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The British Empire (and Japan) : its features resources, commerce, industries and scenery, together with the physical and economic conditions of the world ; a modern atlas ...
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary657
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Author
- Bisiker, W. (William)
- Publication Date
- 1909
- Call Number
- 912 BIS OS
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection
- Special Collection
- Material Type
- Book
- Accession Code
- BV985.5826.1
- Call Number
- 912 BIS OS
- Author
- Bisiker, W. (William)
- Place of Publication
- London
- Publisher
- Geographical
- Publication Date
- 1909
- Physical Description
- 81 p. : ill., maps (chiefly col.) ; 44 cm.
- Library Subject (LOC)
- Great Britain--Colonies--Maps
- Japan--Maps
- Notes
- "The British Empire (and Japan) : its features resources, commerce, industries and scenery, together with the physical and economic conditions of the world ; a modern atlas having 213 maps and 272 illustrations, numerous tables and diagrams with text concerning the illustrations, commercial products, statistics, histories, etc." --title page.
- Author's given name: Bisiker, W. (William)
Compend of mechanical refrigeration and engineering : a comprehensive digest of general engineering and thermodynamics for the practical use of ice manufacturers, cold storage men, contractors, engineers, brewers, packers, and all other users of refrigeration in the various industries, also students of refrigeration in connection with engineering
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary2338
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection
- Special Collection
- Material Type
- Book
- Accession Code
- HV977.92.1
- Call Number
- 621.56 SIE
- Edition
- 7th ed.
- Place of Publication
- Chicago
- Publisher
- Nickerson & Collins
- Publication Date
- 1906
- Physical Description
- 598 p. : ill. ; 20 cm.
- Inscription
- notations and scribbles throughout margins and text
- Library Subject (LOC)
- Refrigeration and refrigerating machinery
Map of Industries Situated on the North Arm of the Fraser River
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/councilreport54885
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 70989
- Meeting Date
- 9-Mar-1938
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Report ID
- 70989
- Meeting Date
- 9-Mar-1938
- Format
- Council - Mayor/Councillor/Staff Report
- Collection/Fonds
- City Council and Office of the City Clerk fonds
Documents
Fraser Arm Neighbourhood
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark708
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1925-1954
- Heritage Value
- By the late 1920s, the Fraser Arm Neighbourhood in Burnaby was developing into an industrial and manufacturing district. In 1931, the Canadian National Railway built a bridge over the Fraser River from Burnaby to Lulu Island and advertised that over 30 industries were currently operating along the North Fraser. Along with industries, this district remained an important agricultural area for the Lower Mainland. Chinese market gardens continued to develop and thrive and in 1926, the Vancouver Sun estimated that that Chinese farms in the Lower Fraser Valley then supplied 90 per cent of all green vegetables consumed in the Vancouver market area.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Big Bend Area
Images
W.J. Walker House
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark548
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Description
- The W.J. Walker House is a rustic cottage at the eastern end of Deer Lake and is now located within Deer Lake Park. It is a one-and-a-half-storey wood-frame shingle-clad vernacular structure.
- Associated Dates
- 1907
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Other Names
- William & Olive Walker Residence
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Other Names
- William & Olive Walker Residence
- Geographic Access
- Sperling Avenue
- Associated Dates
- 1907
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Enactment Type
- Bylaw No. 11593
- Enactment Date
- 15/09/2003
- Description
- The W.J. Walker House is a rustic cottage at the eastern end of Deer Lake and is now located within Deer Lake Park. It is a one-and-a-half-storey wood-frame shingle-clad vernacular structure.
- Heritage Value
- The W.J. Walker House is important as it references the economic activities in the Deer Lake area prior to the development of grand mansions in Deer Lake Park. It is typical of the cottages built by workers in the market gardening and lumber-milling industries that operated around the lake primarily from 1904-1925. This is the only cottage on the shores of Deer Lake remaining from the era when these industries were the focus of the area's development. The house demonstrates the aesthetic values of Olive Walker and her husband William J. Walker, a ‘rancher’ (market gardener, poultry farmer) who built the house as a retirement home, in the quality of its construction and interior finishing. The Craftsman styling of the house was a popular design vocabulary of the time and reflected the modern taste and values of the owner. The construction of the house also illustrates the use of locally milled lumber. The extant cold safe at the side of house is indicative of food storage methods in the early twentieth century and provides insight to the everyday domestic lives of people at this time.
- Defining Elements
- Key elements that define the heritage character of the W.J. Walker House include its: - location close to the lake and the site of the Deer Lake Lumber Company where the wood for construction of the house was milled - Craftsman style characteristics such as the house's orientation (front gable facing the street) and the combination of gable and double-pitched shed roofs - front entrance with its gabled porch supported by distinctive oversized diagonal brackets, and substantial front door of Douglas fir decorated with hand forged iron plates - cedar shingle siding - multiple-assembly wooden-sash casement windows with transoms - projecting cold safe - interior finishing that dates to the original construction of the house, such as the diagonally laid tongue-and-groove Douglas fir ceilings, wood panelled walls, and Clayburn brick fireplace
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Morley-Buckingham Area
- Function
- Primary Current--Single Dwelling
- Primary Historic--Single Dwelling
- Community
- Burnaby
- Cadastral Identifier
- P.I.D. No. 017-105-773 Legal Description: Parcel 'A' (Reference Plan 3703), District Lot 85, Group 1, Except: Firstly: Parcel 'One' (Explanatory Plan 11350) Secondly: Parcel 2 (Reference Plan 35549) Group 1, New Westminster District.
- Boundaries
- The W.J. Walker House is comprised of a single municipally-owned property located at 5255 Sperling Avenue, Burnaby.
- Area
- 2,005.02
- Contributing Resource
- Building
- Landscape Feature
- Ownership
- Public (local)
- Documentation
- Heritage Site Files: PC77000 20. City of Burnaby Planning and Building Department, 4949 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C., V5G 1M2
- Street Address
- 5255 Sperling Avenue
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
Images
Lake City Neighbourhood
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark702
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1925-1954
- Heritage Value
- When the Lake City Industrial Park first opened in the 1950's, it was a fairly isolated industrial enclave with convenient access to rail and road transportation routes. The sense of entrepreneurial flare and success that was anticipated for the area is evident in the naming of local streets which include "Production", "Enterprise" and "Venture". The anticipated potential of the area was also demonstrated by the inclusion of many significant development amenities of the time, such as paved streets, site landscaping, rail service, natural gas service, and architectural controls.
- Planning Study Area
- Lake City Area
Images
North Pacific Lumber Company Ruins
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark627
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Geographic Access
- Barnet Road
- Associated Dates
- 1909
- Description
- Industrial building.
- Heritage Value
- Located on the shore of Burrard Inlet, these poured concrete piers of the smokestack burner and the former boiler and plant of the North Pacific Lumber Company are among the only remains of the once-thriving industrial site located on the waterfront on the south shore of Burrard Inlet. The sawmill and the Village of Barnet were initiated by David MacLaren, a wealthy lumberman from Buckingham, Quebec, who had previously established the Fraser Mills in Coquitlam in 1889. McLaren gambled that a sawmill on the main line of the C.P.R near Vancouver would serve the Canadian domestic market and be a profitable venture. The North Pacific Lumber Company established itself on this peninsula on Burrard Inlet and was fully operational in 1900. In 1909, the mill was completely burned out by a fire starting in the boiler room. Immediately the plant was rebuilt, modern in every respect and absolutely fireproof, as the entire power plant and boiler room was built of reinforced concrete and steel, of which these ruins are the last remains. The plant closed during the First World War and reopened as the Barnet Lumber Company in 1925 only to close forever in 1931 after a strike during the Great Depression.
- Locality
- Barnet
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Barnet (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Mountain Area
Images
Barnet Neighbourhood
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark716
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1889-1904
- Heritage Value
- The North Pacific Lumber Company in Barnet was one of Burnaby's first industrial developments and one of the largest in the British Empire. Partners James MacLaren and Frank Ross built the mill in 1889 (activated in 1899) as a requirement for obtaining 84,000 acres of timber rights in northern BC. Due to the mill's isolation, the firm built homes for its employees with families and bunkhouses for the bachelors which separated Caucasian workers from Chinese and Sikh workers. Barnet became a distinct company town with its own general store, school, post office, community hall and telephone exchange.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Barnet (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Mountain Area
Images
BCER Eburne Line
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark771
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1909
- Heritage Value
- In 1908, construction began on the British Columbia Electric Railway Eburne tramline which was to connect Eburne (now known as Marpole) with New Westminster. It opened on September 15, 1909 and its tracks were built across the bog of the Fraser Arm district with little regard to the fact that virtually no one lived there. However, within one year an hourly passenger service, a milk train and three-times weekly freight service used this level fast-running connector. With the completion of the Chilliwack interurban line and various other steam railroads which were funnelled onto this line it became one of the most important industrial freight lines in the Lower Mainland.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Big Bend Area
Images
Broadview Neighbourhood
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark687
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1925-1954
- Heritage Value
- Development in the Broadview area slowed during World War Two, but after the war, the area became home to a number of industrial sites. The first major plant to be built here was the Dominion Bridge Company which opened in 1930.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Broadview (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Cascade-Schou Area
Images
Burnaby South High School
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark770
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1922-1988
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Geographic Access
- Southoaks Crescent
- Associated Dates
- 1922-1988
- Heritage Value
- Burnaby South and Burnaby North were Burnaby's first high schools. The first rooms of the school were built in 1922 on the same grounds as the Kingsway East Elementary School. In 1940, a two-storey building was erected and additions were made in 1963, 1967 and 1972. Kingsway East closed in 1925 and its buildings were used by the high school for Industrial Arts and Home Economics. In the early 1990s, a new "urban education centre" (Burnaby South/B.C. School for the Deaf) was opened, replacing the old Burnaby South High School.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Kingsway-Beresford Area
- Street Address
- 6650 Southoaks Crescent
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
Images
Lochdale Neighbourhood
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark743
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Associated Dates
- 1905-1924
- Heritage Value
- "Picturesquely situated on the south-westerly slope of the highest hill on the Burrard Peninsula is a district that in many ways resembles the early pioneer settlements…its centre is at the intersection of east Hastings Street and Sperling Avenue. Only a few years ago a dense forest covered this area and the settlers were few and some distance apart. After the war working men began to enter the Lochdale woods in quest of cheap home-sites. Today there are more than 400 residents in the district who combine to make a happy contented industrious community living on the edge of a big city yet enjoying the life offered by the country...The Community Hall is the centre of all social activities. Dances, concerts and other forms of entertainment are all there...Curtis Street runs from Sperling Avenue up to the hill, locally known as Hastings Grove. From the top on a clear day there is a view for miles around." ~ From the Sunday Province, March 8, 1925.
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Lochdale Area
Images
Barnet, B.C. from the Hill
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38345
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1907]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 8 x 13 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the village of Barnet at the mill. The caption stamped at the top of the card reads: "Barnet, B.C. from the Hill." The Barnet Mill was called the North Pacific Lumber Company from 1889 to 1914.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1907]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Charles Lee subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 8 x 13 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 411-004
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2000-13
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the village of Barnet at the mill. The caption stamped at the top of the card reads: "Barnet, B.C. from the Hill." The Barnet Mill was called the North Pacific Lumber Company from 1889 to 1914.
- Subjects
- Documentary Artifacts - Postcards
- Buildings - Industrial - Mills
- Geographic Features - Inlets
- Industries - Forestry
- Industries - Logging/lumber
- Names
- Barnet Mill
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Timms Photographic Co.
- Notes
- Title taken from caption
- Geographic Access
- Barnet Village
- Texaco Drive
- Street Address
- 8059 Texaco Drive
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Barnet (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Mountain Area
Images
Boundary Road Lumber Mill
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38262
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1908
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 9 x 12 cm on 12.5 x 15 cm backing
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of an unidentified man standing in the forefront with a jersey cow to the right, while a row of cabins and cleared tress can be seen in the background. A caption written above the photograph reads: "Boundary Road Lumber Mill owned by E.W. Nicholson." Underneath the photograph is writte…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1908
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Margaret McCallum subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 9 x 12 cm on 12.5 x 15 cm backing
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 375-024
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1986-42
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of an unidentified man standing in the forefront with a jersey cow to the right, while a row of cabins and cleared tress can be seen in the background. A caption written above the photograph reads: "Boundary Road Lumber Mill owned by E.W. Nicholson." Underneath the photograph is written: "The first Jersey cow on the farm." On the back of the photograph it is noted that the buildings in the background were workmen's buildings.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on caption
- Geographic Access
- Boundary Road
- Still Creek
- Street Address
- 2550 Boundary Road
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Broadview (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- West Central Valley Area
Images
The Clark log carriage
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary2238
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection
- Special Collection
- Material Type
- Textual Record
- Accession Code
- HV977.29.23
- Call Number
- 680 CLA
- Author
- Clark Bros. Co.
- Place of Publication
- Belmont, N.Y.
- Publisher
- Clark Bros
- Publication Date
- 1900
- Printer
- The F. W. Roberts Co.
- Physical Description
- 16 p. : ill. : 23 cm.
- Library Subject (LOC)
- Logging
- Subjects
- Industries
- Industries - Logging/lumber
![Gilley Brothers Logging, Burnaby, [1905] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/371/461-002.jpg?width=280)
Gilley Brothers Logging, Burnaby
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38560
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1905]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 28 x 35.3 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a steam engine being used by the Gilley Brothers logging team. The photograph is captioned "Gilley Bros Logging Burnaby."
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1905]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 28 x 35.3 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 461-002
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a steam engine being used by the Gilley Brothers logging team. The photograph is captioned "Gilley Bros Logging Burnaby."
- Media Type
- Photograph
Images
![Gilley Brothers Logging, Burnaby, [1905] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/371/461-002.jpg)
![Gilley Brothers Logging Camp, [1900] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/371/461-001.jpg?width=280)
Gilley Brothers Logging Camp
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38559
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1900]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w : 28 x 35.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a large group of workmen posing for a picture outside the Gilley Bros. logging camp at Imperial and Colborne. All are unidentified.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1900]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w : 28 x 35.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 461-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a large group of workmen posing for a picture outside the Gilley Bros. logging camp at Imperial and Colborne. All are unidentified.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Residential - Cabins
- Industries - Forestry
- Occupations - Lumberjacks
- Industries - Logging/lumber
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Imperial Street
- Colborne Avenue
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Kingsway-Beresford Area
Images
![Gilley Brothers Logging Camp, [1900] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/371/461-001.jpg)
Interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19348
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 3 sound recordings (wav) (75 min., 56 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (75 min., 57 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of an oral history interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning conducted by Anushay Malik with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. The interview opens with introductions and how the content of the interview can be drawn on by Burnaby Village Museum for future …
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 3 sound recordings (wav) (75 min., 56 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (75 min., 57 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Anushay Malik Co Interviewer and technical support: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Dr. Sadhu Binning Location of Interview: Love farmhouse at Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: November 25, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 3 Total Length of all Tracks: (1:15:57) Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto three separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of an oral history interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning conducted by Anushay Malik with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. The interview opens with introductions and how the content of the interview can be drawn on by Burnaby Village Museum for future exhibits and for researchers to learn more about the history of the South Asian community in Burnaby. During the interview, Dr. Binning shares his ancestral background along with his relatives' and his own personal experiences as a South Asian immigrant living and working in British Columbia and Burnaby. Dr. Binning conveys that he’s a Burnaby resident who’s lived in Burnaby since 1973 and that his children were born here. Binning shares his ancestral heritage beginning with his uncle Dhana Singh who emigrated from Punjab to British Columbia in 1931 and began working in the forest industry. He explains how Dhana Singh and another partner owned, operated and worked in small sawmills in the vicinity of Kamloops, Williams Lake and also on Vancouver Island. Binning conveys that in the beginning Dhana Singh and many other South Asian immigrants were not legal residents until 1938. In 1938, about 350 South Asian immigrants (mainly Punjabi) gathered resources to hire a lawyer to obtain permanent residency. Binning mentions that one of the notable South Asians in the group who was also a close friend of his uncle, was Darshan Singh Sangha, a trade unionist who was a founding member of the International Woodworkers of America (IWA) union and an active member of the Communist Party of Canada. Binning conveys how Darshan Singh Sangha returned to India in 1947 to be a part of the revolution, how he was very active in the communist movement in India. While in India, Darshan Singh Sangha, was known as Canadian and thereby adopted “Canadian” as his surname, becoming “Darshan Singh Canadian”. Binning further explains that his uncle Dhana Singh Sangha returned to India in 1951, married and came back to B.C. in 1957 bringing with him, his wife and children. In 1960, with the support of his uncle, Binning’s father, Jit Singh Binning immigrated to British Columbia and began working in sawmills in the lower mainland, Kamloops, Quesnel and on Vancouver Island. Binning clarifies that his uncle, Dhana Singh was able to immigrate to Canada with the support of his cousins from the Tarker Singh Bains family. Binning further describes Darshan Singh Sangha’s involvement with the Communist party and the IWA and how the majority of the members were from the forest industry. As an active and prominent member of the labour movement, Darshan Singh Sangha fought for the rights of South Asians and Chinese who working in the industry and facing racism, unfair wages and discriminatory practices. Binning describes how Darshan Singh Sangha wrote a book in English in 1943, titled “Rise of the New Asia”. Binning conveys how immigrants of Chinese and South Asian decent didn’t have the right to vote in British Columbia and how Darshan Singh Sangha was instrumental in obtaining the right to vote in British Columbia, although he was never given the credit. Binning describes his uncle Dhana Singh as a likeable guy with many friends, first living in Kamloops before moving to Vancouver. Binning imparts how the sport of wrestling is a popular Punjabi sport along with Punjabi kabaddi. He conveys that his uncle became involved in wrestling while working in sawmills. South Asian immigrants had to do physical labour working in sawmills, the work could be tough and could often lead to physical fights. A number of South Asian immigrants working in the mills already had experience as wrestlers from back home. Dhana Singh later left the lumber industry to work in the agriculture sector. Binning explains how immigration rules changed in the 1960s which lead to larger numbers of South Asians immigrating to Canada. Many of these new immigrants were educated and politically conscious. All of these new immigrants faced racism but being politically conscious from an independent India and with the ability to speak English they organized themselves to fight for their rights. Binning imagines the items that his uncle and his father may have brought with them in their suitcase when immigrating to Canada. Binning describes three items, including a rajai (a blanket with cotton inside that is sewn together), a bistra (small attaché case or trunk) and a piece of cloth to lie on. Binning further describes the roles in Indian society as caste divisions and that it was usually women’s work in making the rajais. Binning recollects the locations that his father and his family lived after coming to Vancouver. Binning explains that a few years after living together in Vancouver, he and his family moved to Burnaby in 1973 to be closer to his Dr. Binning’s wife, Jagdish Binning’s family. Dr. Binning and family lived in a house in Burnaby located on Irmin Street near Royal Oak between 1973 and 1987. While living at this house their children attended McPherson Park Junior High School and later Burnaby South Secondary School. Binning reflects on some of the racism that he and his family have faced while living in Burnaby which led him to write a poem that he published in 1994 titled “No More Watno Dur”. Binning explains the meaning of the title “Watan” meaning “country and everybody” “a country far way from the motherland”. Binning explains the origins of the magazine “Watan” that was started by a friend in 1973. The magazine got its roots in Vancouver in 1973 from an organization called the “Punjabi Literary Association”. Binning became the editor of the magazine in 1976 and his friend joined him as assistant editor in 1978. Binning continued to work as editor until 1983 or 1984 when he returned to school to complete his Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree. Binning describes the origins of the “Vancouver Sath” that was formed by a small group of South Asians around 1982. Binning was a founding member of the organization and held meetings and rehearsals at his house in Burnaby. Vancouver Sath first started out as an informal discussion forum by a group of politically conscious Punjabi writers and activists. Binning talks about issues and problems that Vancouver Sath addressed including; racism as well as domestic violence in the South Asian community. Binning explains how he and Sukhwant Hundal wrote articles on these issues and others that were happening in the South Asian community in Canada. Binning talks about how in 1983, the group was inspired to begin performing theatrical works after consulting with Gursharan Singh who was from a well known theatrical group from Punjab who were performing in Vancouver. In the beginning the Vancouver Sath’s plays were focused on the problems in Punjab but they soon decided to address social issues in their own South Asian community here in Canada. Binning summarizes and draws attention to, some of the plays that Vancouver Sath has written and performed including; “Picket Line”, about Punjabi women farmworkers’ rights; “Lattan de Bhoot”, about domestic abuse; “A Crop of Poison”; “Kihda Viah” (English translation- “Whose Marriage”) about arranged marriage and others about social issues in the South Asian community. The plays were performed in public schools and community centres in Vancouver and Richmond, Simon Fraser University and some were also performed in Toronto, Calgary and Williams Lake. Binning mentions some of the traditional foods that he likes to eat and where he and his family have shopped to find ingredients. He recalls how his mother, Gurmaje Kaur Binning did all of the cooking and was often cooking all day long. In the sixties, the Binning family address on 13th Avenue in Vancouver was also used as a postal address for many friends and family who’d recently immigrated. When these friends dropped by to pick up their mail, his mother often provided them with tea and food. After Binning and his wife, Jagdish moved to their own home in 1973, he shared in some of the shopping and cooking but his wife did the majority of the work due to his busy schedule. The interview closes with Binning providing an explanation of how “Watno Dur” magazine changed it’s name to “Watan” magazine. Binning reflects on how this came to be, when he made the decision to get an education in Canada and to stay here, not just as a “Canadian” but as a “Punjabi Canadian.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Dr. Sadhu Binning was born on May 10, 1947 to mother Gurmej Kaur and father Jeet Singh Binning. Due to lack of proper records management in India at the time of his birth, it is believed that he was actually born sometime in December of 1947. He grew up alongside two brothers and one sister in a village located in Kapurthala, Punjab. Dr. Binning attended secondary school in the nearby city of Phagwara, Punjab although he did not complete his education here. Throughout his childhood, he enjoyed reading both Punjabi and Hindi novels and learned how to read Urdu as well. Dr. Binning’s uncle, Dhana Singh immigrated to Canada in 1933 and returned to India in 1953. When Dhana Singh returned to Canada in 1957, he sponsored Dr. Binning’s father, Jeet Singh Binning to immigrate. Dhana Singh co-owned a few saw mills in British Columbia and also worked in the truck driving industry. Dr. Binning remembers that some people who had lived in Canada would visit their village and that they appeared to be strong and healthy and looked happy. He also noticed that they would eat meat, so whenever they would visit there would be meat available. In 1967, when he was nineteen and a half years old, Dr. Binning immigrated Canada to join his father. He recalls his father and uncle and a friend arriving at the airport to pick him up. During his first few days, Dr. Binning made the decision to remove his turban and beard upon receiving advice from his uncle. Dr. Binning first obtained work on a farm in Abbotsford, working alongside his mother. While working, Dr. Binning also attended English classes in Vancouver. Dr. Binning’s Uncle Dhana Singh worked in a Vancouver saw mill and tried to help find work for his nephew but was unsuccessful. Dr. Binning soon found work at a saw mill in Avola and worked there until the end of the summer until a friend helped find him work in a saw mill in North Vancouver. During his free time, he enjoyed camping with friends. In 1970, Dr. Binning left the saw mill after obtaining a job at the post office. The post office offered lower wages than working at the mill but Dr. Binning believed that he would become more educated working here. While working as a postman, Dr. Binning recalls facing a lot of discrimination and racism and was often referred to as a ‘Paki’ multiple times a day. In 1973, Dr. Binning married Jagish Sihota. Sadhu and Jagdish originated from nearby villages in India and met each other in Canada. Dr. Binning’s wife, Jagdish worked at the Royal Bank of Canada for thirty years until her retirement. While working, she also looked after the household and their son and daughter. Jagdish also handwrote a magazine, “Watno Dur’ (English translation: ‘away from homeland’) which was distributed in the community. In 1976, Dr. Binning became the editor of the magazine and the name was later changed to “Watan’ as they had accepted their new homeland of Canada. While working at the post office, Dr. Binning also attended night school starting in eighth grade. After receiving his high school diploma, he was accepted to Simon Fraser University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Anthropology and Sociology and in 1986 he obtained a Masters degree from Simon Fraser University. While attending university, Dr. Binning was very active within the community and wanted to work to improve society. He first thought that he would return to India to contribute and improve rights in his homeland but upon seeing the prevalence of the movements in Canada, he realized that work needed to be done here too. In 1983, Dr. Binning became a founding member and contributor to a theatrical collective known as “Vancouver Sath”. The theatrical group produced plays that represented societal issues and were invited to perform at multiple conferences throughout British Columbia and Canada. The group focused and acknowledged the many issues in Punjab and in Canada. One of the plays that the group produced focused on the exploitation of Punjabi women who worked on farms in Canada. Dr. Binning continued to be involved as an integral member of Vancouver Sath until 1995. Over the years, Dr. Binning has strongly lobbied for Punjabi language education and between 1988 and 2008 he worked as Punjabi instructor at the University of British Columbia. He first worked as a teaching assistant at UBC under Dr. Harjot Oberoi and due to low wages, he simultaneously worked at the Post Office. In 2019, Dr. Binning received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from UBC in recognition of his work. Since 1973, Dr. Binning has lived in Burnaby and has resided in the same home that he and his wife Jagdish purchased in 1987. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, watercolour painting, travelling abroad and going on road trips. Interviewer biography: 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”.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Industries - Logging/lumber
- Industries - Forestry
- Foods
- Migration
- Organizations - Societies and Clubs
- Organizations - Unions
- Persons - South Asian Canadians
- Performances
- Performances - Dramatic Performances
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Names
- Binning, Dr. Sadhu
- Binning, Gurmaje Kaur
- Binning, Jit Singh
- Binning, Jagdish
- Sangha, Darshan Singh
- Canadian Farmworkers Union
- Hundal, Sukhwant
- Sangra, Harjinder
- Singh, Dhana
- Vancouver Sath
- Responsibility
- Petrusa, Kate
- Malik, Anushay
- Accession Code
- BV022.29.3
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning, [1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022
Interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning, [1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0003_004.mp3Logging blocks, logging-tools, catalog number fourteen
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumlibrary4885
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection
- Special Collection
- Material Type
- Book
- Accession Code
- HV977.29.2
- Call Number
- 621.8 MAL
- Place of Publication
- Portland, Ore.
- Publisher
- Mallory Logging Equipment Company
- Publication Date
- c1937
- Printer
- Sweeney, Straub & Dimm
- Physical Description
- 165 p., [8] leaves of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm.
- Inscription
- "-25% Dec. 1946" -- [handwritten in pencil on subtitle page in pencil on the bottom right corner] "Agents Gordon Bahjea Ltd" --[handwritten in light blue pen on page opposite of title page]
- Subjects
- Industries
- Industries - Logging/lumber
- Notes
- "Dealers in wire rope and general logging equipment" -- title page
![Looking down north Poleline Hill, [1908] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1976/1976_0139_0047_001.jpg?width=280)
Looking down north Poleline Hill
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription796
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1908]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.32 x 25.4 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph looking north along the Pole Line Road (later Sperling Avenue). To the far left is Deer Lake and at the top right is Burnaby Lake. The smoke and debris from land clearing is a result of logging operations being carried out by the Doran Brothers logging company, the Deer Lake Mill Company…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.32 x 25.4 cm print
- Material Details
- inscribed in pencil, verso, l.l. "Looking down north Poleline Hill (now Sperling) Deer Lake at left. "
- Scope and Content
- Photograph looking north along the Pole Line Road (later Sperling Avenue). To the far left is Deer Lake and at the top right is Burnaby Lake. The smoke and debris from land clearing is a result of logging operations being carried out by the Doran Brothers logging company, the Deer Lake Mill Company. Above Deer Lake, Douglas Road is visible with Claude Hill's Brookfield property (later 6501 Deer Lake Avenue) on the south side of the road and Bernard Hill's home on the north side (later 4990 Canada Way). Just northeast of Brookfield is the George Every-Clayton farm (amongst the trees) on what would later become the Henry and Grace Ceperley estate grounds known as Fairacres. The house in the centre of the picture is the Walker house (later 5255 Sperling Avenue). Mountains can be seen to the north.
- Subjects
- Land Clearing
- Geographic Features - Roads
- Industries - Forestry
- Industries - Logging/lumber
- Geographic Access
- Sperling Avenue
- Deer Lake
- Douglas Road
- Canada Way
- Accession Code
- HV976.139.47
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1908]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Morley-Buckingham Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2023-06-27
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
![Looking down north Poleline Hill, [1908] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1976/1976_0139_0047_001.jpg)