Major theme discussed is: the Depression. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: James "Jim", "Jimmy" Haddon was born in 1914 at Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster. Jim's father used to hunt in Burnaby as a boy and liked it so much that when he grew up, he built a house at Government Road and Piper Avenue and moved his young family there. Jim's father was a logger and contractor with a team of two horses. Jim began his schooling at Sperling Avenue School in 1921. He attended Sperling for one year, then switched to Seaforth School from 1922 on. Jim's older brother Art hauled gravel for the municipality while Jim was at Seaforth. In 1929, at sixteen years old, Jim left school to work for his father driving the truck, helping to haul logs, wood and gravel. Throughout the 1930s, he did contracting for the municipality. Jim Haddon met his wife Jean when her family moved into the neighbourhood in the 1930s. Jean Haddon was born in Saskatchewan in 1914. Her father's work had gone into receivership and so the family of nine packed up and drove out west in a Dodge Touring car. With two brothers and four sisters, Jean was the oldest. The family settled on Government Road and Phillips Avenue. Jean and her husband Jim Haddon were at a dance together at Cultus Lake when the war broke out. Logan Wright was born in 1915 and moved with his family from Mount Pleasant to Burnaby in 1923 to Phillips Avenue and Greenwood. The Wright family had five acres of land that held one hundred and twenty fruit trees. His father worked for BC Electric in Vancouver, and faced a ten dollar a month cut in pay during the Depression. Logan began at Sperling Avenue School in 1923, then Seaforth School in 1924. He attended Seaforth until 1932 when he left to begin working, first as a farmer, then a gold miner, and a construction worker before securing a job at BC Electric. Amy Wright was born in 1920. Her family lived at the 4300 block of Cambridge Street in the Vancouver Heights neighbourhood of North Burnaby, moving there just a year before she was born. Her father worked at Mac and Mack's in downtown Vancouver five and a half days a week. On the weekends, her family took the Union Steamship to Gibson's. Amy's mother was an active member of the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). Amy graduated high school in 1938 and went on to University. Logan Wright met his wife Amy in 1946 through Logan's sister Francis, who invited her neighbour Amy to dinner.

Total Tracks: 8

Total Length: 1:16:28

Interviewee Name: Haddon, James "Jimmy"; Haddon, Jean; Wright, Amy; Wright, Logan

Interview Location: Gibsons, British Columbia

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Audio Tracks

Track eight of interview with James Haddon, Jean Haddon, Amy Wright and Logan Wright

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-15/100-13-15_Track_8.mp3

Interview with Don Brown by Rod Fowler February 26, 1990 - Track 6

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory507

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1947-1954

Length: 00:05:44

Summary: This portion of the interview is about the paving and widening of Kingsway in 1953, the development along main roads, and the end of the Interurban tram system

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about the paving and widening of Kingsway in 1953, the development along main roads, and the end of the Interurban tram system

Date Range: 1947-1954

Photo Info: Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sergeant Don Brown, November 2, 1997. Item no. 535-0979

Length: 00:05:44

Subjects: Accidents - Automobile Accidents; Transportation - Automobiles; Transportation - Electric Railroads

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: February 26, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Don Brown, conducted by Rod Fowler. Don Brown was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is mainly about Don Brown’s description of the changes in Burnaby’s built and natural landscapes and socioeconomic conditions, especially between 1947 and 1975, the strong impression made on him by those changes evident in the interview. He talks about his work and career as a police officer with the Burnaby Provincial Police and RCMP. The interview also details his involvement in Burnaby politics and volunteer community groups. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Donald Neil “Don” Brown was born in Birmingham, England May 4, 1919, and immigrated with his parents and siblings to Winnipeg in 1922. At the outbreak of WWII Don Brown left high school and enlisted in the 12th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, serving six years in the army. Before going overseas he married Helen Birch in 1939. In 1947 Don Brown joined the B.C. Provincial Police which was absorbed by the RCMP in 1950. He worked as a police officer in Burnaby from 1947 to 1954, and then was transferred to Ottawa (with a stop in Regina) for nine and a half years where he attended Carleton University to study forensics. In 1963 Don Brown was transferred back to Vancouver and bought and moved into a house on Watling Street in Burnaby where he still lived in 1990. Another transfer took him to Edmonton for five years, returning to Burnaby in 1975. Following retirement in 1980 with the rank of Supervisor and after 22 years in forensic laboratories, Don Brown started his own business as a private document examiner. Don Brown was active in Burnaby politics, serving as Alderman from 1979-1985. He was also involved in many community groups including the South Burnaby Men’s Club, which he helped found in 1952, as well as active in the Burnaby Historical Society, and served on the Burnaby School Board, Burnaby Centennial Committee, and the Community College for the Retired. Don and Helen Brown had six children: Donna, Don, Gina, Patricia, Christopher and Susan. Don Brown died May 16, 2009.

Total Tracks: 14

Total Length: 01:35:07

Interviewee Name: Brown, Donald N. "Don"

Interviewer Bio: Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.

Collection/Fonds: SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

Transcript Available: Transcript available

Media Type: Sound Recording

Web Notes: Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.

Images

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sergeant Don Brown, November 2, 1997. Item no. 535-0979 thumbnail

Audio Tracks

Track six of interview with Don Brown

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-016/MSS187-016_Track%206.mp3

Interview with Ella Beatty

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription4475

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 1930-1949 (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (mp3) (0:21:41 min)

Scope and Content: 00:00-2:58: Ella describes the area around Kingsway and Edmonds as she remembers it from her childhood. She names the businesses on the four corners of the intersection, which included a small house which was turned into a business. 2:58-7:18: Ella mentions some of the organized activities of the …

1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: Growing Up in Burnaby subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (mp3) (0:21:41 min)

Material Details: Interviewer: Tom Gooden Interviewee: Ella Beatty Date of interview: May 10, 2005 Total Number of Tracks: 1 Total length of all Tracks: 21:41

Scope and Content: 00:00-2:58: Ella describes the area around Kingsway and Edmonds as she remembers it from her childhood. She names the businesses on the four corners of the intersection, which included a small house which was turned into a business. 2:58-7:18: Ella mentions some of the organized activities of the time, and discusses household responsibilities of girls. Ella describes jobs she had as a teenager, such as a brief time working at the B.C. Electric Café at Carrall St. She talks about her allowance, and describes how she spent the money as well as her earnings from her jobs. XXX 7:18–13:55: Although Ella doesn’t recall being involved in many organized activities, she does mention Sunday school and a girl’s group. She talks about having A.R.P. and First Aid training during the Second World War. Ella notes that children made their own fun, and discusses the games she played, parks she went to, and how she got there. She describes how parents kept an eye on children without strictly supervising them. Ella also talks about neighborhood and school friends, describes her recreation, which was mainly informal, and where she played. XXX 13:55–15:30: Ella can’t choose any one memory of her childhood as being the most joyful, but she recalls the announcement of the declaration of war (of World War II) as her worst childhood memory. XXX 15:30–16:31: Ella describes the families in the neighborhood and her schoolmates as having similar cultural backgrounds. The very few immigrant families she remembers came from Europe. XXX 16:31–18:13: Ella describes her household living arrangements and her toys. XXX 18:13–20:25: Ella comments on the changes which have occurred in Burnaby since her childhood as the city has become built up. She notes that much of it began after the war as veterans returned home. XXX 20:25-21:41: Ella explains why she is still a Burnaby resident and remarks on the self-reliance that children acquired in the earlier days of the city.

History: Recording of an interview with Ella Beatty, recorded by Tom Gooden on May 10 2005. This recording was completed for an exhibit, Growing Up in Burnaby, for the Burnaby Village Museum. Major themes discussed are growing up in Burnaby in the 1930s and 40s.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Wars - World War, 1939-1945; Businesses

Names: Beatty, Ella

Responsibility: Gooden, Tom

Geographic Access: Kingsway; Edmonds Street

Accession Code: BV017.45.2

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: 1930-1949 (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of item

Audio Tracks

Interview with Ella Beatty, 1930-1949 (interview content), interviewed May 10, 2005

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2017_0045_0002_001.mp3

Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19602

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (68 min., 52 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (68 min., 53 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 00:00-16:47 Bill and Ellen share where they were born, grew up and went to school as citizens of the United States and how they met in Pe…

1 image 1 document 1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: Many Voices Project Interviews subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (68 min., 52 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (68 min., 53 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewer: Eric Damer Interviewees: Ellen and Bill Schwartz Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: May 15, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:08:52 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby Photograph information: Bill and Ellen Schwartz.

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar and Researcher, Eric Damer. 00:00-16:47 Bill and Ellen share where they were born, grew up and went to school as citizens of the United States and how they met in Pennsylvania the 1970s. Bill and Ellen explain how in the 1970s, they were discouraged about the current politics in the United States under the Nixon administration and how they were inspired by the “back to the land” ideals, rejecting materialism and wanting an alternative lifestyle. With these ideals in mind, they recall how in 1972 they and a few other friends decided to leave the United States, move to British Columbia with the goal of buying land in the Okanagan or Kootenay region and starting a new lifestyle for themselves. Bill and Ellen recollect how they purchased 20 acres of land in Galena Bay in the Kootenays and how they lived in the area off and on until the early 1980s. They describe how they cleared three acres of land, built a cabin, put in a garden, chicken coop and honey bees. With the challenges of the isolated location and no access to electricity they explain how they decided that they had to live elsewhere in order to make a living. Ellen talks about working as a special education teacher in Revelstoke and Slocan and how Bill obtained his teaching certificate while they lived in Nelson. Bill and Ellen describe themselves as environmentalists and of how they both became active Provincial environmentalists during the construction of the Revelstoke Dam. Bill talks about getting work with the “Energy Van” program talking about energy conservation, renewable energy and recycling. They explain how after their first child was born in 1980, they returned to Galena Bay for about a year and a half until Bill was offered a job with the Department of Energy Conservation which lead them to move to Vancouver. 16:48 – 22:46 Bill and Ellen describe their first few years of living in Vancouver and at University of British Columbia while Ellen completed her master’s degree in creative writing. During this time, they had their second child. They recall how in 1988 how they purchased a house in Burnaby, selecting to live in the Deer Lake neighbourhood. They talk about the benefits of the neighbourhood including; a French immersion school for their children, proximity to the trails around Deer Lake and having transit close by. 22:47 – 33:55 Bill and Ellen talk about their consulting business “Polestar Communications”. A Burnaby based communications consulting firm composed of three people, Ellen and Bill and colleague Richard Banner. They describe how their business got started and some of the projects that they’ve worked on including; BC Hydro’s Power Smart Program, financial literacy curriculum that was introduced in B.C. schools and reports for the Province of British Columbia. Ellen and Bill convey how Bill has been a very active member with the City of Burnaby Environment Committee, the Steering Committee to develop a sustainable environmental strategy for Burnaby, how he’s been awarded for his contributions in coaching youth sports and other areas in which they have both volunteered. 33:56 – 43:07 Ellen describes how she got started in writing educational resources about the environment and how since she completed grad school in 1984, she’s published nineteen books. Ellen conveys how her first book was published and sold to the Province of British Columbia as part of the B.C. educational curriculum on the environment. Ellen talks about some of the children’s books that she’s written and published with themes including; social justice, the labour movement and racism in sports. Ellen describes some of her books and the research that she’s done. 43:08 – 51:04 Ellen and Bill Schwartz reflect on what they like about living in Burnaby. They talk about the benefits of their neighbourhood including; performances at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival, the Burnaby Art Gallery and Deer Lake as well as having access to parks and community centres in Burnaby. 51:05-56:36 Bill and Ellen reflect on their involvement in the Jewish community, considering themselves non-secular Jews. Ellen talks about how they were involved with “Burquest” a Jewish Community Association and how they often observe some of the Jewish holidays including Hanukah and traditions including the Jewish coming of age ritual, bar mitzvah (masc.) and bat mistvah (fem.). Ellen mentions her involvement with the “Jone Betty Stuchner Oy Vey! Funniest Children’s book Award” where she acts a judge and her involvement with the Jewish Book festival and that she is a recipient of the Jewish Book award. 56:37 – 1:08:53 Bill and Ellen reflect on their 35 years living in Burnaby and how they’ve seen it change. They talk about the increased development and density in the city, how they are troubled by a lack of low income housing, the benefits and importance of public transportation and preservation of green space including Burnaby parks.

History: Interviewees' biographies: Ellen Schwartz was born in Washington, DC, (1950) but grew up in New Jersey. She attended the Universities of Chicago and Wisconsin before moving to a farm in Pennsylvania, where she met her future husband Bill Schwartz. Bill Schwartz grew up in and around Philadelphia (b. 1947), and attended Pennsylvania State University. After travelling, and discouraged with life in eastern America, he and Ellen decided that British Columbia held better prospects. Bill and Ellen quit their jobs in 1972 and moved to the Kootenay region where they adopted a “back to the land” lifestyle, a very new experience for both of them. After eight years of modest success, and occasional work in nearby towns, they opted to return to Vancouver where Bill had work and where they could raise a family more easily. They rented in Vancouver for a few years before moving to family housing at UBC, while Ellen studied creative writing. Bill founded a communications and writing company, and in 1988 they purchased a home in Burnaby. Ellen launched a new career as a writer, mainly for children young adults. Both were active in their careers, raising a family, and participating in local social and political activities. Interviewer biography: Eric Damer is a Burnaby Village Museum Interpreter, Museum Registrar, Researcher and Blacksmith. Eric pounded hot steel for the first time in 1977 in junior high. Fifteen years later, he joined Burnaby Village Museum where he has smithed for three decades. He also provides historical research for museum exhibits and special projects. Outside the museum, Eric is a social historian with a special interest in educational history.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Education; Environmental Issues; Environmental Issues - Environmental Protection; Geographic Features; Geographic Features - Parks; Housing; Occupations; Occupations - Entrepreneurs; Occupations - Writers; Persons - Volunteers; Persons - Jewish Canadians; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism; Religions; Religions - Judaism

Names: Schwartz, William "Bill"; Schwartz, Ellen; City of Burnaby; Polestar Communications; British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority

Responsibility: Damer, Eric

Accession Code: BV023.16.6

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023

Media Type: Sound Recording

Historic Neighbourhood: Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Burnaby Lake Area

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby

Images

Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz, [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023 thumbnail

Documents

2023_0016_0006_004

Audio Tracks

Interview with Ellen and Bill Schwartz, [1969-2023] (interview content), interviewed 15 May 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0006_003.mp3

Interview with Harry Royle June 20, 1975 - Track 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory111

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1898-1919

Length: 0:06:06

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Harry Royle's early life beginning at Gibraltar, through the war years.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Harry Royle's early life beginning at Gibraltar, through the war years.

Date Range: 1898-1919

Photo Info: Harry Royle smiling, in a suit and tie, photographed by Chidwich Studio [193-]. Item no. BV005.20.20

Length: 0:06:06

Interviewer: McLeod, Ross S.; Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 20, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Harry Royle by Ross S. McLeod (and Bettina Bradbury) June 20, 1975. Major themes discussed are: the Depression and the running of a grocery store. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: Harry Royle was born in Gibraltar in 1898 to a Spanish mother and an English father (all of the Royle children except for one were born in Gibraltar). Harry's father served in the army for twenty-one years and because of that, the family moved regularly. While Harry was still a young baby, the Royle family moved to Ireland for six years, where he began his first years of schooling at the age of four. His dad retired from the army in 1907 and was sent to Canada with the BC Electric Company (the London General Army Buses Company). The rest of his family followed two years afterward in 1909 and settled in South Vancouver. Harry and his three brothers joined the army and were sent overseas as part of the second division. Luckily, they all returned home to Vancouver in 1919. Harry worked at the Hudson's Bay Company "counter jumping" before opening his own store in 1924 at 5527 Hastings Street and Ellesmere Avenue, a confectionery and general hangout for neighbourhood children."Harry's" was only twenty-five foot square and carried groceries obtained mainly from Kelly Douglas wholesalers. Most of Harry's customers worked at the mill at Barnet. Those that worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway were the few that still held jobs during the Depression. The store continued to serve the people of Capitol Hill throughout the Depression and war years, until Harry closed shop in 1945.

Total Tracks: 7

Total Length: 1:01:43

Interviewee Name: Royle, Harry

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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

Harry Royle smiling, in a suit and tie, photographed by Chidwich Studio [193-]. Item no. BV005.20.20 thumbnail

Audio Tracks

Track one of interview with Harry Royle

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-12/100-13-12_Track_1.mp3

Interview with Harry Royle June 20, 1975 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory112

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1919-1945

Length: 0:10:17

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Harry Royle's memories of returning from the war and setting up his general store at Capitol Hill.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Harry Royle's memories of returning from the war and setting up his general store at Capitol Hill.

Date Range: 1919-1945

Photo Info: Harry Royle smiling, in a suit and tie, photographed by Chidwich Studio [193-]. Item no. BV005.20.20

Length: 0:10:17

Names: Harry's

Subjects: Buildings - Commercial - General Stores

Historic Neighbourhood: Capitol Hill (Historic Neighbourhood)

Interviewer: McLeod, Ross S.; Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 20, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Harry Royle by Ross S. McLeod (and Bettina Bradbury) June 20, 1975. Major themes discussed are: the Depression and the running of a grocery store. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: Harry Royle was born in Gibraltar in 1898 to a Spanish mother and an English father (all of the Royle children except for one were born in Gibraltar). Harry's father served in the army for twenty-one years and because of that, the family moved regularly. While Harry was still a young baby, the Royle family moved to Ireland for six years, where he began his first years of schooling at the age of four. His dad retired from the army in 1907 and was sent to Canada with the BC Electric Company (the London General Army Buses Company). The rest of his family followed two years afterward in 1909 and settled in South Vancouver. Harry and his three brothers joined the army and were sent overseas as part of the second division. Luckily, they all returned home to Vancouver in 1919. Harry worked at the Hudson's Bay Company "counter jumping" before opening his own store in 1924 at 5527 Hastings Street and Ellesmere Avenue, a confectionery and general hangout for neighbourhood children."Harry's" was only twenty-five foot square and carried groceries obtained mainly from Kelly Douglas wholesalers. Most of Harry's customers worked at the mill at Barnet. Those that worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway were the few that still held jobs during the Depression. The store continued to serve the people of Capitol Hill throughout the Depression and war years, until Harry closed shop in 1945.

Total Tracks: 7

Total Length: 1:01:43

Interviewee Name: Royle, Harry

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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 interview with Harry Royle

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-12/100-13-12_Track_2.mp3

Interview with Harry Royle June 20, 1975 - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory113

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1919-1945

Length: 0:10:17

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Harry Royle's memories of various negative sentiments of the time. He also discusses the impact of the Depression years as well as his impression of Reeve Pritchard.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Harry Royle's memories of various negative sentiments of the time. He also discusses the impact of the Depression years as well as his impression of Reeve Pritchard.

Date Range: 1919-1945

Photo Info: Harry Royle smiling, in a suit and tie, photographed by Chidwich Studio [193-]. Item no. BV005.20.20

Length: 0:10:17

Names: Pritchard, William A.

Historic Neighbourhood: Capitol Hill (Historic Neighbourhood)

Interviewer: McLeod, Ross S.; Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 20, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Harry Royle by Ross S. McLeod (and Bettina Bradbury) June 20, 1975. Major themes discussed are: the Depression and the running of a grocery store. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: Harry Royle was born in Gibraltar in 1898 to a Spanish mother and an English father (all of the Royle children except for one were born in Gibraltar). Harry's father served in the army for twenty-one years and because of that, the family moved regularly. While Harry was still a young baby, the Royle family moved to Ireland for six years, where he began his first years of schooling at the age of four. His dad retired from the army in 1907 and was sent to Canada with the BC Electric Company (the London General Army Buses Company). The rest of his family followed two years afterward in 1909 and settled in South Vancouver. Harry and his three brothers joined the army and were sent overseas as part of the second division. Luckily, they all returned home to Vancouver in 1919. Harry worked at the Hudson's Bay Company "counter jumping" before opening his own store in 1924 at 5527 Hastings Street and Ellesmere Avenue, a confectionery and general hangout for neighbourhood children."Harry's" was only twenty-five foot square and carried groceries obtained mainly from Kelly Douglas wholesalers. Most of Harry's customers worked at the mill at Barnet. Those that worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway were the few that still held jobs during the Depression. The store continued to serve the people of Capitol Hill throughout the Depression and war years, until Harry closed shop in 1945.

Total Tracks: 7

Total Length: 1:01:43

Interviewee Name: Royle, Harry

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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 interview with Harry Royle

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-12/100-13-12_Track_3.mp3

Interview with Harry Royle June 20, 1975 - Track 4

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory114

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1929-1945

Length: 0:10:17

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Harry Royle's thoughts on the use of credit at stores. He discusses his stores' distribution of World War II quota goods and mentions other stores' practices.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Harry Royle's thoughts on the use of credit at stores. He discusses his stores' distribution of World War II quota goods and mentions other stores' practices.

Date Range: 1929-1945

Photo Info: Harry Royle smiling, in a suit and tie, photographed by Chidwich Studio [193-]. Item no. BV005.20.20

Length: 0:10:17

Names: Harry's

Historic Neighbourhood: Capitol Hill (Historic Neighbourhood)

Interviewer: McLeod, Ross S.; Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 20, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Harry Royle by Ross S. McLeod (and Bettina Bradbury) June 20, 1975. Major themes discussed are: the Depression and the running of a grocery store. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: Harry Royle was born in Gibraltar in 1898 to a Spanish mother and an English father (all of the Royle children except for one were born in Gibraltar). Harry's father served in the army for twenty-one years and because of that, the family moved regularly. While Harry was still a young baby, the Royle family moved to Ireland for six years, where he began his first years of schooling at the age of four. His dad retired from the army in 1907 and was sent to Canada with the BC Electric Company (the London General Army Buses Company). The rest of his family followed two years afterward in 1909 and settled in South Vancouver. Harry and his three brothers joined the army and were sent overseas as part of the second division. Luckily, they all returned home to Vancouver in 1919. Harry worked at the Hudson's Bay Company "counter jumping" before opening his own store in 1924 at 5527 Hastings Street and Ellesmere Avenue, a confectionery and general hangout for neighbourhood children."Harry's" was only twenty-five foot square and carried groceries obtained mainly from Kelly Douglas wholesalers. Most of Harry's customers worked at the mill at Barnet. Those that worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway were the few that still held jobs during the Depression. The store continued to serve the people of Capitol Hill throughout the Depression and war years, until Harry closed shop in 1945.

Total Tracks: 7

Total Length: 1:01:43

Interviewee Name: Royle, Harry

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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 four of interview with Harry Royle

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-12/100-13-12_Track_4.mp3

Interview with Harry Royle June 20, 1975 - Track 5

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory115

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1930-1938

Length: 0:10:02

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Harry Royle's memories of the process of accepting script as payment for groceries. He also discusses the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) Block System.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Harry Royle's memories of the process of accepting script as payment for groceries. He also discusses the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) Block System.

Date Range: 1930-1938

Photo Info: Harry Royle smiling, in a suit and tie, photographed by Chidwich Studio [193-]. Item no. BV005.20.20

Length: 0:10:02

Names: Harry's

Historic Neighbourhood: Capitol Hill (Historic Neighbourhood)

Interviewer: McLeod, Ross S.; Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 20, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Harry Royle by Ross S. McLeod (and Bettina Bradbury) June 20, 1975. Major themes discussed are: the Depression and the running of a grocery store. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: Harry Royle was born in Gibraltar in 1898 to a Spanish mother and an English father (all of the Royle children except for one were born in Gibraltar). Harry's father served in the army for twenty-one years and because of that, the family moved regularly. While Harry was still a young baby, the Royle family moved to Ireland for six years, where he began his first years of schooling at the age of four. His dad retired from the army in 1907 and was sent to Canada with the BC Electric Company (the London General Army Buses Company). The rest of his family followed two years afterward in 1909 and settled in South Vancouver. Harry and his three brothers joined the army and were sent overseas as part of the second division. Luckily, they all returned home to Vancouver in 1919. Harry worked at the Hudson's Bay Company "counter jumping" before opening his own store in 1924 at 5527 Hastings Street and Ellesmere Avenue, a confectionery and general hangout for neighbourhood children."Harry's" was only twenty-five foot square and carried groceries obtained mainly from Kelly Douglas wholesalers. Most of Harry's customers worked at the mill at Barnet. Those that worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway were the few that still held jobs during the Depression. The store continued to serve the people of Capitol Hill throughout the Depression and war years, until Harry closed shop in 1945.

Total Tracks: 7

Total Length: 1:01:43

Interviewee Name: Royle, Harry

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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 five of interview with Harry Royle

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-12/100-13-12_Track_5.mp3

Interview with Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19347

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (m4a) (118 min., 39 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (115 min., 20 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of an oral history interview with Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill and their daughter, Prem Kaur Gill conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep. The interview is conducted in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu. The three members of the Gill family share the…

1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: South Asian Canadian Interviews subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (m4a) (118 min., 39 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (115 min., 20 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewers: Anushay Malik, Rajdeep Interviewees: Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill Location of Interview: Gill family residence on Warwick Avenue in Burnaby Interview Date: November 11, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: (1:58:39) Digital master recording (m4a) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of an oral history interview with Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill and their daughter, Prem Kaur Gill conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep. The interview is conducted in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu. The three members of the Gill family share their ancestral background, their personal experiences immigrating to Canada, living in Burnaby and working in British Columbia as South Asian immigrants. 00:00 – 27:34 Santokh “Gurmail” Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill share their migration stories and experiences living and working in British Columbia as South Asian immigrants and their eldest child, Prem Kaur Gill shares her own experiences as a child of South Asian immigrants and growing up in British Columbia as a South Asian Canadian. Gurmail Singh Gill was born in the District of Jalandhar and Mohinder Kaur Gill was born in Hoshiapur of the Indian state of Punjab. Gurmail describes how he moved from India to England with his family in 1957, immigrated to Canada from England in 1966, married his wife Mohinder in England in 1968 and brought his family (parents and two siblings) to Canada from England in 1970 and other relatives including his wife’s family in the 1970s and 1980s. Mohinder and Gurmail Gill recollect their arranged marriage in England in 1968, their immigration process and explain how they arrived in Burnaby residing with a cousin at 4649 Georgia Street until they were able to purchase their own home after a few years. Gurmail shares names and connections to the relatives that came to British Columbia before him. Gurmail and Mohinder tell how they lived in the basement of the house and rented out the upper floor to save money. The couple recall what they brought with them when they immigrated to Canada and Mohinder Kaur Gill tells of how before leaving India, she and her mother made a special rajai for her to take with her. Mohinder describes the process of making a rajai (a quilted blanket that was made by hand). Gurmail and Mohinder Gill talk about the challenges that they’ve experienced as new immigrants including not being fluent in English, the cold weather and not having very many family or friends nearby to provide support. They attended the Gurdwara on Ross Street or Akali Singh Sikh Society Gurdwara on Skeena in Vancouver. They explain how there was limited access to grocery stores that supplied Punjabi and Indian spices and other cooking supplies. They talk about how they used a food mill and mortar and pestle to grind their own spices and flour and how Mohinder often made traditional sweets like barfi and laddo and pakoras using pea flour when they couldn’t get Besan flour. 27:35 – 36:11 Gurmail provides more details on his family’s immigration story, including names of relatives, how his six siblings and parents all immigrated to British Columbia in 1970 and how in the early 1970s and mid 1980’s Gurmail and his family sponsored approximately 70 friends and relations from India (including Mohinder’s family) to immigrate to Canada. When Mohinder’s family arrived they lived with them in their house until they were able to purchase property next door and build their own home. Children in the families all attended elementary and high school in Burnaby which now amounts to three generations. 36:12 – 59:28 Gurmail and Mohinder Gill talk about their experiences of racial discrimination. Gurmail recalls members of the South Asian community, Dr. Hari Prakash Sharma, Harinder Mahil and Charan Gill starting the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism. Gurmail tells of how he got involved contributing some of his union dues as a member of CAIMAW (Canadian Association of Industrial Mechanical and Allied Workers Union- Local 15) and as a friend of Charan Gill and Raj Chouhan of the Canadian Farm Workers Union. Gurmail Gill explains how he was a founding member of CAIMAW and treasurer until the union merged with the Canadian Auto Workers Union (in 1991). Mohinder and Gurmail tell of how people from the South Asian community were discouraged from wearing Punjabi dresses or head coverings for fear of being yelled at with racial slurs and how it was often scary to go outside. Many from their community often avoided attending the Akali Singh Gurdwara since a head covering was required and people were afraid of being a target. Gurmail provides details about his work with A1 Steel, how different unions were formed pertaining to various skillsets and jobs per company and how he became a member of CAIMAW Local 15 (foundry workers). Mohinder recollects her experiences as a mother, the daily tasks involved and friends that she made who’d also emigrated from Punjab. Mohinder describes how she designed and sewed many Punjabi dresses using her electric sewing machine and how she learned English by attending adult classes at a church on Commercial Drive. Mohinder and her mother attended the classes for two hours per day for six years at a cost of twelve dollars for ten weeks. Once Mohinder could speak a little English, she started working and was able to practice more. 59:29 – 1:06:08 Mohinder, Gurmail and Prem talk about some of their favourite traditional foods including corn roti and spinach curry and how they grow many of their own vegetables including peppers, eggplant, saag (spinach), onions, garlic, cilantro, zucchini, squash and fenugreek. Mohinder reflects on how access to Punjabi clothing and fabric stores in Vancouver has changed and that ready made food is now more available. Traditional foods were previously made from scratch with women gathering together and cooking for hours and now it’s gotten easier but more expensive and less of a community feel. 1:06:09- 1:55:20 Mohinder and Gurmail Gill discuss and share their perspectives and experiences on raising a family in the past versus today. Gurmail imparts that all of his siblings became educated and secured professional careers while he continued to work in the trades. Prem Kaur Gill shares her own experiences growing up and attending school in Burnaby. Gurmail and Mohinder Gill recall the type of suitcase that they brought with them when they immigrated and how they recently they got rid of it. Gurmail and the group reflect and discuss the confusion with racial identity terms that have been used in this country. They comment that South Asians were referred to as “Hindu” and “East Indian” and Indigenous peoples were referred to as “Indian” and the controversy and racism behind some of these terms. The group discusses the impact of the caste system and other discriminatory experiences and compare their experiences of living in England to living in Canada. Prem comments on how it’s just recently that South Asian customs, celebrations and practices have been recognized and celebrated here in Canada, like Diwali and yoga. They comment on how much of the language, culture and customs have been retained in Surrey where many can still communicate in Punjabi and don’t need to be fluent in English. The group discusses how many South Asians immigrants first lived and worked in Vancouver but with rising property prices many moved to Surrey expanding and establishing a much larger South Asian community with resources. The group discusses and compares the differing travel routes that many of them and their relatives took when immigrating and travelling between India and Canada. The group talks about Rajdeep’s ancestral village in India which is near the Gill village of Firozpur. Gurmail explains the origins and details behind his family name that was changed from “Shergill” to “Gill” and the name “Santokh” from his maternal side.

History: Interviewees' biographies: Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill was born in the District of Jalandhar in Punjab, India. Gurmail moved to England with his family in 1957 and immigrated to British Columbia in 1966. Gurmail married his wife, Mohinder Kaur Gill in England in 1968 and she immigrated to British Columbia from England soon after. Gurmail first lived with a cousin in Burnaby before purchasing a home of his own in Burnaby where he raised his family. Gurmail worked in the steel industry and was a member and treasurer of the CAIMAW before the union merged with the Canadian Auto Workers Union. Mohinder Kaur Gill was born in the Hoshiapur in Punjab, India. She married her husband Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill in England in 1968 and immigrated to Burnaby, British Columbia to join her husband. Mohinder and Gurmail Gill have four children, all born in Burnaby. Prem Kaur Gill was born in Burnaby in 1969 and is the eldest child of Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill. Prem grew up and attended school in Burnaby. Interviewers' biographies: Anushay Malik is labor historian with a geographical focus on South Asia. Anushay studied at the University of London and was a research fellow at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In 2014, Anushay moved back to her native Pakistan and joined Lahore University of Management Services as an Assistant Professor. In 2023, Anushay is a visiting scholar at Simon Fraser University and lives in Burnaby with her family. Anushay was a co-curator of the Burnaby Village Museum exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”. Rajdeep was born and raised in the Lower Mainland and is of Punjabi (South Asian) descent. She has an Associate of Arts degree in Asian Studies from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia. She is a student in the Restoration of Natural Systems program at the University of Victoria. Rajdeep works at Simon Fraser University as a Program Assistant and as a researcher with the City of Burnaby. At Burnaby Village Museum, Rajdeep contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Clothing; Foods; Indigenous peoples; Buildings - Religious - Temples; Food Processing Tools and Equipment; Persons - South Asian Canadians; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism; Migration; Occupations; Organizations - Unions

Names: Gill, Prem Kaur; Gill, Mohinder Kaur; Gill, Santokh "Gurmail" Singh

Responsibility: Rajdeep; Malik, Anushay

Accession Code: BV022.29.2

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcript available upon request - contact Burnaby Village Museum; Indian Family System Reference notes: Baba = informal way to say grandfather; old man Bibi = informal way to say grandmother; old woman Dada= paternal grandfather Dadi= paternal grandmother Dadke= paternal family members; paternal side (Various spellings might exist for the following terms) Thaiyya= father’s elder brother (uncle) Thaiyyi= father’s elder brother’s wife (aunt) Chacha= father’s younger brother (uncle) Chachi= father’s younger brother’s wife (aunt) Bua= father’s sister (older or younger) (aunt) Phuphar= father’s sister’s husband (uncle) Nana= maternal grandfather Nani= maternal grandmother Nanke/nanka= maternal family members; maternal side Mama= mom’s brother (older or younger) (uncle) Mami= mom’s brother’s wife (aunt) Maasi= mom’s sister (older or younger) (aunt) Maasard= mom’s sister’s husband (uncle)

Audio Tracks

Interview with Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0002_002.mp3

Interview with Ted Burnham by Eric Damer September 19, 2012 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory313

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1946-1986

Length: 0:10:42

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to Edward Lewis "Ted" Burnham's memories of the interurban tram. He mentions getting his driver's license and goes on to discuss more of his work history; in the computer industry, then in the medical industry.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to Edward Lewis "Ted" Burnham's memories of the interurban tram. He mentions getting his driver's license and goes on to discuss more of his work history; in the computer industry, then in the medical industry.

Date Range: 1946-1986

Photo Info: Edward Lewis "Ted" Burnham, [195-]. Item no. 549-021.

Length: 0:10:42

Subjects: Transportation - Electric Railroads

Interviewer: Damer, Eric

Interview Date: September 19, 2012

Scope and Content: Recording is an interview with Edward Lewis "Ted" Burnham conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, September 19, 2012. Major theme discussed: the role of the municipal worker in the nineteen-fifties and nineteen-sixties.

Biographical Notes: E.L. "Ted" Burnham was born in 1930 and grew up in East Burnaby. He attended Armstrong Street and Edmonds Schools and then Trapp Technical High School before beginning work at a range of occupations in the late nineteen-forties. Ted studied business administration at the University of British Columbia and worked from 1953 to about 1958 for the municipality of Burnaby in the engineering and welfare departments, then briefly for Remington-Rand computers, and then at the Hannah Medical Clinic until 1973. After marrying in 1957, Ted and his wife moved from McKay Avenue to Kaymar Drive and raised two daughters. In the ninteen-seventies and later, Ted became involved in municipal politics, the Heritage Village, and in his own real estate and insurance business.

Total Tracks: 3

Total Length: 0:29:27

Interviewee Name: Burnham, Edward Lewis "Ted"

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

Transcript Available: None

Media Type: Sound Recording

Images

Audio Tracks

Track two of recording of interview with Ted Burnham

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS171-006/MSS171-006_Track_2.mp3

Interview with William A. Lewarne by Rod Fowler March 14, 1990 - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory443

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1930-1990

Length: 00:07:58

Summary: This portion of the interview is about the interurban tram service in Burnaby, how it was used, the interurban routes, reasons for closing the interurban and later building Skytrain, and attempts to purchase an old tram car for Heritage Village

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about the interurban tram service in Burnaby, how it was used, the interurban routes, reasons for closing the interurban and later building Skytrain, and attempts to purchase an old tram car for Heritage Village

Date Range: 1930-1990

Photo Info: Burnaby Alderman, Bill (William) Lewarne, [1973]. Item no. 231-012

Length: 00:07:58

Subjects: Transportation - Electric Railroads; Transportation - Skytrain

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: March 14, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with former Mayor William “Bill” Lewarne, conducted by Rod Fowler. Bill Lewarne was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is mainly about Bill Lewarne’s business and political careers, and memories of growing up in South Burnaby in the 1930s. Bill Lewarne talks about his parent’s origins, his family and community struggles during the Depression, the interurban, his education, war service, and joining his father's business. He describes the start, operation and expansion of the family ice cream business, and how business life compared to political life. The interview explores the role of politics in community affairs, his political activities, the history of the BVA, and his involvement in various community organizations. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track, expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: William Alfred “Bill” Lewarne was born in Burnaby in 1926 to Ethel Cecilia Leer (1899- ) and Alfred Lewarne (1893-1962). The family, Ethel, Alfred and their three children Patricia, Beverley and William, moved to a house on Nelson Avenue in Alta Vista in 1931. Ethel still lived in the family home in 1990. Bill Lewarne attended Nelson Avenue School and South Burnaby High School (1932-1944). His father Alfred worked at Colony Farms as a dairy inspector and then for the Port of Vancouver Dairy before being laid off early in the Depression. The family struggled until in 1936 Alfred started his own ice cream business. After graduation Bill was in the army for two years, taking a refrigeration course under the veteran’s training benefit, before joining his father’s business. Three generations of the family operated the successful company, expanding from wholesale, retail and distribution of ice cream products into refrigerated warehouses and the wholesale ice business, until the business was sold to its competitor Dairyland in 1989. Bill Lewarne entered politics in 1965, first with the Nonpartisan Association (NPA) and then as a founder of the Burnaby Citizens Association (BCA). He served as an alderman on Burnaby Council 1973-1975 and 1977-1981 and as Mayor 1981-1987. In 1979 he ran for provincial office for the Social Credit Party against Rosemary Brown but lost. Bill Lewarne married June Lawrence and they had three children Robert, Leslie and Janice. He was active in many organizations: Burnaby/Willingdon Liberal Association, Seton Villa, Irish Fusileers of Canada, Lions Club, Rotary Club, Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion, and the Burnaby Hospital Foundation, and continued to be active on the Board of the BCA. Bill Lewarne died in 1995.

Total Tracks: 14

Total Length: 1:34:40

Interviewee Name: Lewarne, William A. "Bill"

Interviewer Bio: Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and business computerization in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.

Collection/Fonds: SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

Transcript Available: Transcript available

Media Type: Sound Recording

Web Notes: Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.

Images

Burnaby Alderman, Bill (William) Lewarne, [1973]. Item no. 231-012 thumbnail

Audio Tracks

Track three of interview with Bill Lewarne

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-019/MSS187-019_Track_3.mp3

Interview with William A. Lewarne by Rod Fowler March 14, 1990 - Track 5

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory445

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1970-1990

Length: 00:01:29

Summary: This portion of the interview is about acquiring and maintaining streetcars for Burnaby Heritage Village

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about acquiring and maintaining streetcars for Burnaby Heritage Village

Date Range: 1970-1990

Photo Info: Burnaby Alderman, Bill (William) Lewarne, [1973]. Item no. 231-012

Length: 00:01:29

Subjects: Transportation - Electric Railroads; Artifacts

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: March 14, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with former Mayor William “Bill” Lewarne, conducted by Rod Fowler. Bill Lewarne was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is mainly about Bill Lewarne’s business and political careers, and memories of growing up in South Burnaby in the 1930s. Bill Lewarne talks about his parent’s origins, his family and community struggles during the Depression, the interurban, his education, war service, and joining his father's business. He describes the start, operation and expansion of the family ice cream business, and how business life compared to political life. The interview explores the role of politics in community affairs, his political activities, the history of the BVA, and his involvement in various community organizations. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track, expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: William Alfred “Bill” Lewarne was born in Burnaby in 1926 to Ethel Cecilia Leer (1899- ) and Alfred Lewarne (1893-1962). The family, Ethel, Alfred and their three children Patricia, Beverley and William, moved to a house on Nelson Avenue in Alta Vista in 1931. Ethel still lived in the family home in 1990. Bill Lewarne attended Nelson Avenue School and South Burnaby High School (1932-1944). His father Alfred worked at Colony Farms as a dairy inspector and then for the Port of Vancouver Dairy before being laid off early in the Depression. The family struggled until in 1936 Alfred started his own ice cream business. After graduation Bill was in the army for two years, taking a refrigeration course under the veteran’s training benefit, before joining his father’s business. Three generations of the family operated the successful company, expanding from wholesale, retail and distribution of ice cream products into refrigerated warehouses and the wholesale ice business, until the business was sold to its competitor Dairyland in 1989. Bill Lewarne entered politics in 1965, first with the Nonpartisan Association (NPA) and then as a founder of the Burnaby Citizens Association (BCA). He served as an alderman on Burnaby Council 1973-1975 and 1977-1981 and as Mayor 1981-1987. In 1979 he ran for provincial office for the Social Credit Party against Rosemary Brown but lost. Bill Lewarne married June Lawrence and they had three children Robert, Leslie and Janice. He was active in many organizations: Burnaby/Willingdon Liberal Association, Seton Villa, Irish Fusileers of Canada, Lions Club, Rotary Club, Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion, and the Burnaby Hospital Foundation, and continued to be active on the Board of the BCA. Bill Lewarne died in 1995.

Total Tracks: 14

Total Length: 1:34:40

Interviewee Name: Lewarne, William A. "Bill"

Interviewer Bio: Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and business computerization in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.

Collection/Fonds: SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

Transcript Available: Transcript available

Media Type: Sound Recording

Web Notes: Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.

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Audio Tracks

Track five of interview with Bill Lewarne

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-019/MSS187-019_Track_5.mp3

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