2 records – page 1 of 1.

Pixie McGeachie subseries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription101
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1910 (date of original)-2004
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Subseries
Physical Description
Textual records and photographs
Scope and Content
Subseries consists of papers and photographs collected by Pixie McGeachie during her tenure as archivist for the Burnaby Historical Society Community Archives. Also included are newspaper articles and essays penned by Pixie, a series of research files collected and organized for her own personal u…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1910 (date of original)-2004
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Pixie McGeachie subseries
Physical Description
Textual records and photographs
Description Level
Subseries
Accession Number
BHS1989-28
BHS1991-07
BHS1992-39
BHS1992-56
BHS1992-58
BHS1996-06
BHS1996-16
BHS1997-01
BHS2004-02
BHS1991-16
BHS1999-13
BHS1996-08
BHS1996-07
BHS2000-03
BHS2003-01
Scope and Content
Subseries consists of papers and photographs collected by Pixie McGeachie during her tenure as archivist for the Burnaby Historical Society Community Archives. Also included are newspaper articles and essays penned by Pixie, a series of research files collected and organized for her own personal use and a selection of ephemera.
History
Doreen "Pixie" McGeachie was a resident of Burnaby for over 60 years. She served as the editor for the Burnaby Examiner newspaper and wrote a column entitled "Burnaby History" for The News. In 1974 she authored her first book titled "Bygones of Burnaby" which was one of the first to develop anecdotal stories about pioneer life in Burnaby. She authored "Burnaby - A Proud Century" in 1992 and in 2002 she wrote a biography of the city's namesake in the book "Land of Promise: Robert Burnaby's letters from Colonial B.C." Pixie also contributed many hours of volunteering; helping to establish Burnaby's first museum Heritage Village in 1971, serving as President of the Burnaby Historical Society from 1991-1993. She served a six year term on Burnaby's Heritage Commission, leading the charge to preserve many historic sites throughout the city, and during her twenty years as the Community Archives volunteer archivist for the Historical Society, she succeeded in gathering thousands of rare and valuable historic photographs and documents which now forms the core of the photograph collection on the Heritage Burnaby website. The City of Burnaby awarded Pixie McGeachie the Kushiro Cup as Citizen of the Year in 2002. In 2006 she received a Heritage BC project award for leading the Friends of Interurban 1223 project, and in 2008 Heritage BC recognised her again by presenting her with the Ruby Nobb Award. Pixie McGeachie passed away in August of 2010. On 24 September, 2011, the City of Burnaby dedicated the reading room at the City Archives in her honour and formally named it the Pixie McGeachie Reading Room in recognition of her years of service to the community.
Media Type
Textual Record
Photograph
Creator
McGeachie, Doreen “Pixie”
Notes
Title based on creator of subseries
PC299, PC237, PC332, PC460, MSS054, MSS065, and MSS081
Less detail

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"
Less detail