"Manitoba" found 3 records | Heritage Burnaby

History: Frances Mabel "May" Webb was born in Cradley, England on December 5, 1872. She sailed from England to Victoria, BC with her parents, Joseph William Webb and Frances Jane Webb (nee Yapp) on the SS Lake Winnipeg in 1889. One of the few possessions that she brought with her was an old wood-rimmed bicycle which she found quite useful after her move to Burnaby. She would ride it all the way from Patterson’s Trail and Westminster Road (today’s Patterson Avenue and Kingsway) to the Woodward’s store in Vancouver where she would place her grocery order. She packed a pearl handled revolver with her in order to scare any bears she might see along her ride. In 1890, Frances married Dugald Campbell Patterson (b. 1860, d. 1931) in Victoria, BC. In 1894, the couple built a pioneer homestead and farm on five acres at what would become the north east section of Central Park. Dugald founded Vulcan Iron Works (later Dominion Bridge Company) in New Westminister in 1903, and the couple settled in the Central Park district. By 1904, the family moved to the Edmonds district where in 1909 she operated the post office that her husband founded. In 1910, they began construction of a new house, complete with tennis courts and a gazebo, on 14 acres purchased for $720. The house is now located at 7106 18th Avenue and is a dedicated heritage building. The couple had seven children: William H. "Bill", Jean, Frances Mabel Lili., Dugald C. Jr, Mary, Charles Bruce, and Alice. The Pattersons were community-minded citizens that served Burnaby through their involvement with local municipal affairs and politics. In 1909, Dugald became the first postmaster of Edmonds. He also served as a School Trustee from 1912-13 and was one of the first residents to lobby Burnaby City Council to preserve the local ravines as parks. They also helped build the Central Park Presbyterian Church, along with other pioneer families. The family name is remembered and honoured by the naming of Patterson Avenue and the Patterson SkyTrain Station located in the Metrotown area. Frances Mabel assisted her husband with an insurance and real estate company that he founded in Burnaby and New Westminster. This experience would prove invaluable, as she would later become an insurance agent for the Wawanesa Insurance Company (founded in 1896). Frances never owned an automobile, so she met her insurance clients all over Burnaby, New Westminster and Vancouver by using the Lower Mainland’s street car system. The insurance profession continued to provide her with a steady income long after her husband’s death. Frances Mabel died in New Westminster, BC on August 30, 1960. Frances Mabel Lili Patterson was born on June 9, 1905 and was the fifth child born to Dugald Campbell and Frances Mabel Patterson. She became the first PBX switchboard operator for the Municipality of Burnaby in the early 1920’s. PBX, or Private Branch Exchange, was the term used for an internal telephone system. Frances later became president of the Professional Women’s Association of New Westminster, and volunteered her time with the May Day celebrations in New Westminster. She was also a dedicated member of the Rebekah Lodge (the women’s division of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows). While in the lodge, she met her future husband, Walter Duke and they married on July 12, 1939. They couple moved to Wenatchee, Washington after getting married, and Frances relocated to Victoria after her husband died. Frances died on January 13, 1974. Doreen Nettie Patterson was born December 12, 1927, the youngest daughter of Charles Bruce Patterson and Elva Eleanore Patterson (nee Elliott). At age 23, Doreen became the first woman from BC to enlist in the new Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service and by the fall of 1951, she had become a Wren in the Royal Canadian Navy. She received her basic training at HMCS Cornwallis and became a radio intelligence operator for the wireless communications base at Naval Radio Station Coverdale near Moncton, New Brunswick. In 1953, she was chosen to serve a term at the naval base in Churchill, Manitoba. She was one of only eleven women to ever serve there. After her career in the navy, Doreen worked in the accounting division for Simpsons-Sears in Burnaby near her grandparent’s original family home at Patterson Avenue and Kingsway. Doreen married Gerard Reitsma on August 18, 1960. Doreen died on April 30, 2000.

Media Type: Textual Record; Photograph

Creator: Patterson, Frances Mabel Webb; Patterson, Dugald C. Sr.

Notes: Title based on contents of subseries; PC171, PC213, PC322, PC326, MSS024, MSS039

Pollard family subseries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription103

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1914-1920 (date of originals), copied 1998

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Subseries

Physical Description: 3 photographs

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of Pollard family photographs.

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1914-1920 (date of originals), copied 1998

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Pollard family subseries

Physical Description: 3 photographs

Description Level: Subseries

Accession Number: BHS1998-09

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of Pollard family photographs.

History: Joseph Pollard was born in Boston, Lancashire and moved to Preston, Lancashire where he apprenticed as a butcher and worked as an attendant at Rainhill Mental Hospital. In 1909 he immigrated to Canada; first to London Ontario, then to Brandon, Manitoba where he met his future wife, Agnes Colvin. Agnes Jane Colvin grew up on a farm in Northern Ireland near Bushmills, county Antrim. She, her sister Mary and brother James emigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1910. Agnes was hospitalized wtih scarlet fever. As soon as she was well enough, she moved to her cousin’s farm in Moosomin, Saskatchewan and began nursing at a mental hospital in Brandon. Joseph and Agnes were married on September 13, 1912. After traveling to England for their honeymoon, they settled in Port Coquitlam, BC in 1913 where their first child, May Elizabeth was born. Shortly after, they bought their first home in East Burnaby at 332 17th Avenue where their second and third children, Joe and Sidney, were born. The Pollards second home was at 1095 16th Avenue in the Edmonds district of Burnaby. Twins Peggy and Claire were born in this house. In 1916, Joseph enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and was sent overseas to England where he remained for the duration of the WWI. In May of 1919, he returned home and opened J. Pollard Meat Market in South Burnaby. He operated this business until 1936 when he and Agnes bought Lily Auto Court on Kingsway in Burnaby. They managed this business for about seven years, then sold the hotel and retired to Vancouver. Joseph and Agnes's eldest child May graduated from Burnaby South High School in 1930 and the Provincial Normal School in Vancouver in 1931. She worked as a substitute teacher for four years before getting her first teaching assignment at Armstrong Avenue School in 1935 where she taught grades one to five. After two years, she was promoted to Nelson Avenue School where she taught grade one for two years. She married in April of 1939 and her two daughters, Diane and Marilyn, were born in 1948 and 1952 respectively.

Media Type: Photograph

Creator: Pollard, Joseph; Pollard, Agnes Colvin

Notes: PC359; Title based on contents of subseries

Ramsey family subseries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription106

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1916 (date of original) -1999

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Subseries

Physical Description: Textual record and graphic material

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of a photocopied certificate of birth for Eva Lilian Ramsey [Ramsay] as well as handwritten accounts of Ramsey family history and two family photographs.

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1916 (date of original) -1999

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Ramsey family subseries

Physical Description: Textual record and graphic material

Description Level: Subseries

Accession Number: BHS1999-19

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of a photocopied certificate of birth for Eva Lilian Ramsey [Ramsay] as well as handwritten accounts of Ramsey family history and two family photographs.

History: Edwin Ramsey came to Canada from Scotland when he was about 11 years old. He was given farmland and quickly became an avid farmer. Edwin Ramsey married Annie Plummer circa 1893. This was Annie Plummer’s second marriage. In the early years of their marriage, Edwin and Annie lived in Orange Ridge, Manitoba and operated a store and post office. Their first child, Queenie, was born November 11, 1895. Albert Edwin "Bert" Ramsey was born January 27, 1898. Eva Lilian Ramsey was born January 24, 1900. Jessica “Jessie” Ramsey was born two years later. The Ramseys then headed to New Westminster. By 1905 they had bought "the Park” (what is now Robert Burnaby Park) from Mr. Wintermute for $4,000 cash. They moved into a large house already constructed on the property. The park was full of apple trees, a garden, pigs, two cows, horses and a buggy and wagon with a barn near the second street entrance. By now, the eldest, Queenie was enrolled at Burnaby’s first school. Twins Ernest “Ernie” and Dorothy “Doll” were born in 1906. Eva started at Edmonds School in 1908 when it was just built. Her siblings Queenie, Bert, Jeanie, Ernie and Doll all attended the school as well. In 1909 the Ramseys sold the park to Mr. Vidal of New Westminster and his syndicate along with a portable mill to Pemberton & Sons and received enough money to buy six lots on 12th Avenue where they built a large house. Gordon “Gord” Ramsey was born in that house in 1909. Soon after, they sold the house and moved to Blaine for six months, then on to Bellingham where they remained until Edwin and Annie divorced in 1914. Edwin moved alone to Alberta and Annie moved back to Burnaby with their children. Bert began attending the University of British Columbia where he studied to become a doctor. He joined the army in May of 1916, went to war and was killed at Vimy Ridge on April 12, 1917 at the age of 19. As Mr. Vital and his syndicate were to go to war as captains, Mr. Vital gave up the park property and Annie was able to take it back. Unfortunately, the new initiative of taxing wild lands caused Annie to lose the park property through tax sale proceedings. She then entered into a lease agreement with Burnaby which allowed her to stay on at "the Park." With twelve years of piano training, Annie was considered a talented musician and played the piano at St. Alban’s church for many years. Annie Ramsey died on October 3, 1926. Jessica, Dorothy and Queenie all moved to the United States. Gordon married a woman named Irene. Eva married William “Bill” Anderson at the St. Stephen’s Church in New Westminster on July 7, 1919. She and Bill were the first couple to marry there. They held their wedding reception at “the Park.” In 1921, Bill and Eva bought a home at 723 Second Street for $2450. They had one daughter, Dorothy "Dot" Anderson. Dot later married Robert V. “Bob” Douglas. Eva died in 1995.

Media Type: Textual Record; Photograph

Creator: Ramsay, Eva Lillian

Notes: PC399 and MSS154; Title based on contents of subseries; Certificate reads "Ramsay" although the family continuously spelt their name "Ramsey"

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Patterson family subseries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription32

Pollard family subseries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription103

Ramsey family subseries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription106

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