Narrow Results By
handcar
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact6682
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV985.105.1
- Description
- This is a two or four person handcar used on the Canadian Pacific Railway. The car is powered by a hand pumped eccentric gear. There are four sets of short handles at each end to allow the car to be manually lifted off the track. There is a foot actuated brake on the edge of the platform. Wood shoes are pressed against the wheels.
- Object History
- This type of railroad vehicle would be used by a work gang as transport to a repair job in their section of the track. A trailer can be attached to carry equipment. The car is easily lifted off the track to allow a train to pass. This particular vehicle's history is not known it is typical of such equipment used on the CPR mainline.
- Marks/Labels
- "CPR", stenciled in black on the side of the pump support.
- Measurements
- Overall measurements: Lth 216 cm. (7 feet) X wdth 160 cm (5 feet 4 inches) X ht 152 cm. (5 feet)
- Subjects
- Transportation
- Transportation - Rail
Images
lapel pin
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact41405
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV001.1.183
- Description
- Button pin, round, buff ground with wide brownish red border and green print. Around edge from left, "JULY / AUG / SEPT". Logo below 'AUG', illegible, "LI--HA" ?, then "1920". At bottom is brownish red dot at centre of "U.B.M.W.E.R.S.L." in circle. Pin is paper formed over a metal back and held in place by pressure. Clear coating over front. Back is dark metal with remains of pin clasp closure ?, coil of wire one side, lighter-coloured patch of metal around opening other side. Back is hollow. Manufacturer's stamp, mostly illegible, "--- CO" "--H.N.Y." and hallmark ?. Metal of back is tarnished, some scratches and wear on front.
- Object History
- Union dues button for the United Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees and Railroad Shop Laborers which was affiliated with the American Federation of Labour. Railroad way workers oversaw the maintenace of railroad tracks. (For more information see http://americanhistory.si.edu/onthemove/collection/object_186.html)
- Category
- 08. Communication Artifacts
- Classification
- Personal Symbols
- Object Term
- Insignia
- Marks/Labels
- "JULY / AUG / SEPT", green letters printed around top "1920", larger green numbers printed in centre "U.B.M.W.E.R.S.L.", green letters printed around dot and surrounded by a green circle
- Subjects
- Adornment
- Adornment - Lapel Pins
- Industries
- Occupations - Railroad Labourers
- Organizations - Unions
- Transportation - Rail
Images
signal light
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact82358
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV007.25.12
- Description
- Black metal train signal used on the interurban trams.The lamp has red lenses that face 90 degrees to the line of travel and a single clear lens that faces down the track. The lens opening on the fourth side of the lamp is covered with a flat plate. There is a mounting bracket on this side of the lamp. The clear lens is on a verticaly sliding panel that gives access to the inside of the lamp. Originally this lamp may have had a kerosene lamp for a light source but this lamp has had an electric light bulb mounted inside. The modern power cord is aproximately 12 feet long with a double prong plug. "B C E R" is stamped in the body of the lamp under the clear lens.
- Object History
- The artifact belonged donor's father when he worked for the BCER.
- Object Term
- Lamp, Signal
- Subjects
- Lighting Devices
- Transportation - Rail
Images
pamphlet
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact84653
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV011.50.14
- Description
- pamphlet; light green paper; printed on two sides with brown ink; front includes title "BURNABY / CENTRAL / RAILWAY" with photograph of model steam engine above and information on the railway operation with fares; verso of pahmplet includes map with location of Burnaby Central Railway and contact information.
- Object History
- Burnaby Central Railway Project was constructed on the site of Heritage Village and was financed by the British Columbia Society of Model Engineers; Century Park Museum Association (via Burnaby Parks); Federal Government New Horizons Program and B.C. Goverment Recreation Facilities fund. British Columbia Society of Model Engineers (B.C.M.E.) operated the Burnaby Central Railway inside Heritage Village (Burnaby Village Museum) between 1975 and 1991.
- Measurements
- w: 10 cm h: 20 cm.
- Subjects
- Transportation - Rail
Images
Interview with Bill Gruenthal
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19636
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1950-2023] (interview content), interviewed 31 Jul. 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (74 min., 37 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (74 min., 37 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Bill Gruenthal conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, Eric Damer on July 31 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:27:01 Bill Gruenthal provides details on his family background, his early life experiences, how he got into the insurance business,…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Subseries
- Many Voices Project Interviews subseries
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 sound recordings (wav) (74 min., 37 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (74 min., 37 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Eric Damer Interviewee: Bill Gruenthal Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: July 31, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:14:37 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto two separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Bill Gruenthal conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Registrar, Eric Damer on July 31 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:27:01 Bill Gruenthal provides details on his family background, his early life experiences, how he got into the insurance business, his knowledge and interest in Judaism, places that he and his wife lived before moving to Burnaby, family life in Burnaby and his political involvement in running for the Burnaby school board. 00:27:02 – 00:42:50 Bill Gruenthal talks about the Burquest Jewish Community Association, it’s background and his involvement, experiences of discrimination in his career, a brief history of the Jewish people and some cultural traditions. 00:42:51 – 00:56:04 Bill Gruenthal mentions some of the charities that he supports including Burnaby Hospital, his volunteer work within the community and community organizations including the Nikkei Place Foundation and shares more details on his insurance career. 00:56:05 – 01:14:37 Bill Gruenthal shares information about his Burnaby neighbourhood and Jewish funeral customs and provides his impressions of new development at Brentwood, Burnaby Council and other development projects in Burnaby.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Bill Gruenthal was born in the British Mandate of Palestine, now Israel, in 1935 after his parents had fled Germany in advance of the then worsening political situation. Bill’s father died in 1942; some years later his mother remarried to an Irish-born senior civil servant in that government. He had a difficult and somewhat dangerous job. Soon after marriage, the family, including Bill’s older brother, Martin, immigrated to Canada in January 1947 on the strength of his step-father’s British Passport. They traveled via New York, where Bill’s uncle and his family resided and who put up the family. Later that month, the parents travelled by CP rail from Montreal to Vancouver, followed by Bill and his brother in March 1947 who travelled from New York to White Rock on an American railroad. While passing through the Fraser Valley Bill’s parents took an interest in Silverdale, a small hamlet west of Mission where the four eventually settled. Bill finished High School in Mission and soon joined the insurance industry. Bill connected with the Jewish Community in Vancouver where he met his soon-to-be wife. Upon marriage they were transferred to Calgary; after five years suffering its cold weather they were transferred back to Vancouver. They settled in Burnaby in 1966 as an affordable neighbourhood with easy access to his office downtown Vancouver. Outside work, Bill helped raise his family of three daughters who all graduated Burnaby High School (Alpha). They joined Temple Sholom in Vancouver, and he volunteered and still volunteers for a number of non-profits, including The Jewish Museum and Archives and Nikkei Place Foundation (Burnaby). He was an early long-term supporter and a past president of Burquest Jewish Community Association, mostly involving persons from Burnaby, New Westminster, and the Tri-Cities area (hence the name). He ran for political office in Burnaby in 1976 but was not elected. He delivers food in Burnaby for the Food Bank and is a donor to many worthy causes including Burnaby General Hospital. Interviewer biography: Eric Damer is a Burnaby Village Museum Interpreter, Museum Registrar, Researcher and Blacksmith. Eric pounded hot steel for the first time in 1977 in junior high. Fifteen years later, he joined Burnaby Village Museum where he has smithed for three decades. He also provides historical research for museum exhibits and special projects. Outside the museum, Eric is a social historian with a special interest in educational history.
- Creator
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Subjects
- Migration
- Persons - Jewish Canadians
- Transportation
- Transportation - Rail
- Religions - Judaism
- Cemeteries
- Organizations
- Elections
- Names
- Gruenthal, Bill
- Gruenthal, Noemi Yadlow
- O'Connor, Herta Ingrid Gruenthal
- O'Connor, John
- Burquest
- Jacobson, Max Alec
- Temple Shalom
- Brentwood Shopping Centre
- Brentwood Park School
- Alpha Secondary School
- Burnaby School Board
- Responsibility
- Damer, Eric
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.14
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1950-2023] (interview content), interviewed 31 Jul. 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Planning Study Area
- Brentwood Area
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Bill Gruenthal, [1950-2023] (interview content), interviewed 31 Jul. 2023
Interview with Bill Gruenthal, [1950-2023] (interview content), interviewed 31 Jul. 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0014_003.mp3Interview with Charles A. Purdon and May E. Purdon July 9, 1975 - Track 1
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory91
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date Range
- 1904-1932
- Length
- 0:08:08
- Summary
- This portion of the interview pertains to Charles A. Purdon's employment history and first years of marriage to May E. Purdon.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Summary
- This portion of the interview pertains to Charles A. Purdon's employment history and first years of marriage to May E. Purdon.
- Date Range
- 1904-1932
- Length
- 0:08:08
- Subjects
- Transportation - Rail
- Interviewer
- Bradbury, Dr. Bettina
- Interview Date
- July 9, 1975
- Scope and Content
- Recording is a taped interview with Charles A. Purdon and May E. Purdon by SFU graduate student Bettina Bradbury July 9, 1975. Major themes discussed are: the Depression and Canadian politics. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".
- Biographical Notes
- May Eliza was born in London, England in 1907. She came out to Regina with her family when she was eleven. Charles A. Purdon was born February 28, 1904 in London, England. He came to Canada in 1925 from China where he had been working as an accountant for the previous three years. Charles first came to Vancouver and joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) but within a week he was sent to Regina. This is where he met May. May and Charles got married in 1926 and Charles began working as an accountant for the Saskatchewan Wheat Growers, then for the Canadian Wool Growers before being laid off. In October of 1930, Charles and May left Regina for Vancouver Island. Charles drove himself out and May rode the train with her children; twin boys and a daughter, only one year apart. They settled at May’s parent’s second house in Coombs. The Purdons arrived in Burnaby in December of 1932 and rented a house on Edmonds Street. Charles was unable to do road work and instead found work through the Liberal Party and also with the Municipal engineers indoors on a number of projects. In 1938 the Purdons were able to get into a reverted house built by Ernie Winch at Maple Avenue (then Jubilee) and Nelson Avenue that had nine bedrooms. They paid ten dollars a month to the municipality for use of this property. May Eliza Purdon died April 6, 1983 at the age of seventy-six.
- Total Length
- 1:40:03
- Interviewee Name
- Purdon, Charles A.
- Purdon, May Eliza
- Interviewer Bio
- Bettina Bradbury teaches history and women's studies at York University. She is the author of Wife to Widow. Lives, Laws and Politics in Nineteenth-century Montreal. (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, June 2011), 520p; Working Families. Age, Gender and Daily Survival in Industrializing Montreal. (Toronto: Canadian Social History Series, McClelland and Stewart, 1993); (Republished Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1996) (3rd edition, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007). These interviews were undertaken after she completed her MA at Simon Fraser University in 1975 with the support of an LIP grant.
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Oral history subseries
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Web Notes
- Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Audio Tracks
Track one of interview with Charles A. Purdon and May E. Purdon
Track one of interview with Charles A. Purdon and May E. Purdon
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-19/100-13-19_Track_1.mp3