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
- 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"