"Travel" found 49 records | Heritage Burnaby

Childe Harold's Pilgrimage: Wonderings of a Wandering Winch or is it Wanderings of a Wondering Winch? [travel diary]

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription3666

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 1949

Collection/Fonds: Harold Edward Winch collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 v. of textual records

Scope and Content: Item is a travel diary kept by Harold Winch during travels across Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe (including Denmark, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Israel). Diary entries include personal impressions as well as accounts of political meetings and individuals. There is a focus on e…

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Harold Edward Winch collection

Series: Harold E. Winch personal records series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 v. of textual records

Scope and Content: Item is a travel diary kept by Harold Winch during travels across Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe (including Denmark, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Israel). Diary entries include personal impressions as well as accounts of political meetings and individuals. There is a focus on each country's social programs, such as child care, co-operative housing, and insurance. Margin notes provide an index of subjects and locations.

Names: Winch, Harold Edward

Accession Code: BV013.12.23

Date: 1949

Media Type: Textual Record

Notes: Title based on contents of item

British Columbia Provincial Police

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1265

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1948 or 1949]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 19.5 x 22.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of six British Columbia Provincial Police officers in uniform standing in two rows in front of the British Columbia Police building at Dawson Creek. The officers are; front row (from left): Dunc Fletcher, Jack Hall and Pat Burke. Back row (from left): Ed Fairweather, Maurice Low and Bria…

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 19.5 x 22.5 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of six British Columbia Provincial Police officers in uniform standing in two rows in front of the British Columbia Police building at Dawson Creek. The officers are; front row (from left): Dunc Fletcher, Jack Hall and Pat Burke. Back row (from left): Ed Fairweather, Maurice Low and Brian Williams.

Subjects: Public Services - Policing; Clothing - Uniforms

Names: British Columbia Provincial Police; Fletcher, Dunc; Hall, Jack; Burke, Pat; Fairweather, Ed; Low, Maurice; Williams, Brian

Accession Code: BV997.23.4

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: [1948 or 1949]

Media Type: Photograph

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 01-Jun-09

Scale: 100

Notes: Copyright stamp on verso reads: "British Columbia Government Travel Bureau in Victoria, B.C."; Note on verso of photograph reads: "Dawson Creek- 1948-49/ Front. L-R: Dunc Fletcher. Jack Hall./ Pat Burke./ Rear: L-R: Ed Fairweather, Maurice Low/ Brian Williams"

Images

British Columbia Provincial Police, [1948 or 1949] thumbnail

Interview with Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19611

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1946- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 20 Jan. 2023

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (90 min., 21 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (90 min., 4 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Shushma Datt and her son, Sudhir Datta conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Curator, Jane Lemke and Anushay Malik. 00:00 – 12:47 Interview opens with introductions. Shushma Datt shares information about; where she’s lived in Burnaby sin…

1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: South Asian Canadian Interviews subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (90 min., 21 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (90 min., 4 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewers: Jane Lemke and Anushay Malik Interviewees: Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta Location of Interview: Spice Radio, Norland Avenue, Burnaby Interview Date: January 20, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:30:21 Digital master recordings (wav) were edited into one recording and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Shushma Datt and her son, Sudhir Datta conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Curator, Jane Lemke and Anushay Malik. 00:00 – 12:47 Interview opens with introductions. Shushma Datt shares information about; where she’s lived in Burnaby since immigrating in 1972 and her arranged marriage which lead her to immigrate to Canada. Datt provides detailed information about her family background in Kenya and her parent’s decision to move their family from Kenya to India in the 1960s and then to England in the 1965. Datt describes her family’s experiences living in Kenya and India in the 1960s and provides some context on the political unrest that happened in Kenya which lead her family to leave. 12:48 - 28:07 Datt talks about her time living in England and shares information on her family life and her employment experiences. Datt conveys an experience from her childhood that inspired her to become a broadcaster and shares her experiences working for the BBC oversees service in England (1965-1972). Datt describes some of the articles that she's written for various publications and the people that she's interviewed. Datt highlights a particular experience about writing a critical review about the controversial design on Jimi Hendrix’s album “Axis: Bold as Love” that depicted Hindu religious iconography. 28:09 – 34:47 Datt and Datta provide further details about Datt's arranged marriage which lead her to immigrate to Canada in 1972 and to work as a broadcaster in Canada. Datt recalls her experiences working as a radio station operator for CHQM, a radio broadcaster for CJVB and starting her own South Asian radio station Rim Jhim in 1987. 34:48 – 40:01 Datt and Datta share information on where they’ve lived in Vancouver and Burnaby. Datt and Datta recall pivotal family life events that impacted their lives in 1974. 40:02 – 45:53 Datt recalls the travel trunks and contents that she and her family brought with them when they left Nairobi. Datt describes the letters that her parents wrote. Datt and Datta describe photos of their family and convey the impacts to their family after two of Datt’s brothers died at 24 years of age. 45:54 – 50:56 Interview continues chronologically from 1974, after Datt’s son, Sudhir Datta was born. Datt describes how she had to work hard to help pay her bills and support her family. Datta describes his childhood growing up as a South Asian child living and attending school in Burnaby (1979-1992). Datt and Datta recall Datt’s graduation ceremony and Datta’s Order of British Columbia awards ceremony. 50:57 – 58:03 Datt and Datta talk about food and cooking and where they’ve shopped for traditional food supplies. Datta explains her family lineage as Hindus who eat meat and how she’s been a vegetarian for over 30 years. Datt and Datta share stories about Datt’s mother Leela Datta. 58:04 – 1:05:38 Both Datt and Datta reflect on what’s it’s been like living as South Asians in Burnaby. Datt conveys the message that she got from her mom, Leela Datta "not to assimilate but to integrate". They both reflect on how the ethnic and cultural diversity of neighbourhoods has changed over time and Datt describes his experiences as a student in Burnaby. 1:05:39 – 1:16:51 Datt and Datta talk about the role of religion in their lives, describe the purpose of Radio Rim Jhim and reflect on how the South Asian community has grown in Metro Vancouver and the disparities created within. They both recall how their lives were threatened and impacted in 1984 following an interview that Datt did with Indira Ghandhi. Datt talks about the origins of her and her son’s surnames. 1:16:52 – 1:26:11 Datt and Datta talk about and reflect on their own experiences of racism and discrimination. Datt talks about Spice Radio’s annual campaign “Raise your hands against Racism”. Datt and Datta provide background on the radio stations Rim Jhim and Spice Radio including; how they got started, their unbiased approach to broadcast content and their experiences in the complex realm of broadcasting a multi-cultural radio station. 1:26:12 – 1:30:04 In closing, Datt and Datta convey what they think that younger generations of South Asian Canadians should understand about the South Asian Community in British Columbia.

History: Interviewees biographies: Shushma Datt was born in Nairobi, Kenya in 1946 and is the second eldest of six children. In the 1960s during the unrest in Kenya, her family moved to India. After about nine months of living in India, Datt's family decided to return to Kenya, leaving Datt and her brother to complete their education in India. While living in India, Datt studied at Delhi University and worked at the Indian newspaper. In 1965, Datt, her parents and five siblings decided to leave Kenya and immigrated to England. While living in England, Datt got work as a broadcaster with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) overseas service, producing her first program in 1969. During her time with the BBC, Datt has interviewed many influential artists including Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles as well as the Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi. In 1972, Datt immigrated to Canada and settled in Burnaby. In late 1973, Datt sponsored her mother who joined her in Burnaby. Datt joined the CJVB radio station in Vancouver working as the Punjabi and Hindi language broadcaster. Datt worked here until 1978 when she started her own radio station, Radio Rim Jhim. In 2005, Datt obtained her own AM radio band license for a multicultural radio station RJ1200 which was later rebranded "Spice Radio". In 2015, Datt launched Spice Radio's annual "Hands Against Racism" campaign which has won awards from the Government of British Columbia and the B.C. Association of Broadcasters. Datt has also been a producer for Omni TV and Shaw TV and was the first woman to obtain a broadcasting license from the Canadian Radio- Television Telecommunications Commission. In 1992, Shushma Datt was awarded the Order of British Columbia and is also the recipient of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal. Datt has been listed by the Vancouver Sun newspaper as among the 100 "most influential Indo-Canadians" and has been recognized by the Royal British Columbia Museum as one of the 150 "most influential British Columbians". Sudhir Datta is the only child of Sushma Datt and was born in Burnaby. Datta graduated with a computer science degree from Capilano University in 1995. Datta is the Vice President of Media Broadcasting (founded in 1984) creating television and radio programming for Canada's South Asian Community and has been the General Manager and Program Director of Spice Radio since 2006. Datta is also the author of many articles highlighting the South Asian community in Vancouver. Interviewers biographies: Anushay Malik is labor historian with a geographical focus on South Asia. Anushay studied at the University of London and was a research fellow at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In 2014, Anushay moved back to her native Pakistan and joined Lahore University of Management Services as an Assistant Professor. In 2023, Anushay is a visiting scholar at Simon Fraser University and lives in Burnaby with her family. Anushay was a co-curator of the Burnaby Village Museum exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”. Jane Lemke has worked in various museums in the Lower Mainland and has been the Curator at Burnaby Village Museum since 2019. Her educational background includes a Master of Arts degree in History and a Master of Museum Studies degree. Her research focus has been on trauma and memory and its role in shaping Canadian identity. She loves sharing memories and stories of Burnaby with the public. Jane sits on the Council of the BC Museums Association and is the Chair of the BC Museums Association Professional Development and Education Committee.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Migration; Occupations - Broadcasters; Occupations - Entrepreneurs; Occupations - Journalists; Persons - South Asian Canadians; Radio Stations; Religions; Religions - Hinduism; Religions - Sikhism; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism

Names: Datt, Shushma; Datta, Sudhir; Datta, Lila Vati "Leela"; Spice Radio; Rim Jhim

Responsibility: Malik, Anushay; Lemke, Jane

Accession Code: BV023.1.3

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1946- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 20 Jan. 2023

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcript available upon request

Audio Tracks

Interview with Shushma Datt and Sudhir Datta, [1946- 2023] (interview content), interviewed 20 Jan. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0001_0003_003.mp3

Letter from Sergeant Colin Fox to May Bateman

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription15134

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 13 Feb. 1944

Collection/Fonds: E.W. Bateman family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 p.

Scope and Content: Item consists of a typewritten letter from Sergeant Colin Rhodes Fox of the Royal Canadian Artillery Service to his aunt Marianne "May" Bateman while serving overseas during World War II. Colin Fox served in the 13th Canadian Field Regiment, 44th Canadian Field Battery. In his letter Colin tells of…

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: E.W. Bateman family fonds

Series: Bateman family World War II letters series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 p.

Scope and Content: Item consists of a typewritten letter from Sergeant Colin Rhodes Fox of the Royal Canadian Artillery Service to his aunt Marianne "May" Bateman while serving overseas during World War II. Colin Fox served in the 13th Canadian Field Regiment, 44th Canadian Field Battery. In his letter Colin tells of how he hasn't received mail in a long time; reflects on his recent leave where he travelled to Bournemouth, London and Stoke-on-Trent; time spent roller skating with other soldiers and of how many men that he's met are getting married. Colin thanks May and others for the parcels that he's received and tells of how he met a soldier from Vancouver.

Subjects: Wars - World War, 1939-1945; Documentary Artifacts - Letters and Envelopes

Names: Bateman, Marianne May; Fox, Colin Rhodes

Accession Code: BV020.27.22

Access Restriction: Restricted access

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: 13 Feb. 1944

Media Type: Textual Record

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 10-Feb-2021

Scale: 100

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Letter is written on stationery with insignia at top of page: maple leaf in blue ink with crown and "Canada" and a banner below in red and blue ink which reads "Canadian Army Active"

Letter from Colin Fox to his mother

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription15156

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: June 1944

Collection/Fonds: E.W. Bateman family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 p.

Scope and Content: Items consists of a typewritten letter from Sergeant Colin Rhodes Fox to his mother, Jessie (Bateman) Fox. The letter is written on stationery with the letterhead "CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY COMPANY" and references "... Colin's letter dated June 26". Colin is writing from hospital after being wounded…

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: E.W. Bateman family fonds

Series: Bateman family World War II letters series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 p.

Scope and Content: Items consists of a typewritten letter from Sergeant Colin Rhodes Fox to his mother, Jessie (Bateman) Fox. The letter is written on stationery with the letterhead "CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY COMPANY" and references "... Colin's letter dated June 26". Colin is writing from hospital after being wounded while laying communication cable from the Normandy beachhead on June 8, 1944 (two days after D-Day). In the letter, Colin tells his mother of his current condition in hospital, describing the wounds that he sustained and how much of his belongings are still with his regiment.

Subjects: Documentary Artifacts - Letters and Envelopes; Wars - World War, 1939-1945

Names: Fox, Colin Rhodes; Kemp, Jessie Bateman Fox

Accession Code: BV020.27.43

Access Restriction: Restricted access

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: June 1944

Media Type: Textual Record

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 10-Feb-2021

Scale: 100

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Stationery letterhead reads: "CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY COMPANY / FILE OR CLAIM / FORM 101.." includes logo which reads: "CANADIAN PACIFIC / RAILWAY / STEAMSHIPS / COMMUNICATIONS / HOTELS . / EXPRESS / WORLD'S / GREATEST / TRAVEL SYSTEM"

Letter from Brigadeer Colin Fox to May Bateman

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription15129

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 8 Aug. 1943

Collection/Fonds: E.W. Bateman family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 p. + envelope

Scope and Content: Item consists of a letter written by Colin Rhodes Fox of the Royal Canadian Artillery Service to his aunt Marianne "May" Bateman while serving overseas during World War II. Colin Fox served in the 13th Canadian Field Regiment, 44th Canadian Field Battery. Letter is written on Salvation Army station…

2 images

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: E.W. Bateman family fonds

Series: Bateman family World War II letters series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 p. + envelope

Scope and Content: Item consists of a letter written by Colin Rhodes Fox of the Royal Canadian Artillery Service to his aunt Marianne "May" Bateman while serving overseas during World War II. Colin Fox served in the 13th Canadian Field Regiment, 44th Canadian Field Battery. Letter is written on Salvation Army stationery. In his letter, Colin describes his time on leave that he spent in London; tells of how he plans to travel to Scotland on his next leave and letters and parcels that he's received from family members.

Subjects: Wars - World War, 1939-1945; Documentary Artifacts - Letters and Envelopes

Names: Bateman, Marianne May; Fox, Colin Rhodes

Accession Code: BV020.27.17

Access Restriction: Restricted access

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: 8 Aug. 1943

Media Type: Textual Record

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 10-Feb-2021

Scale: 100

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Stationery insignia in red ink on envelope and writing paper reads: logo of "The Salvation Army" / with the Canadian Active Service Forces" + logo of "The Salvation Army" / "Keep in touch with the folks at home" / ON ACTIVE SERVICE / with the / CANADIAN FORCES"; Address on front of envelope reads: "Miss M. Bateman / 3896 W. 25th Ave. / Vancouver B.C. / Canada"; Return address on verso of envelope reads: "K 19022 Bdr. C.R.Fox / 44th Fld. Bty. / 13th Fld. Reg't. R.C.A. A.F. / Canadian Army Overseas"; Stamp in blue ink on outside cover of air mail letter reads: "13 FD. RECT. R.C.A. / OUT GOING MAIL"; Circular post mark stamp on front of envelope reads: "FIELD POST OFFICE 484 / AU 9 / 43"; Typewritten note on back of page one reads: "Thought you might like / to read this; will you/ please send it back / as I'll be answering / it one of these days"

Images

Letter from Brigadeer Colin Fox to May Bateman, 8 Aug. 1943 thumbnail

Letter from Sergeant Colin Fox to May Bateman

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription15130

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 19 Oct. 1943

Collection/Fonds: E.W. Bateman family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 p. (double sided and folded) + envelope

Scope and Content: Item consists of a letter written by Sergeant Colin Rhodes Fox of the Royal Canadian Artillery Service to his aunt Marianne "May" Bateman while serving overseas during World War II. Colin Fox served in the 13th Canadian Field Regiment, 44th Canadian Field Battery. In his letter, Colin describes a w…

2 images

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: E.W. Bateman family fonds

Series: Bateman family World War II letters series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 p. (double sided and folded) + envelope

Scope and Content: Item consists of a letter written by Sergeant Colin Rhodes Fox of the Royal Canadian Artillery Service to his aunt Marianne "May" Bateman while serving overseas during World War II. Colin Fox served in the 13th Canadian Field Regiment, 44th Canadian Field Battery. In his letter, Colin describes a wedding that he attended for his friend named "Frosty"; a picture show that he saw "Trouble in the North Atlantic" and how he plans to spend his next leave outside of London, possibly travelling up to Sheffield.

Subjects: Wars - World War, 1939-1945; Documentary Artifacts - Letters and Envelopes

Names: Bateman, Marianne May; Fox, Colin Rhodes

Accession Code: BV020.27.18

Access Restriction: Restricted access

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: 19 Oct. 1943

Media Type: Textual Record

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 10-Feb-2021

Scale: 100

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Address on front of envelope reads: "Miss M.M. Bateman / 3896 W. 25th Ave. / Vancouver B.C. / Canada" and note at top reads: "C.H. (A.F.)"; Return address on verso of envelope reads: "K 19022 Sgt. C.R.Fox / 44th Fld. Bty. / 13th Fld. Reg't. R.C.A. / Canadian Army Overseas"; Stamp in blue ink on verso of envelope reads: "13 FD. RECT. R.C.A. / OUT GOING MAIL"; Circular post mark stamp on front of envelope reads: "FIELD POST OFFICE 487 / OC 21/ 43"

Images

Letter from Sergeant Colin Fox to May Bateman, 19 Oct. 1943 thumbnail

The Fraser Canyon and Okanagan

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription66720

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [194-]

Collection/Fonds: Maurice Phillips collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 map : col. on paper ; 42.5 x 49 cm, folded to 23 x 10 cm

Scope and Content: Item is a map of "the Fraser Canyon and Okanagan / Scenic Highway Loop of British Columbia, Canada" published by the British Columbia Government Travel Bureau, Department of Trade and Industry.

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [194-]

Collection/Fonds: Maurice Phillips collection

Physical Description: 1 map : col. on paper ; 42.5 x 49 cm, folded to 23 x 10 cm

Material Details: Scale not indicated

Description Level: Item

Record No.: MSS158-003

Accession Number: 2011-13

Scope and Content: Item is a map of "the Fraser Canyon and Okanagan / Scenic Highway Loop of British Columbia, Canada" published by the British Columbia Government Travel Bureau, Department of Trade and Industry.

Media Type: Cartographic Material

Notes: Transcribed title

Burnaby Lk

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1000

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [before 1973]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.0 x 11.3 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a destination sign that reads "Burnaby Lk" on a British Columbia Electric Railway tram. Just below the sign is a label that reads, "BCER 1231-B48." An earlier catalogue record notes the nameplate would have been placed at the front or back of the tram that could have travelled betwe…

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.0 x 11.3 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a destination sign that reads "Burnaby Lk" on a British Columbia Electric Railway tram. Just below the sign is a label that reads, "BCER 1231-B48." An earlier catalogue record notes the nameplate would have been placed at the front or back of the tram that could have travelled between Vancouver and Burnaby.

Subjects: Transportation - Electric Railroads

Names: British Columbia Electric Railway Company

Accession Code: HV973.41.9

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: [before 1973]

Media Type: Photograph

Related Material: For an earlier donation made by the same donor in regards to BCER tram, see accession HV972.202.

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2023-05-16

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Tram no. 1218 on the Westminster Line

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1242

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [194-?] (date of original)

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 19.5 x 23 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of British Columbia Electric Railway Company tram no. 1218 travelling along the Westminster Line with a destination board sign that reads "WESTMINSTER" and a second train in the distance is travelling along a second track. A man is visible walking along the wooden platform to the left of…

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 19.5 x 23 cm print

Scope and Content: Photograph of British Columbia Electric Railway Company tram no. 1218 travelling along the Westminster Line with a destination board sign that reads "WESTMINSTER" and a second train in the distance is travelling along a second track. A man is visible walking along the wooden platform to the left of the second set of tracks.

Subjects: Transportation - Electric Railroads

Names: British Columbia Electric Railway Company

Accession Code: BV992.23.35

Access Restriction: Restricted access

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: [194-?] (date of original)

Media Type: Photograph

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 01-Jun-09

Scale: 100

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Tram no. 1218 on the Westminster Line, [194-?] (date of original) thumbnail

Interurban tram no. 1233

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription10546

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [before 1953]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w negative ; 7 x 11 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of British Columbia Electric Railway Company interurban tram no. 1233 travelling along the tracks in the snow.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w negative ; 7 x 11 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of British Columbia Electric Railway Company interurban tram no. 1233 travelling along the tracks in the snow.

Subjects: Transportation - Electric Railroads

Names: British Columbia Electric Railway Company

Accession Code: BV005.15.3

Access Restriction: Restricted access

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: [before 1953]

Media Type: Photograph

Related Material: Original negative for this photograph is in accession BV005.15.3

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 01-Jun-09

Scale: 100

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Interurban tram no. 1233, [before 1953] thumbnail

Interview with John Gordon Davis November 21, 2002 - Tape 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription13082

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1940-1989] (interview content), November 21, 2002 (interview date), digitized in 2020

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Oral History collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 audio cassette (50 min., 53 sec)

Scope and Content: Recording is an interview with (John) Gordon Davis conducted by Mabel F. Nichols with her husband Jack Nichols. Mabel is interviewing Gordon as part of a research project to provide background information to the Burnaby Village Museum who are accepting a donation of Gordon's wife Anne's World War I…

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Oral History collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 audio cassette (50 min., 53 sec)

Material Details: Interviewer: Mabel F. Nichols and husband Jack Nichols Interviewee: John Gordon Davis Location of Interview: New Westminster Interview Date: November 21, 2002 Total Number of tracks: 2 (side A & B of audio cassette) Total Length of all Tracks: 50 min., 53 sec.

Scope and Content: Recording is an interview with (John) Gordon Davis conducted by Mabel F. Nichols with her husband Jack Nichols. Mabel is interviewing Gordon as part of a research project to provide background information to the Burnaby Village Museum who are accepting a donation of Gordon's wife Anne's World War II nursing uniform. Gordon provides background information on his family history and describes his experiences while serving overseas during World War II (WWII) including his experiences as a radar operator and working at a military air squadron repair depot. Gordon also provides biographical information about his wife Anne Davis (nee Williams) and her experiences serving as a military nurse during WWII and their life in Burnaby. Interviewer, Mabel and Jack Nichols also provide anecdotal stories about their own life in Burnaby during the interview. Track 1 - Side A (30:34) 00:00 - 30:34 Interview opens with discussion between interviewer Mabel F. Nichols and Gordon Davis about his wife, Anne Davis' experience working in the nursing corps. Mr. Davis provides background information about working in mining between 1933 and 1940 before training in Ontario to become a radar operator during World War II. Gordon also describes his parents origins and how they moved to Burnaby in 1940 while Gordon headed off to Nova Scotia to serve with the RCAF. Gordon also shares information about his sister Anne Davis who married George L. Davis from Kirkland Lake and how they lived with Gordon's parents in the auto court in Burnaby. He tells of how George L. Davis worked for Dominion Bridge Co. and later as a meat cutter for Safeway near 6th Avenue and Kingsway in Burnaby. Mabel shares her own husband Jack's experiences growing up in Burnaby as the son of butcher, George Nichols, his career as a deisel mechanic and later in the GVRD Engineering Department. Gordon shares that his father, Gilbert died in 1957 and his mother Elizabeth died in 1968 and his older sister Ruth died in 1990. Gordon recollects his wedding day and honeymoon in North Wales in 1945 with his wife Anne. Track 2 - Side B (29:19) 00:00 - 14:37 Gordon continues with his recollections about his wedding and honeymoon in North Wales in 1945. The interviewers, Mabel and Jack discuss the geography of the area sharing their own experiences travelling in 1981 and try to get an idea of where Gordon and his wife were married. They agree that the place was Llandudno. He tells of signing up for another year of Military Service since his wife was still serving in the nursing corps. and describes working North of London at a Military facility to repair aircraft including mosquito bombers. 14:38 - 21: 53 Gordon shares information about working in the Middle East in 1943 while his wife Anne survived the bombing of the Dutch passenger ship, the Marnix that she was travelling on. Gordon tells of how Anne couldn't swim but had a life jacket on and was picked up by a life boat. Anne corresponded with Gordon to let him know that she was alright but had to be cryptic since all letters were censored. Gordon tells of how Anne then travelled to India. Interviewer, Mabel, speaks of her own brother Bill who was picked up in Gibralter and taken to England. 21:54 - 26:18 Gordon recollects first meeting his wife Anne in London and the bombing that occurred during WWII. He tells of how Anne trained as a midwife at the Royal College of Midwives in Yorkshire and how he attended Radio college in Ontario. 26:19- 29:19 Gordon speaks about his experience travelling east on the Queen Mary in World War II and how full the ship was. He says that they were 30 days at sea from May to June in 1942.

History: Interviewee biography: John Gordon Davis was born to Elizabeth Ann Vert (nee Eyres) and Gilbert Davis on September 13, 1913 in North Cobalt, Ontario. Gordon was the second youngest of six children. After graduating from high school he attended Radio College in Toronto. He spent two years prior to World War II working in radio on British ships. In 1940, after retiring, his parents moved to British Columbia. They purchased the Flowerland Auto Court in 1941 at 4212 Douglas Road, Burnaby. During this time, Gordon moved to Ontario and sought employment in radio range stations that were dealing with new technology throughout Europe. He joined the RCAF in 1941. While in London, in May of 1941, he met his future wife Anne Williams. In World War II, Anne served as a nurse in Queen Alexandra's Imperial Army Nursing Corps. In November 1943, Anne survived the bombing of the Dutch passenger ship, SS Marnix while it sailed in a convoy from England to the Mediterranean. Gordon did many tours throughout the Middle East, Turkey, Egypt, Italy, the Battle of the Bulge, Sarnia before he was known as “surplus to requirement”. Since Anne was still in the nursing corps, Gordon signed on for another year and was sent north of London to a Repair Squadron where he worked on operational repairs of Mosquito bombers which were manufactured in Canada. Anne and Gordon continued their correspondence and eventually married in North Wales on January 23, 1945. Gordon was shipped back to Canada in October of 1945 and moved in with his parents at their auto court on Douglas Road in Burnaby. Anne joined Gordon in Burnaby in April 1946 when her mission was completed. Anne packed up her things in a large trunk that she addressed to Gordon’s parents on Douglas Road. Gordon moved around British Columbia in his work for BC Electric and eventually retired with HB Contracting Ltd. in Surrey working on the BC pipeline between 1953 and 1954. In the late 1950s, Gordon and Anne purchased a home in Burnaby at 1508 6th Street (now 7591 6th Street) which they lived in until 1984. In 1985, Anne and Gordon sold their house in Burnaby and moved to Hyack House in New Westminster. Anne Davis died in 1989 at the age of 76 years. Gordon's father, Gilbert died in 1957 and his mother Elizabeth Ann Verta died in 1968. Interviewer biography: Mabel F. Nichols (nee Lawrence) was one of six children born in Hope [ca.1932] to Elmer E. Lawrence and Louise (nee Pennier). Elmer and Louise married in Yale B.C. in 1916. Mabel’s mother, Louise Pennier was part of the Sts'ailes Nation (Chehalis First Nation). Elmer and Louise had three sons and three daughters. Both of Mabel’s parents died in Langley in 1960. Mabel married Jack (John) Nichols [between 1959 and 1960]. They lived at 6004 Wilson Street, Burnaby in 1959; 4910 Willingdon Avenue [between 1960 and 1962] and 4662 Hazel Street [between 1963 and 1987] before moving to Surrey. Jack Nichols' parents, George and Alma Nichols owned and operated Nichols Family Meat Market at 4018 Kingsway (later renumbered 4500 Kingsway). The family lived behind the butcher shop.

Subjects: Wars - World War, 1939-1945; Occupations - Nurses; Clothing - Uniforms

Names: Davis, John Gordon "Gordon"; Davis, Anne Williams; Davis, Gilbert; Nichols, Mabel F. Lawrence; Nichols Family Meat Market

Accession Code: BV005.37.1

Access Restriction: Restricted access

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Date: [1940-1989] (interview content), November 21, 2002 (interview date), digitized in 2020

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of sound recording; Recording is closed due to poor sound quality; See also: Anne Davis' (nee Williams) WWII nursing uniform- BV003.15.10 & BV03.15.11 & BV003.15.12

Galiano Island, Oak Theatre and Calgary

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription85241

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1939 and 1941]

Collection/Fonds: Digney Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 film clip (9 min., 51 sec.) : digital, col., si.

Scope and Content: Item is a silent digitized colour film segment identified as Reel 7. The film segment opens with footage of the shores of Galiano Island and soon switches to a game of table tennis and a boat ride up Burrard Inlet with Grannie Swan and company. The boat ride continues to the marina at Horseshoe Bay…

1 image 1 video

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: [between 1939 and 1941]

Collection/Fonds: Digney Family fonds

Physical Description: 1 film clip (9 min., 51 sec.) : digital, col., si.

Description Level: Item

Record No.: 562-003-7

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: May be restricted by third party rights

Accession Number: 2014-04

Scope and Content: Item is a silent digitized colour film segment identified as Reel 7. The film segment opens with footage of the shores of Galiano Island and soon switches to a game of table tennis and a boat ride up Burrard Inlet with Grannie Swan and company. The boat ride continues to the marina at Horseshoe Bay where the family goes ashore. This footage is followed with a dark segment of footage of a paegant at the Oak Theatre in 1941 and the gardens of the Oak Theatre. The film has a break and continues with footage of the Digney family travels to the Calgary Breweries, Calgary Zoo, and the Calgary Stampede parade and fairgrounds, Alberta, closing with footage of the Rockies and Rogers Pass.

Subjects: Animals - Birds; Events - Parades

Names: Digney, Andy; Digney, Ernest Frank "Dig"; Digney, Alice

Media Type: Moving Images

Photographer: Digney, Andy

Creator: Digney, Andy

Notes: Title based on contents of film

Geographic Access: Burrard Inlet

Historic Neighbourhood: Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Kingsway-Beresford Area

Images

Video

Galiano Island, Oak Theatre and Calgary, [between 1939 and 1941]

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Moving_Images/_Unrestricted/562-003-7.m4v

Interview with Richard Liu

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20283

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 3 sound recordings (wav) (153 min., 33 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (152 min., 59 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Richard Liu conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 11, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:26:39 Richard Liu shares biographical information about himself and his family in China. He talks about his family being forced…

1 document 1 audio

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: 3 sound recordings (wav) (153 min., 33 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (152 min., 59 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewer: Denise Fong Interviewee: Richard Liu Location of Interview: Love farmhouse at Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: September 11, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 3 Total Length of all Tracks: 02:33:33 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto three separate audio tracks, edited and merged together into one track and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Richard Liu conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 11, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:26:39 Richard Liu shares biographical information about himself and his family in China. He talks about his family being forced out by the communist regime in the early ‘50s and their experiences immigrating to Hong Kong, Europe and Canada. 00:26:40 - 00:32:59 Richard talks about his parents’ experiences living in Toronto, Victoria and Burnaby and shares some of his father’s business accomplishments including establishing the first direct flight to Beijing in 1987 and the first sister city between China and Canada. 00:33:00 – 01:13:59 Richard talks about living in Burnaby and his educational experiences at Thomas More Collegiate. He recalls his experience of travelling to North Korea in 1988 and being a student at Peking University in Beijing during the student-led demonstrations in Tiananmen Square and the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. 01:14:00 – 01:26:16 Richard talks about his education and reflects on how his experiences in Beijing influenced his education and career choices including working in the Prime Minister’s office on trade missions to China and talks about the importance of leaning French. 01:26:17 – 01:48:35 Richard shares his memories and experiences of; being on the Canadian Paralympic Committee during the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games in China, supporting Rick Hansen during his visit to China for the 25th anniversary of the Man in Motion World Tour and working with Team Canada in China for the 2022 Olympic Games. 01:48:36 – 01:52:22 Richard talks about his life in Burnaby after moving back from China in 2014 and the changes he’s noticed since being away. Richard talks about his involvement with St. John Ambulance, his role as the Honorary Brigade Division President and his role as Heritage Commissioner for the City of Burnaby. 02:14:32 – 02:29:27 Richard talks about his investiture to the Order of Saint John in 2023 and reflects on the accomplishments of his great uncle Dr. Shin-Shu Liu (China’s first Ambassador to Canada). 02:29:28 – 02:32:59 In closing Richard imparts some words of wisdom for future generations.

History: Interviewee biography: Richard N. Liu was born in 1970 in Toronto and raised in British Columbia. Richard's family has distinguished Canada-China ties for three generations. His Great-Uncle, Dr. Liu Shih-shun, was China's first Ambassador to Canada in 1942 and his father, Dr. Liu Dun-ren, built relations in education, culture and tourism for three decades including establishing the first Twin Sister City between Canada and China with Victoria and Suzhou in 1980. Richard's maternal great-grandfather, Dr. Wu Han-chi (1872-1913) played an active role in uprisings that shaped the future of modern China, was an elected member of the lower house of the first formal parliament in 1913 and was assassinated on political grounds. Dr. Wu's daughter, Dr. Wu Chi-mei served Dr. Sun Yat-sen, was elected as a Guangzhou City Councillor and visited Vancouver in 1929 and 1932. After graduating from St. Thomas More Collegiate in Vancouver, Richard Liu moved to China to begin his studies at Peking University but in 1989, following the Tiananmen Square protest and massacre, he was evacuated from China and returned to Canada. While back in Canada, Liu completed a BA in East Asian Studies from the University of British Columbia and in 1993, he returned to China to continue his Chinese studies at Peking University and continued to live in China for twenty years. In 2008, Richard worked as Team Canada’s Attaché for the Paralympic Summer Games that took place in Beijing. In 2014, Liu returned to Canada and made his home in Burnaby with his wife and two children. In 2022, Liu returned to Beijing to serve as Mission Staff member for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics. Richard has also played a leading role with the Terry Fox Run, Special Olympics and Rick Hansen's visit to Beijing in 2011. Liu’s areas of expertize include; public relations, diplomacy, major events organization and education. Liu works as an advisor in East Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia and is a MA Candidate at Peking University. Richard founded the Canadian Alumni Network that connects over 16,000 alumni in China who’ve attended Canada's post-secondary institutions. Liu has been a commissioner with the City of Burnaby’s Heritage Commission (2018-2023) and sits on various boards advising companies and organizations on a variety of sectors pertaining to Asia. In 2019, Liu was appointed the Honorary Brigade Division President for St. John Ambulance and was among 13 UBC Alumni to be recognized and awarded the 2018-2019 UBC Alumni Builder Award “For his service, dedication, and contribution to UBC and its alumni community. For his long record of service fostering connections with alumni and students in Beijing and Asia as well as dedication to mentoring students in the Faculty of Arts.” On June 24 2023, Richard was formally invested into the Order of St. John, one of five national orders in the Canadian Honours System. Interviewer biography: Denise Fong is a historical researcher at Burnaby Village Museum. She has degrees in Anthropology (BA) and Archaeology (MA), and is completing her doctoral degree at UBC in Interdisciplinary Studies. Her primary research interests are in Chinese Canadian history and critical heritage studies. She is the co-curator of BVM’s “Across the Pacific” exhibition, and the Museum of Vancouver’s “A Seat at the Table – Chinese Immigration and British Columbia”.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Persons - Chinese Canadians; Migration; Officials; Education; Protests and Demonstrations; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism; Sports; Travel; Religions - Christianity

Names: Canadian Paralympic Committee; Chak, Dr. Po Tin; Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC; Liu, Richard N.; Liu, Dr. Dun-ren; Liu, Dr. Shih-Shun; Gigli, Beniamino; Hansen, Richard Marvin "Rick"; Olympic Games; Paralympic Games; Peking University; St. John Ambulance; St. Thomas More Collegiate; Tiananmen Square; University of British Columbia

Responsibility: Fong, Denise

Accession Code: BV023.16.17

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of item; transcription available

Documents

2023_0016_0017_006

Audio Tracks

Interview with Richard Liu, [1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0017_004.mp3

Interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19348

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 3 sound recordings (wav) (75 min., 56 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (75 min., 57 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of an oral history interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning conducted by Anushay Malik with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. The interview opens with introductions and how the content of the interview can be drawn on by Burnaby Village Museum for future …

1 document 1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Series: Museum Oral Histories series

Subseries: South Asian Canadian Interviews subseries

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 3 sound recordings (wav) (75 min., 56 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (75 min., 57 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewer: Anushay Malik Co Interviewer and technical support: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Dr. Sadhu Binning Location of Interview: Love farmhouse at Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: November 25, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 3 Total Length of all Tracks: (1:15:57) Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto three separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of an oral history interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning conducted by Anushay Malik with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. The interview opens with introductions and how the content of the interview can be drawn on by Burnaby Village Museum for future exhibits and for researchers to learn more about the history of the South Asian community in Burnaby. During the interview, Dr. Binning shares his ancestral background along with his relatives' and his own personal experiences as a South Asian immigrant living and working in British Columbia and Burnaby. Dr. Binning conveys that he’s a Burnaby resident who’s lived in Burnaby since 1973 and that his children were born here. Binning shares his ancestral heritage beginning with his uncle Dhana Singh who emigrated from Punjab to British Columbia in 1931 and began working in the forest industry. He explains how Dhana Singh and another partner owned, operated and worked in small sawmills in the vicinity of Kamloops, Williams Lake and also on Vancouver Island. Binning conveys that in the beginning Dhana Singh and many other South Asian immigrants were not legal residents until 1938. In 1938, about 350 South Asian immigrants (mainly Punjabi) gathered resources to hire a lawyer to obtain permanent residency. Binning mentions that one of the notable South Asians in the group who was also a close friend of his uncle, was Darshan Singh Sangha, a trade unionist who was a founding member of the International Woodworkers of America (IWA) union and an active member of the Communist Party of Canada. Binning conveys how Darshan Singh Sangha returned to India in 1947 to be a part of the revolution, how he was very active in the communist movement in India. While in India, Darshan Singh Sangha, was known as Canadian and thereby adopted “Canadian” as his surname, becoming “Darshan Singh Canadian”. Binning further explains that his uncle Dhana Singh Sangha returned to India in 1951, married and came back to B.C. in 1957 bringing with him, his wife and children. In 1960, with the support of his uncle, Binning’s father, Jit Singh Binning immigrated to British Columbia and began working in sawmills in the lower mainland, Kamloops, Quesnel and on Vancouver Island. Binning clarifies that his uncle, Dhana Singh was able to immigrate to Canada with the support of his cousins from the Tarker Singh Bains family. Binning further describes Darshan Singh Sangha’s involvement with the Communist party and the IWA and how the majority of the members were from the forest industry. As an active and prominent member of the labour movement, Darshan Singh Sangha fought for the rights of South Asians and Chinese who working in the industry and facing racism, unfair wages and discriminatory practices. Binning describes how Darshan Singh Sangha wrote a book in English in 1943, titled “Rise of the New Asia”. Binning conveys how immigrants of Chinese and South Asian decent didn’t have the right to vote in British Columbia and how Darshan Singh Sangha was instrumental in obtaining the right to vote in British Columbia, although he was never given the credit. Binning describes his uncle Dhana Singh as a likeable guy with many friends, first living in Kamloops before moving to Vancouver. Binning imparts how the sport of wrestling is a popular Punjabi sport along with Punjabi kabaddi. He conveys that his uncle became involved in wrestling while working in sawmills. South Asian immigrants had to do physical labour working in sawmills, the work could be tough and could often lead to physical fights. A number of South Asian immigrants working in the mills already had experience as wrestlers from back home. Dhana Singh later left the lumber industry to work in the agriculture sector. Binning explains how immigration rules changed in the 1960s which lead to larger numbers of South Asians immigrating to Canada. Many of these new immigrants were educated and politically conscious. All of these new immigrants faced racism but being politically conscious from an independent India and with the ability to speak English they organized themselves to fight for their rights. Binning imagines the items that his uncle and his father may have brought with them in their suitcase when immigrating to Canada. Binning describes three items, including a rajai (a blanket with cotton inside that is sewn together), a bistra (small attaché case or trunk) and a piece of cloth to lie on. Binning further describes the roles in Indian society as caste divisions and that it was usually women’s work in making the rajais. Binning recollects the locations that his father and his family lived after coming to Vancouver. Binning explains that a few years after living together in Vancouver, he and his family moved to Burnaby in 1973 to be closer to his Dr. Binning’s wife, Jagdish Binning’s family. Dr. Binning and family lived in a house in Burnaby located on Irmin Street near Royal Oak between 1973 and 1987. While living at this house their children attended McPherson Park Junior High School and later Burnaby South Secondary School. Binning reflects on some of the racism that he and his family have faced while living in Burnaby which led him to write a poem that he published in 1994 titled “No More Watno Dur”. Binning explains the meaning of the title “Watan” meaning “country and everybody” “a country far way from the motherland”. Binning explains the origins of the magazine “Watan” that was started by a friend in 1973. The magazine got its roots in Vancouver in 1973 from an organization called the “Punjabi Literary Association”. Binning became the editor of the magazine in 1976 and his friend joined him as assistant editor in 1978. Binning continued to work as editor until 1983 or 1984 when he returned to school to complete his Bachelor’s degree and Master’s degree. Binning describes the origins of the “Vancouver Sath” that was formed by a small group of South Asians around 1982. Binning was a founding member of the organization and held meetings and rehearsals at his house in Burnaby. Vancouver Sath first started out as an informal discussion forum by a group of politically conscious Punjabi writers and activists. Binning talks about issues and problems that Vancouver Sath addressed including; racism as well as domestic violence in the South Asian community. Binning explains how he and Sukhwant Hundal wrote articles on these issues and others that were happening in the South Asian community in Canada. Binning talks about how in 1983, the group was inspired to begin performing theatrical works after consulting with Gursharan Singh who was from a well known theatrical group from Punjab who were performing in Vancouver. In the beginning the Vancouver Sath’s plays were focused on the problems in Punjab but they soon decided to address social issues in their own South Asian community here in Canada. Binning summarizes and draws attention to, some of the plays that Vancouver Sath has written and performed including; “Picket Line”, about Punjabi women farmworkers’ rights; “Lattan de Bhoot”, about domestic abuse; “A Crop of Poison”; “Kihda Viah” (English translation- “Whose Marriage”) about arranged marriage and others about social issues in the South Asian community. The plays were performed in public schools and community centres in Vancouver and Richmond, Simon Fraser University and some were also performed in Toronto, Calgary and Williams Lake. Binning mentions some of the traditional foods that he likes to eat and where he and his family have shopped to find ingredients. He recalls how his mother, Gurmaje Kaur Binning did all of the cooking and was often cooking all day long. In the sixties, the Binning family address on 13th Avenue in Vancouver was also used as a postal address for many friends and family who’d recently immigrated. When these friends dropped by to pick up their mail, his mother often provided them with tea and food. After Binning and his wife, Jagdish moved to their own home in 1973, he shared in some of the shopping and cooking but his wife did the majority of the work due to his busy schedule. The interview closes with Binning providing an explanation of how “Watno Dur” magazine changed it’s name to “Watan” magazine. Binning reflects on how this came to be, when he made the decision to get an education in Canada and to stay here, not just as a “Canadian” but as a “Punjabi Canadian.

History: Interviewee biography: Dr. Sadhu Binning was born on May 10, 1947 to mother Gurmej Kaur and father Jeet Singh Binning. Due to lack of proper records management in India at the time of his birth, it is believed that he was actually born sometime in December of 1947. He grew up alongside two brothers and one sister in a village located in Kapurthala, Punjab. Dr. Binning attended secondary school in the nearby city of Phagwara, Punjab although he did not complete his education here. Throughout his childhood, he enjoyed reading both Punjabi and Hindi novels and learned how to read Urdu as well. Dr. Binning’s uncle, Dhana Singh immigrated to Canada in 1933 and returned to India in 1953. When Dhana Singh returned to Canada in 1957, he sponsored Dr. Binning’s father, Jeet Singh Binning to immigrate. Dhana Singh co-owned a few saw mills in British Columbia and also worked in the truck driving industry. Dr. Binning remembers that some people who had lived in Canada would visit their village and that they appeared to be strong and healthy and looked happy. He also noticed that they would eat meat, so whenever they would visit there would be meat available. In 1967, when he was nineteen and a half years old, Dr. Binning immigrated Canada to join his father. He recalls his father and uncle and a friend arriving at the airport to pick him up. During his first few days, Dr. Binning made the decision to remove his turban and beard upon receiving advice from his uncle. Dr. Binning first obtained work on a farm in Abbotsford, working alongside his mother. While working, Dr. Binning also attended English classes in Vancouver. Dr. Binning’s Uncle Dhana Singh worked in a Vancouver saw mill and tried to help find work for his nephew but was unsuccessful. Dr. Binning soon found work at a saw mill in Avola and worked there until the end of the summer until a friend helped find him work in a saw mill in North Vancouver. During his free time, he enjoyed camping with friends. In 1970, Dr. Binning left the saw mill after obtaining a job at the post office. The post office offered lower wages than working at the mill but Dr. Binning believed that he would become more educated working here. While working as a postman, Dr. Binning recalls facing a lot of discrimination and racism and was often referred to as a ‘Paki’ multiple times a day. In 1973, Dr. Binning married Jagish Sihota. Sadhu and Jagdish originated from nearby villages in India and met each other in Canada. Dr. Binning’s wife, Jagdish worked at the Royal Bank of Canada for thirty years until her retirement. While working, she also looked after the household and their son and daughter. Jagdish also handwrote a magazine, “Watno Dur’ (English translation: ‘away from homeland’) which was distributed in the community. In 1976, Dr. Binning became the editor of the magazine and the name was later changed to “Watan’ as they had accepted their new homeland of Canada. While working at the post office, Dr. Binning also attended night school starting in eighth grade. After receiving his high school diploma, he was accepted to Simon Fraser University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Anthropology and Sociology and in 1986 he obtained a Masters degree from Simon Fraser University. While attending university, Dr. Binning was very active within the community and wanted to work to improve society. He first thought that he would return to India to contribute and improve rights in his homeland but upon seeing the prevalence of the movements in Canada, he realized that work needed to be done here too. In 1983, Dr. Binning became a founding member and contributor to a theatrical collective known as “Vancouver Sath”. The theatrical group produced plays that represented societal issues and were invited to perform at multiple conferences throughout British Columbia and Canada. The group focused and acknowledged the many issues in Punjab and in Canada. One of the plays that the group produced focused on the exploitation of Punjabi women who worked on farms in Canada. Dr. Binning continued to be involved as an integral member of Vancouver Sath until 1995. Over the years, Dr. Binning has strongly lobbied for Punjabi language education and between 1988 and 2008 he worked as Punjabi instructor at the University of British Columbia. He first worked as a teaching assistant at UBC under Dr. Harjot Oberoi and due to low wages, he simultaneously worked at the Post Office. In 2019, Dr. Binning received an Honorary Doctor of Letters from UBC in recognition of his work. Since 1973, Dr. Binning has lived in Burnaby and has resided in the same home that he and his wife Jagdish purchased in 1987. In his free time, he enjoys cycling, watercolour painting, travelling abroad and going on road trips. Interviewer biography: Anushay Malik is labor historian with a geographical focus on South Asia. Anushay studied at the University of London and was a research fellow at the International Institute of Social History in Amsterdam, Netherlands. In 2014, Anushay moved back to her native Pakistan and joined Lahore University of Management Services as an Assistant Professor. In 2023, Anushay is a visiting scholar at Simon Fraser University and lives in Burnaby with her family. Anushay was a co-curator of the Burnaby Village Museum exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Industries - Logging/lumber; Industries - Forestry; Foods; Migration; Organizations - Societies and Clubs; Organizations - Unions; Persons - South Asian Canadians; Performances; Performances - Dramatic Performances; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism

Names: Binning, Dr. Sadhu; Binning, Gurmaje Kaur; Binning, Jit Singh; Binning, Jagdish; Sangha, Darshan Singh; Canadian Farmworkers Union; Hundal, Sukhwant; Sangra, Harjinder; Singh, Dhana; Vancouver Sath

Responsibility: Petrusa, Kate; Malik, Anushay

Accession Code: BV022.29.3

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcription available on Heritage Burnaby

Documents

2022_0029_0003_005

Audio Tracks

Interview with Dr. Sadhu Binning, [1931-2022] (interview content), interviewed 25 Nov. 2022

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0003_004.mp3

Train travelling along the track

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1704

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [between 1930 and 1949]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7 x 7 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified train travelling along an unidentified track.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7 x 7 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified train travelling along an unidentified track.

Subjects: Transportation - Rail

Accession Code: BV985.6114.98

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [between 1930 and 1949]

Media Type: Photograph

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2024-03-26

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Train travelling along the track

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1705

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [between 1930 and 1949]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7 x 7 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a steam locomotive travelling along an unidentified track.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7 x 7 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a steam locomotive travelling along an unidentified track.

Subjects: Transportation - Locomotives; Transportation - Rail

Accession Code: BV985.6114.99

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [between 1930 and 1949]

Media Type: Photograph

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2024-03-26

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Train travelling along the track

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1706

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [between 1930 and 1949]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 5.5 x 8 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified train travelling along an unidentified track.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : sepia ; 5.5 x 8 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified train travelling along an unidentified track.

Subjects: Transportation - Rail

Accession Code: BV985.6114.100

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [between 1930 and 1949]

Media Type: Photograph

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2024-03-26

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Train travelling along the track

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1708

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [between 1930 and 1949]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 5.5 x 8 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a train travelling along track that crosses over a river and through a mountain range. The location has not been identified.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 5.5 x 8 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of a train travelling along track that crosses over a river and through a mountain range. The location has not been identified.

Subjects: Transportation - Rail; Geographic Features - Rivers

Accession Code: BV985.6114.102

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [between 1930 and 1949]

Media Type: Photograph

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2024-03-26

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

Images

Train travelling along the track

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1710

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [between 1930 and 1949]

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7 x 7 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified train travelling along an unidentified track.

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; 7 x 7 cm

Scope and Content: Photograph of an unidentified train travelling along an unidentified track.

Subjects: Transportation - Rail

Accession Code: BV985.6114.104

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [between 1930 and 1949]

Media Type: Photograph

Scan Resolution: 600

Scan Date: 2024-03-26

Notes: Title based on contents of photograph

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