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Harold Edward Winch collection
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription3638
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1914]-2003
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- approx. 23 cm of textual records + approx. 600 photographs (b&w + col.)
- Scope and Content
- Collection consists of records relating to Harold Edward Winch's family life and political career. It includes photographs of Winch's parents, family, and wife Jessie, as well as photographs, correspondence and other textual records from Harold's political work and experiences, a travel diary, gues…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- approx. 23 cm of textual records + approx. 600 photographs (b&w + col.)
- Scope and Content
- Collection consists of records relating to Harold Edward Winch's family life and political career. It includes photographs of Winch's parents, family, and wife Jessie, as well as photographs, correspondence and other textual records from Harold's political work and experiences, a travel diary, guest books, and certificates. The collection includes a number of Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and New Democratic Party newspapers. The collection also includes records relating to Winch's death, such as obituaries, memorials, articles, and a guest book. Finally, the collection includes a small number of records relating to Winch's father, Ernie Winch, and his own political career. The collection has been arranged into five series: 1) Harold E. Winch biographical records (1933-2003) 2) Harold E. Winch photographs series (1914-[ca. 1990]) 3) Harold E. Winch political photograph album and records series ([1937]-1993) 4) Harold E. Winch personal records series (1949-1993) 5) Harold E. Winch newspaper collection series (1936-1986)
- History
- Harold Edward Winch (June 18, 1907-February 1, 1993) was born in Loughton, Essex, England to Ernest “Ernie” Edward Winch (March 22, 1879-January 11, 1957) and his wife Linda Marian (nee Hendy). Harold was the eldest of six children; the others were Eileen, Charlie, Grace, Alan, and Eric. Ernest moved to BC in 1909, followed by Linda, Harold, and Eileen in 1910. The remaining children were born in BC. Ernie, a brick mason, built the family a series of homes in the Lower Mainland as the family moved around for a number of years, living in Burnaby, White Rock, Mission, and Vancouver before finally settling back in Burnaby. Ernie Winch joined the Social Democratic Party of Canada in 1911 and became secretary of the party in 1913, and was heavily involved in trade unions and the labour and socialist movements. He helped re-establish the Socialist Party of Canada (BC) in 1932, which soon merged with the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF). Ernie was a CCF MLA in Burnaby from 1933 until his death in 1957, following which his son-in-law Cedric Cox (husband of Eileen) won the seat in a byelection. Ernie was particularly interested in institutions, including jails, mental hospitals, and industrial schools, and founded the New Vista Society in 1943 to provide a live-in rehabilitation program to women with psychiatric problems. The organization later expanded to focus on low-cost housing for seniors, and an apartment complex was built for this purpose in Burnaby. Both Ernie and Harold were lifelong members of the New Vista Society board of trustees. Harold Winch trained as an electrician, but also followed his father into politics, serving as a CCF MLA in Vancouver East from 1933 to 1953 – Ernie and Harold were two of the first seven CCF MLAs. The Winches set a Guinness world record for the longest father-and-son parliamentary tenure. Like his father, Harold was also highly involved in the labour movement, and acted as a liaison between workers and government during the Depression, particularly during the relief camp strike in Vancouver in 1935 which precipitated the On to Ottawa trek. He was the leader of the BC CCF from 1938 to 1953, and Leader of the Opposition from 1941 to 1953. In 1953, Harold stepped down from provincial politics to enter the federal arena, and served as a CCF MP for Vancouver East from 1953 to 1961, when the CCF became the New Democratic Party (NDP); Harold continued to serve as an NDP MP from 1961 to 1972, when he retired for health reasons. In federal office, Harold remained dedicated to the working class and humanitarian causes, issuing reports on subject such as unemployment, veterans’ rights, low-cost housing for seniors, animal welfare, drug addiction, and mental health concerns. Harold earned honorary law degrees from both UBC (1973) and SFU (1974). He was involved in numerous humanitarian and other organizations and his roles included president and treasurer of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association; co-founder of the Immigrant Services Society of Vancouver; director of the Boag Foundation; and lifelong member of the Association for Protection of Fur Bearing Animals. Harold married Dorothy Ada Hutchinson (December 1, 1907-October 24, 1974) on May 11, 1929. They had three children: Donald, Gerald ("Jerry"), and Shirley. Following Dorothy’s death, Harold married Jessie Margaret Mendels (nee Sweezey) (June 29, 1913-May 9, 2006) on May 19, 1981. Jessie grew up in Grand Forks, BC, and her family moved to Vancouver when she was in high school. Her first husband was George Edward Mendels (November 2, 1905-September 2, 1978). She had no children. Jessie served as a St. John’s ambulance driver during World War II. She was also active in the CCF and NDP parties in BC, having been Provincial Secretary for the CCF in the 1940s, a vice-president of the party in the 1950s, and Provincial Secretary for the NDP in the 1960s. Like Harold, she later served as a director of the Boag Foundation. Jessie traveled widely throughout her life. The collection contains a small number of Jessie’s photographs. Harold Winch died in White Rock, where he and Jessie had retired, on February 1, 1993.
- Responsibility
- Winch, Harold Edward
- Accession Code
- BV013.12
- Date
- [1914]-2003
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Arrangement
- Records within fonds have been arranged by subject and format.
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
Hazel Simnett collection
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription71379
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1910-1996]
- Collection/Fonds
- Hazel Simnett collection
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 13 files of textual records : ill. (some col.) ; 9 paintings : colour print ; 2 photographs : b&w
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of City-generated records, personal records, and political records collected by Hazel Simnett.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1910-1996]
- Collection/Fonds
- Hazel Simnett collection
- Physical Description
- 13 files of textual records : ill. (some col.) ; 9 paintings : colour print ; 2 photographs : b&w
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Accession Number
- 2013-22
- 2012-03
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of City-generated records, personal records, and political records collected by Hazel Simnett.
- History
- Hazel Simnett was born in Burnaby in 1922 to Frederick and Mary Ann Simnett and grew up looking up to her father who was very involved in labour and unions. A politically active citizen, Hazel Simnett has supported the Canadian Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and the New Democratic Party (NDP). She once ran as a New Democratic Party candidate for Burnaby City Council. Hazel attended Kingsway West Public School and Burnaby South High School in Burnaby. During the 1970s, Hazel was President of the Century Park Museum Association, which governs Burnaby Heritage Museum and published the work "Bygones of Burnaby". Hazel worked on the campaign team of Joan Sawicki from 1990 to 1991, which led Sawicki to be elected as Burnaby-Willingdon riding's MLA. Hazel volunteered her time to be a member of the Burnaby Advisory Planning Commission from 1993 to 1996. In 2006, Hazel won the Burnaby Local Hero Award for her volunteer work at the New Vista Society where she served as chair for a number of years. She also served as a member of the Burnaby Historical Society and established the Hazel Simnett Endowment with the Burnaby Public Library to bring a collection of books on Canadian history and social issues.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Graphic Material
- Creator
- Simnett, Hazel
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
- MSS167