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Interview with Ron Smitherman by Eric Damer November 15, 2012 - Track 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory403

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1945-1979

Length: 0:08:43

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to Ron Smitherman's memories of his early years in construction. Ron discusses what it was like to be in construction during the postwar era. He also discusses his father's work as a carpenter and the changes that occurred with the introduction of electric car…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to Ron Smitherman's memories of his early years in construction. Ron discusses what it was like to be in construction during the postwar era. He also discusses his father's work as a carpenter and the changes that occurred with the introduction of electric carpentry tools.

Date Range: 1945-1979

Photo Info: Ron Smitherman, [199-]. Item no. 549-065.

Length: 0:08:43

Subjects: Construction Tools and Equipment

Interviewer: Damer, Eric

Interview Date: November 15, 2012

Scope and Content: Recording is an interview with Ron Smitherman conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, November 15, 2012. Major theme discussed: building construction and development in Burnaby.

Biographical Notes: Born in 1933 and raised in Vancouver, Ron Smitherman learned the construction trade from his father, upgrading his knowledge and skills as techniques and materials changed and improved. Ron built houses and commercial buildings in Burnaby and elsewhere during the nineteen-forties, fifties and sixties. In 1969 Ron and his family settled in Burnaby where he shifted his business to real estate.

Total Tracks: 6

Total Length: 0:46:51

Interviewee Name: Smitherman, Ron

Interview Location: Burnaby Village Museum

Interviewer Bio: Eric Damer is a lifelong British Columbian born in Victoria, raised in Kamloops, and currently residing in Burnaby. After studying philosophy at the University of Victoria, he became interested in the educational forces that had shaped his own life. He completed master’s and doctoral degrees in educational studies at the University of British Columbia with a particular interest in the history of adult and higher education in the province. In 2012, Eric worked for the City of Burnaby as a field researcher and writer, conducting interviews for the City Archives and Museum Oral History Program.

Collection/Fonds: Community Heritage Commission Special Projects fonds

Series: Burna-Boom Oral History Project series

Transcript Available: None

Media Type: Sound Recording

Images

Ron Smitherman, [199-]. Item no. 549-065. thumbnail

Audio Tracks

Track one of recording of interview with Ron Smitherman

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS171-025/MSS171-025_Track_1.mp3

Interview with Surjeet Kaur Parmar

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19350

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1905-2022] (interview content), interviewed 6 Dec. 2022

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (75 min., 32 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (75 min., 32 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Surjeet Kaur Parmar conducted by interviewer Anushay Malik. The interview is conducted in Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi. During the interview Surjeet Kaur Parmar provides information on; her ancestral background, family relations in India and…

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: 2 sound recordings (wav) (75 min., 32 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (75 min., 32 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewer: Anushay Malik Interviewee: Surjeet Kaur Parmar Language of Interview: Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi Location of Interview: home of Surjeet Kaur Parmar in Burnaby Interview Date: December 6, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of tracks: (1:15:32) 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 Surjeet Kaur Parmar conducted by interviewer Anushay Malik. The interview is conducted in Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi. During the interview Surjeet Kaur Parmar provides information on; her ancestral background, family relations in India and Canada, her personal experiences and her ancestors’ stories as South Asian immigrants, reflections on and personal experiences of racial discrimination as a South Asian immigrant, her places of residence, her employment background, her cultural practices and traditions including food, clothing and craft. The interview begins with introductions from interviewer Anushay Mailik. Surjeet Kaur Parmar imparts her own family’s migration story beginning with her very first elders that immigrated to Canada from India. A relative (unnamed) immigrated to Canada first and a few years later (around 1905) returned to India and brought back three cousins that included; Ginaya Singh (Ghania Singh Manhas) and Doman Singh . Mayo Singh (Ghania Singh’s younger brother) came in 1906 on his own to join them. Surjeet’s grandfather (Shair/Sher Singh Manhas) also wanted to immigrate at this time, but he was too young and weak to manage such a long trip. Surjeet conveys that while living in British Columbia, Mayo and Ginaya Singh worked together at saw mills. With their knowledge and understanding of mill work they ended up owning and operating a mill in Paldi near Duncan on Vancouver Island. At this time, most of the men from Surjeet’s family region in Punjab were abroad and with no men living at home. Mayo Singh’s father (Bhulla Singh) looked after her father (Lashman Singh Manhas) and paternal uncle (Kashmir Singh Manhas) back in Punjab. When Mayo’s father died, Mayo Singh adopted her paternal uncle (Kashmir Singh) and brought him to Canada in 1926. Surjeet describes her ancestors’ immigration journey from India to Canada. They all travelled by ship and if someone ran out of money en route, they could work on the ship. Surjeet explains that both Mayo and Ginaya Singh are Surjeet’s grandfather’s first cousins and her father’s second cousins. Surjeet recollects her grandfather (Shair/Sher Singh Manhas) saying “now that you’ve arrived there, take one cousin from each side with you”. Surjeet explains that the cousins were all from the same village in Punjab and her great grandfather wanted someone to go abroad, so he sent a few and had them bring more as the years went on. Surjeet says that she’s uncertain as to why they chose Canada rather than America but thinks that they did some form of research and determined that it was a good place to come to. Surjeet admits that she doesn’t know the name of her paternal grandfather or other elders since she never met them. Surjeet shares that it was a traditional practice to mark pots and pans with family names and imparts that she discovered her father’s name “Lashman Singh” written on the bottom of a glass. Surjeet expresses that she’s marked her own pots and pans with her name to identify which ones are hers when she gets together with family or does catering. Surjeet refers to a kohl bottle that she has and how she’d like to offer it to the museum. She explains how the kohl bottle is no longer in use but was used by her mother (Budhan Kaur Manhas) and daughter and her grandchildren. Surjeet describes a blanket that she made called a “phulkari”, now on display in a small museum in Coquitlam, a wedding shawl, that her daughter now owns and a silk sari with embroidery. Surjeet and Anushay discuss the possibility of donating the kohl bottle and the sari to the museum. Surjeet explains how the kohl is used and how her mother used to make kohl. She describes how you rub the kohl with your hands, put cardamom in it, one or two other ingredients and fill the kohl bottle up with water. Surjeet says that she used kohl as eyeliner when living in India. The interviewer asks Surjeet more about Ginaya Singh. Surjeet conveys that Ginaya Singh ended up leaving the mill on Vancouver Island and moved to Vancouver. After Ginaya Singh died from a heart attack (in 1953) his family moved from Vancouver to Burnaby. Surjeet recalls that following the death of Ginaya Singh’s youngest son, her family didn’t celebrate “Lohri” (a winter festival celebrating newborns and newly married people) for three years. She shares that she was very young at this time but remembers there being beautiful photographs of young children all dressed up and displayed in her family home. She expresses that dressing up for photos has changed over time and adds that suits didn’t really come into fashion until after the 1970s or 1980s. Surjeet conveys that her uncle named Kashmira Singh first worked at the mill in Paldi near Duncan then moved to Vancouver and opened up his own mill in North Vancouver. Surjeet’s father, Lashman Singh Manhas arrived in 1953. Surjeet expresses that Kapoor Singh was educated and worked as a manager at the mill on Vancouver Island. Surjeet recollects meeting Mayo Singh, his wife and eldest son in 1952 when they travelled to India for a cousin’s wedding. Surjeet remembers that Mayo Singh’s family had a very large house in India. She describes the house as a very opulent two story house with indoor plumbing for a bathtub, a kitchen with a woodstove, coloured mirrors, bejeweled curtains, a motor room to park cars, a buffalo and more. Surjeet refers to Nand Singh, a younger brother of Mayo Singh, who travelled from India to San Franciso and spent a year wandering around before deciding to return to India. She describes him as living in Bombay with his wife Vishan Kaur and having a transport business. Nand had two kids that came to Canada. Surjeet recollects the tragic death of Ganda Singh (Ginaya Singh) who died of a heart attack on someone’s doorstep, they thought that he was drunk so didn’t open the door. Surjeet conveys that Mayo Singh’s wife, Mission Kaur (Saradani Bishan Kaur) died while visiting India (in 1952) and that some of Mayo’s sons were married in Canada and one in India. Surjeet expresses that it was hard for Mayo’s sons to have one of their parents die in India and one die in Canada (Mayo Singh died in B.C. in 1955). Surjeet describes the hospital that Mayo built in the village of Paldi. She mentions that there were festivals and functions that took place there, there were many nurses and doctors. She recalls there being a school where their land was. She recalls that if they got headaches they were treated with medicine and that it didn’t cost much, only a six pence. Surjeet talks about her arranged marriage to Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar. Surjeet explains that her father and brother immigrated to British Columbia first (1953) and after a few months they brought Surjeet and her mother (Budhan Kaur Manhas). She recollects that when she was in Grade 10 and around 17 years of age, her family made plans to travel to India to attend a family wedding. During this time, her father suggested that it would be a good opportunity to take Surjeet with them to find her a husband in India to marry. After meeting and marrying Nadeem Parmar in India, Surjeet and Nadeem moved to England. Surjeet recollects that in order to immigrate to Canada, each family member had to pass a medical exam and how difficult it was. Her two sisters, mother and brother all had to take the test in Delhi. Surjeet recalls living in England with Nadeem. While living in England, Nadeem worked during the day and studied engineering at college in the evening. Surjeet expresses that she liked living in England and was sad to leave. While living there, they enjoyed a close knit Punjabi community and they all lived in the same area. Surjeet states later in her interview that living in Canada was different from living in England. In England, family and friends lived closer together whereas in Canada places were further apart. Surjeet says that while living in England she could walk to do her shopping. While living in England, after her children were a bit older, she worked as a seamstress in a shirt factory for a few years before coming to Canada. Surjeet imparts that her father (Lashman Singh Manhas) died of a heart attack in 1970 and her mother (Budhan Kaur Manhas) died in 1998. Her father and her family first lived in North Vancouver and then her parents bought a house on Eton Street in Burnaby, near the Ocean. After her father died, her brother and mother bought a house and moved to the Capitol Hill neighbourhood in Burnaby. In 1973, Surjeet, Nadeem and their two children immigrated to Canada and moved in with her brother and mother. Surjeet includes that her paternal aunt (Koshali Kaur Manhas) and cousins also moved to Burnaby and that her aunt and some of her cousins were sponsored by her son who came earlier. Surjeet recalls that after arriving in Canada she got work sewing in a factory located on Water Street in Gastown. Surjeet recollects travelling to her job by bus. Surjeet shares that she brought saris and quilted blankets “rijai”, not household items, in her suitcase when she came to Canada from England. Surjeet explains that the “rijai” (quilted blankets) were made from cotton from her home village in India. The blankets were made by women and then brought back to her to quilt on her sewing machine. Surjeet recalls that when she returned to Canada (in 1973 with her husband and children) they first lived with her mother and brother on Capitol Hill in Burnaby before moving to a house on Fell Avenue and then to their current home in 1982. In 1981, she worked at “Canadian Window Covering” factory making window coverings. The factory was located in the Brentwood area of Burnaby. Surjeet recalls how the factory became unionized and of how she left the factory and found union work at the Labatt’s brewery (Winery and Distillery Workers Local 300). Surjeet describes the work that she did while working at Labatt’s brewery which was located next to the Royal Columbian Hospital in Burnaby. Around 1995, when the Labatt’s factory closed down in Burnaby, she got union work as a bottle sorter for BDL Brewers Distributor Limited, where bottles were gathered for distribution at Braid Station. Surjeet left this job in 2000. Surjeet talks about traditional foods like bindi, sabji, aam and karela and where she’s shopped to find traditional ingredients for South Asian cuisine. She recollects how at first she could only find traditional ingredients at stores in Gastown, Chinatown and on Main Street in Vancouver but now they are more readily available at major grocery stores. Surjeet expresses that traditional spices and dry goods have been hard to find, apart from stores like, Famous Foods and Patels when it was located on Commercial Drive. Surjeet talks about using ingredients such as green pea flour and Besan flour to make pakoras and kahdri. Surjeet states that many immigrants didn’t wear their traditional clothing until she came later. She expresses that many South Asian immigrants didn’t wear their clothes “because there were no rights, we had to try to become like them”. Surjeet conveys that even though some were able to purchase property (she provides an example of family members in Duncan who faced discrimination by the owner/seller of a piece of property they were purchasing) that they had very little rights and they were all living in fear. She expresses that she herself didn’t experience this but in the beginning when people settled here (in B.C.) that it was very difficult. Surjeet says that when she goes to the Gurdwara and to work, she wears a sari and conveys that while working at the factory, she was encouraged to wear a sari, it was accepted then. She brought printed saris to work and her co workers said that they’d wear them to parties. Surjeet reflects on her own experiences of racism and discrimination and expresses that her generation “has learned how to stand up in front, then they got scared of saying anything”. “The people who came here first were afraid because they were alone, they had to settle down here and make a home from scratch, but the ones who came after had everything already built and made”. She explains how they helped one another when they came (to British Columbia). She describes how the Gurdwara was located on 2nd Street and all of the ships went there (new immigrants?), people would gather, get water, help one another and there would be a place for all people. Surjeet shares a personal experience of helping members of her husband’s family to immigrate to Canada. She tells of the complications of some being left behind in India and that some came to Canada as refugees that she and her husband sponsored. Surjeet expresses their struggles with raising a family, working and trying to pay for their own house while also trying to assist and support family members. Surjeet describes in detail how her husband Nadeem went back to India after his mother died to help his father, sister and her family immigrate. She explains that the immigration process took about four years and his father had to apply as a refugee. Nadeem’s sister came with her children but had to return to India so Surjeet and her family had to look after Nadeem’s sister’s child/children. Surjeet expresses that during this time she continued to work at Canadian Window Coverings, working an afternoon shift and sometimes taking her son with her. She expresses that this as a very hectic time, working the whole day, making food for everyone, grocery shopping, looking after a her sister in law’s younger child at night and getting no rest. Surjeet describes the time when she was working and her children were attending the local school. She expresses the challenges of working long days and often arriving home after her children. She recollects a time when there was a snow storm and how she was worried about her children making it home and being alone while she was at work, there were no cell phones in those days but they had phone numbers of her brother and sister. Surjeet tells of how they tried to help the rest of the Nadeem’s family immigrate including his brother who was a soccer player in India. They were able to buy a house for the whole family to live but expresses after several months Nadeem’s brother decided to stay in India. Surjeet expresses the complications and frustrations of trying to bring all family members to Canada.

History: Interviewee biography: Surjeet Kaur Parmar was born in Punjab, India in 1942 to parents Lashman Singh Manhas (1913-1970) and Budhan Kaur Manhas (1906-1998). Surjeet’s ancestors, Ghania Singh Manhas, Doman Singh and Mayo Singh immigrated to British Columbia in 1905 and 1906. The group got work in saw mills and soon began owning and operating their own saw mills, first in Chilliwack and Rosedale districts and later in 1920 on Vancouver Island near Duncan (Paldi) (known as the Mayo Lumber Company). In 1927, Surjeet’s paternal uncle, Kashmir Singh Manhas left Paldi, Punjab at the age of 18 years with Mayo Singh Manhas and after months of travel they arrived at Paldi on Vancouver Island. In 1953, Surjeet’s father, Lashman Singh Manhas and her two brothers immigrated to Canada and soon after brought her and her mother, Budhan Kaur Manhas. After immigrating, her father began working at “Kashmir Lumber Company” in North Vancouver which was owned by his brother Kashmira Singh Manhas. Surjeet, her parents and two brothers first made their home in North Vancouver and the 1960s they moved to 3824 Eton Street in Burnaby. In 1959, Surjeet and her family returned to India for her brother’s wedding. During this time a marriage was arranged for Surjeet to marry Nadeem Parmar and they were married in 1960. Following their marriage, Surjeet and Nadeem moved to England where they began raising their two children. While living in England, Surjeet worked as seamstress at a factory. In 1973, following the death of Surjeet’s father who died in 1970, Surjeet and Nadeem decided to immigrate to British Columbia. For the first few years, Surjeet, Nadeem and their two children lived with her mother and brother in the Capitol Hill neighbourhood of Burnaby before purchasing their own home on Fell Avenue. While living in Burnaby Surjeet has worked as a seamstress for Canadian Window Covering, Labatt's Brewery and BDL Brewers Distributor Limited which she left in 2000. In 1982, Surjeet and her family moved into a new home that they had built on Woodsworth Street where they still live today. 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: Buildings - Industrial - Saw Mills; Clothing; Crafts; Employment; Migration; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism; Occupations - Labourers; Occupations - Millworkers; Persons - South Asian Canadians

Names: Parmar, Surjeet Kaur; Parmar, Kalwant Singh "Nadeem"; Manhas, Ghania Singh; Singh, Mayo; Manhas, Kashmir Singh; Manhas, Sher Singh; Manhas, Budhan Kaur; Manhas, Lashman Singh

Accession Code: BV022.29.5

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1905-2022] (interview content), interviewed 6 Dec. 2022

Media Type: Sound Recording

Related Material: See also BV022.29.1 - interview with Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcription of interview translated to English from Urdu, Hindi and Punjabi to English created by Rajdeep; Transciption available on Heritage Burnaby; Spelling of "Ginaya Singh" found as "Ghania Singh Manhas" in obituary and death certificate

Documents

2022_0029_0005_004

Audio Tracks

Interview with Surjeet Kaur Parmar, [1905-2022] (interview content), interviewed 6 Dec. 2022

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0005_003.mp3

Interview with Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19347

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (m4a) (118 min., 39 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (115 min., 20 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of an oral history interview with Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill and their daughter, Prem Kaur Gill conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep. The interview is conducted in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu. The three members of the Gill family share the…

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: 1 sound recording (m4a) (118 min., 39 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (115 min., 20 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewers: Anushay Malik, Rajdeep Interviewees: Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill Location of Interview: Gill family residence on Warwick Avenue in Burnaby Interview Date: November 11, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: (1:58:39) Digital master recording (m4a) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of an oral history interview with Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill and their daughter, Prem Kaur Gill conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep. The interview is conducted in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu. The three members of the Gill family share their ancestral background, their personal experiences immigrating to Canada, living in Burnaby and working in British Columbia as South Asian immigrants. 00:00 – 27:34 Santokh “Gurmail” Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill share their migration stories and experiences living and working in British Columbia as South Asian immigrants and their eldest child, Prem Kaur Gill shares her own experiences as a child of South Asian immigrants and growing up in British Columbia as a South Asian Canadian. Gurmail Singh Gill was born in the District of Jalandhar and Mohinder Kaur Gill was born in Hoshiapur of the Indian state of Punjab. Gurmail describes how he moved from India to England with his family in 1957, immigrated to Canada from England in 1966, married his wife Mohinder in England in 1968 and brought his family (parents and two siblings) to Canada from England in 1970 and other relatives including his wife’s family in the 1970s and 1980s. Mohinder and Gurmail Gill recollect their arranged marriage in England in 1968, their immigration process and explain how they arrived in Burnaby residing with a cousin at 4649 Georgia Street until they were able to purchase their own home after a few years. Gurmail shares names and connections to the relatives that came to British Columbia before him. Gurmail and Mohinder tell how they lived in the basement of the house and rented out the upper floor to save money. The couple recall what they brought with them when they immigrated to Canada and Mohinder Kaur Gill tells of how before leaving India, she and her mother made a special rajai for her to take with her. Mohinder describes the process of making a rajai (a quilted blanket that was made by hand). Gurmail and Mohinder Gill talk about the challenges that they’ve experienced as new immigrants including not being fluent in English, the cold weather and not having very many family or friends nearby to provide support. They attended the Gurdwara on Ross Street or Akali Singh Sikh Society Gurdwara on Skeena in Vancouver. They explain how there was limited access to grocery stores that supplied Punjabi and Indian spices and other cooking supplies. They talk about how they used a food mill and mortar and pestle to grind their own spices and flour and how Mohinder often made traditional sweets like barfi and laddo and pakoras using pea flour when they couldn’t get Besan flour. 27:35 – 36:11 Gurmail provides more details on his family’s immigration story, including names of relatives, how his six siblings and parents all immigrated to British Columbia in 1970 and how in the early 1970s and mid 1980’s Gurmail and his family sponsored approximately 70 friends and relations from India (including Mohinder’s family) to immigrate to Canada. When Mohinder’s family arrived they lived with them in their house until they were able to purchase property next door and build their own home. Children in the families all attended elementary and high school in Burnaby which now amounts to three generations. 36:12 – 59:28 Gurmail and Mohinder Gill talk about their experiences of racial discrimination. Gurmail recalls members of the South Asian community, Dr. Hari Prakash Sharma, Harinder Mahil and Charan Gill starting the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism. Gurmail tells of how he got involved contributing some of his union dues as a member of CAIMAW (Canadian Association of Industrial Mechanical and Allied Workers Union- Local 15) and as a friend of Charan Gill and Raj Chouhan of the Canadian Farm Workers Union. Gurmail Gill explains how he was a founding member of CAIMAW and treasurer until the union merged with the Canadian Auto Workers Union (in 1991). Mohinder and Gurmail tell of how people from the South Asian community were discouraged from wearing Punjabi dresses or head coverings for fear of being yelled at with racial slurs and how it was often scary to go outside. Many from their community often avoided attending the Akali Singh Gurdwara since a head covering was required and people were afraid of being a target. Gurmail provides details about his work with A1 Steel, how different unions were formed pertaining to various skillsets and jobs per company and how he became a member of CAIMAW Local 15 (foundry workers). Mohinder recollects her experiences as a mother, the daily tasks involved and friends that she made who’d also emigrated from Punjab. Mohinder describes how she designed and sewed many Punjabi dresses using her electric sewing machine and how she learned English by attending adult classes at a church on Commercial Drive. Mohinder and her mother attended the classes for two hours per day for six years at a cost of twelve dollars for ten weeks. Once Mohinder could speak a little English, she started working and was able to practice more. 59:29 – 1:06:08 Mohinder, Gurmail and Prem talk about some of their favourite traditional foods including corn roti and spinach curry and how they grow many of their own vegetables including peppers, eggplant, saag (spinach), onions, garlic, cilantro, zucchini, squash and fenugreek. Mohinder reflects on how access to Punjabi clothing and fabric stores in Vancouver has changed and that ready made food is now more available. Traditional foods were previously made from scratch with women gathering together and cooking for hours and now it’s gotten easier but more expensive and less of a community feel. 1:06:09- 1:55:20 Mohinder and Gurmail Gill discuss and share their perspectives and experiences on raising a family in the past versus today. Gurmail imparts that all of his siblings became educated and secured professional careers while he continued to work in the trades. Prem Kaur Gill shares her own experiences growing up and attending school in Burnaby. Gurmail and Mohinder Gill recall the type of suitcase that they brought with them when they immigrated and how they recently they got rid of it. Gurmail and the group reflect and discuss the confusion with racial identity terms that have been used in this country. They comment that South Asians were referred to as “Hindu” and “East Indian” and Indigenous peoples were referred to as “Indian” and the controversy and racism behind some of these terms. The group discusses the impact of the caste system and other discriminatory experiences and compare their experiences of living in England to living in Canada. Prem comments on how it’s just recently that South Asian customs, celebrations and practices have been recognized and celebrated here in Canada, like Diwali and yoga. They comment on how much of the language, culture and customs have been retained in Surrey where many can still communicate in Punjabi and don’t need to be fluent in English. The group discusses how many South Asians immigrants first lived and worked in Vancouver but with rising property prices many moved to Surrey expanding and establishing a much larger South Asian community with resources. The group discusses and compares the differing travel routes that many of them and their relatives took when immigrating and travelling between India and Canada. The group talks about Rajdeep’s ancestral village in India which is near the Gill village of Firozpur. Gurmail explains the origins and details behind his family name that was changed from “Shergill” to “Gill” and the name “Santokh” from his maternal side.

History: Interviewees' biographies: Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill was born in the District of Jalandhar in Punjab, India. Gurmail moved to England with his family in 1957 and immigrated to British Columbia in 1966. Gurmail married his wife, Mohinder Kaur Gill in England in 1968 and she immigrated to British Columbia from England soon after. Gurmail first lived with a cousin in Burnaby before purchasing a home of his own in Burnaby where he raised his family. Gurmail worked in the steel industry and was a member and treasurer of the CAIMAW before the union merged with the Canadian Auto Workers Union. Mohinder Kaur Gill was born in the Hoshiapur in Punjab, India. She married her husband Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill in England in 1968 and immigrated to Burnaby, British Columbia to join her husband. Mohinder and Gurmail Gill have four children, all born in Burnaby. Prem Kaur Gill was born in Burnaby in 1969 and is the eldest child of Santokh "Gurmail" Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill. Prem grew up and attended school in Burnaby. 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”. Rajdeep was born and raised in the Lower Mainland and is of Punjabi (South Asian) descent. She has an Associate of Arts degree in Asian Studies from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia. She is a student in the Restoration of Natural Systems program at the University of Victoria. Rajdeep works at Simon Fraser University as a Program Assistant and as a researcher with the City of Burnaby. At Burnaby Village Museum, Rajdeep contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Clothing; Foods; Indigenous peoples; Buildings - Religious - Temples; Food Processing Tools and Equipment; Persons - South Asian Canadians; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism; Migration; Occupations; Organizations - Unions

Names: Gill, Prem Kaur; Gill, Mohinder Kaur; Gill, Santokh "Gurmail" Singh

Responsibility: Rajdeep; Malik, Anushay

Accession Code: BV022.29.2

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Transcript available upon request - contact Burnaby Village Museum; Indian Family System Reference notes: Baba = informal way to say grandfather; old man Bibi = informal way to say grandmother; old woman Dada= paternal grandfather Dadi= paternal grandmother Dadke= paternal family members; paternal side (Various spellings might exist for the following terms) Thaiyya= father’s elder brother (uncle) Thaiyyi= father’s elder brother’s wife (aunt) Chacha= father’s younger brother (uncle) Chachi= father’s younger brother’s wife (aunt) Bua= father’s sister (older or younger) (aunt) Phuphar= father’s sister’s husband (uncle) Nana= maternal grandfather Nani= maternal grandmother Nanke/nanka= maternal family members; maternal side Mama= mom’s brother (older or younger) (uncle) Mami= mom’s brother’s wife (aunt) Maasi= mom’s sister (older or younger) (aunt) Maasard= mom’s sister’s husband (uncle)

Audio Tracks

Interview with Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 11 Nov. 2022

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0002_002.mp3

Interview with Alfred Bingham June 10, 1975 - Track 4

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory61

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1912-1926

Length: 0:07:17

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Alfred Bingham's employment from 1912 to 1926, including his years at Balentine Pier.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to Alfred Bingham's employment from 1912 to 1926, including his years at Balentine Pier.

Date Range: 1912-1926

Photo Info: Alfred Bingham, April 20, 1947. Item no. 010-066

Length: 0:07:17

Subjects: Occupations - Labourers

Interviewer: Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: June 10, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is a taped interview with Alfred Bingham by SFU graduate student Bettina Bradbury June 10, 1975. Major themes discussed are: the Depression, Pioneers, and the Co-operative Movement. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: Alfred "Alf" Bingham was born in England in 1892 and moved to Canada in 1912. His first job in Canada was laying track for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) from Edmonton to McBride in 1912. His second was in Vancouver at the Rat Portage Mill on False Creek, working on the Resaw machine. He quit after one week due to poor working conditions. After taking part in the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike as a delegate of the Retail and Mailorder Union (A.F.L.) on the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council, Alfred moved to Burnaby where he and fellow Burnaby residents Angus McLean and Percy Little worked ten hour days to build a Shingle Mill on the edge of Burnaby Lake for Simpson & Giberson. George Green, carpenter and millwright (author of “The History of Burnaby”) also helped in the construction of the mill. Alfred built his own home from lumber cut from the mill in the Lochdale area on Sherlock Street between Curtis Street and Kitchener Street. On April 10, 1920 Alfred married Mary Jane “Ada” Reynolds. Alfred and Ada often took in foster children during their marriage. Due to her nursing experience, Ada was often called upon to deliver babies in the Burnaby area. Alfred and Ada Bingham were instrumental members of the Army of the Common Good, collecting vegetables and grains from growers in the area and even producing over 125 tons of vegetables from its own gardens to feed children and youth suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression years. The army was in operation for ten years and during that time the members organised the Credit Union movement of British Columbia and drew up the Credit Union act thorough the Vancouver Co-operative Council. They also started Co-Op stores and the Co-Op Wholesale Society. Alfred was also Secretary of the Burnaby Housing committee and in 1946 he became the Secretary of the North Burnaby Labour Progressive Party (LPP). Mary Jane “Ada” (Reynolds) Bingham died on August 9, 1969. Her husband Alfred died on April 29, 1979.

Total Tracks: 14

Total Length: 1:57:27

Interviewee Name: Bingham, Alfred "Alf"

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

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Images

Alfred Bingham, April 20, 1947. Item no. 010-066 thumbnail

Audio Tracks

Track four of interview with Alfred Bingham

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-20-1/100-13-20-1_Track_4.mp3

Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19349

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 sound recording (wav) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (49 min., 21 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of an oral history interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. Raj Chouhan shares his ancestral background and personal experiences immigrating to Canada from India in 1973 and living and working in Canada as an immigrant…

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: 1 sound recording (wav) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (49 min., 21 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewer: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Honourable Raj Chouhan Location of Interview: Residence of Honourable Raj Chouhan Interview Date: December 2, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: (00:49:21) Digital master recording (wav) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of an oral history interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. Raj Chouhan shares his ancestral background and personal experiences immigrating to Canada from India in 1973 and living and working in Canada as an immigrant and the organizations that he became involved with. Honourable Raj Chouhan recalls how he arrived in Burnaby with his family in 1973 and that his family worked in farming. Chouhan imparts his first hand experiences as a new immigrant working as a labourer in the farming industry and describes the unsafe and unfair working conditions that he and migrant workers faced. Chouhan conveys how this experience lead him to become an activist for better working conditions for migrant workers. This lead Chouhan and others to form the Canadian Farm Workers Union in 1980. Chouhan recollects his experiences flying from India to Canada with his wife, his first impressions after arriving in Vancouver and driving to Burnaby and what he brought with him. Chouhan explains his connections to Burnaby. Members of Chouhan's wife's family immgrated to Canada in 1957 and his wife and her three brothers joined them in 1970. Chouhan's father in law, Hardial Singh Grewal immigrated in 1957 and became president of the Sikh temple in New Westminster. Hardial Singh Grewal worked in a lumber mill in Vancouver and eventually bought a house in Burnaby. Chouhan married to his wife at the Sikh temple in New Westminster and lived in Burnaby for a period before moving to New Westminster where they could find more affordable housing. Chouhan shares that he first worked as a farm labourer in Abbotsford and then found a job in the sawmill which paid more. Chouhan describes the extreme racism and discrimination that he and other immigrants faced which lead to the formation of the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism under the leadership of Dr. Hari Prakash Sharma. Chouhan describes this organization that he was a part of and the Canadian Farm Workers Union that were both formed in Burnaby. Chouhan shares that he moved to Victoria in 1988 to serve on the Hospital Employee's Union and moved back to the mainland in 1993 and returned to Burnaby in 2001. Chouhan reflects on the history of South Asian immigration in Canada, how many of the migrants settled in the lower mainland including Burnaby, New Westminster and Vancouver establishing temples in Vancouver and New Westminster which became the centre for the South Asian community. He conveys how earlier occupations were limited to farming and millwork and how over time employment opportunities and education have broadened but there is still work to do. He imparts how second generation Canadians’ experiences differ from first generations providing examples of his own daughters’ and the occupations that they are working in. Chouhan provides his insights into the South Asian Canadian experience imparting “We make history every day and that history needs to be recorded and learned from.."... “People from different communities, different backgrounds who lived in Burnaby have contributed so much and South Asians are just like another community and participated in all aspects of social life, cultural, religious, economy. I'm so proud of our community, our forefathers who had that vision to fight for our rights. I'm inspired by people who struggled so much to gain basic rights, like the right to vote". Chouhan refers to these first immigrants as “Gadri Babbas” “revolutionary old people” who were also the main motivation that lead to India becoming a free country in 1947 and for fighting for basic rights here in Canada and how they made their contributions for future generations. Chouhan expresses what he imparts to students “Do not forget your past... if you remember your past then you are much more knowledgeable. Then we know what we need for the future. If we don't know the past, we don't know what the future is going to be like. To make a better future, you have to learn from the past and improve".

History: Interviewee biography: Honourable Raj Chouhan was born in the city of Ludhiana in the Province of Punjab in India and immigrated to Canada in 1973. After arriving in Canada, Raj's family settled in Burnaby. Raj grew up in Burnaby and attended schoool. Honourable Raj Chouhan was elected to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia as the MLA for Burnaby-Edmonds in 2005 and was re-elected in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2020. He was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on December 7, 2020. Honourable Chouhan is the founding president of the Canadian Farmworkers Union and the British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism and has served as a director of the Hospital Employees' Union, the Labour Relations Board of B.C. and the Arbitration Bureau of B.C. Honourable Chouhan has also served as the Vice President of B.C. Human Rights Defenders since 2003 and has taught courses in Human Rights, the B.C. Labour Code and Collective Bargaining since 1987. Interviewer biography: Kate Petrusa is the Assistant Curator at the Burnaby Village Museum. In her role, she manages all aspects of the collection – including caring for physical artifacts and making their digital counterpart accessible. Before coming to Burnaby Village Museum in 2019, Kate has worked at several Museums around the Lower Mainland as a Curator and contractor since 2013.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Persons - South Asian Canadians; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism; Occupations - Agricultural Labourers; Migration; Organizations - Unions; Rights; Rights - Human Rights; Agriculture; Agriculture - Farms; Government - Provincial Government; Government

Names: Chouhan, Raj; British Columbia Organization to Fight Racism; Sharma, Dr. Hari Prakash; Grewal, Hardial Singh; Canadian Farmworkers Union; Hospital Employees Union; Khalsa Diwan Society

Responsibility: Petrusa, Kate

Accession Code: BV022.29.4

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022

Media Type: Sound Recording

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

Documents

2022_0029_0004_003

Audio Tracks

Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan, [1957-2022] (interview content), interviewed 2 Dec. 2022

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0004_002.mp3

Interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr - Track 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory217

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1912-1931

Length: 0:09:52

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's memories of the printing industry, both in Burnaby and in Orangeville, Ontario.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's memories of the printing industry, both in Burnaby and in Orangeville, Ontario.

Date Range: 1912-1931

Photo Info: Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002

Length: 0:09:52

Subjects: Printing Tools and Equipment

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with John Burton at his residence in Surrey by Lynda Mauve Orr, August 24, 1989. This interview focuses on the history of newspaper and printing presses in Canada.

Biographical Notes: John Burton was born in 1912 in New Westminster. He went to Second Street School, then Edmonds, then Saint Anne's Convent, and St. Louis College and Connaught before graduating from Burnaby South School in 1930. While at High School, John worked at Cowan's Music Store at 716 Columbia Street in New Westminster on Saturdays and after school. John Burton's grandfather John Foley was the founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper in Orangeville, Ontario, established in 1861. He ran the paper until his death in 1882, when his son, John Foley Jr. took over as editor and publisher at the age of sixteen. Two of his daughters were involved in the newspaper; Margaret Foley was a regular contributor to the paper, and John Burton's mother was a typesetter. When John Burton was a teenager, he went to Orangeville to learn the trade from his uncle. Unfortunately, he was only there eighteen months when his uncle died December 21, 1932. The family was unable to hold on to the business and the paper amalgamated with the Orangeville Banner newspaper in 1933.

Total Tracks: 7

Total Length: 0:58:44

Interviewee Name: Burton, John

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Images

Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002 thumbnail

Audio Tracks

Track one of interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-001-4/MSS137-001-4_Track_1.mp3

Interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory218

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1912-1932

Length: 0:09:11

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's description of the printing industry. He discusses the manufacturing of printing products; of being assembled in Canada verses being made in Canada.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's description of the printing industry. He discusses the manufacturing of printing products; of being assembled in Canada verses being made in Canada.

Date Range: 1912-1932

Photo Info: Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002

Length: 0:09:11

Subjects: Printing Tools and Equipment

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with John Burton at his residence in Surrey by Lynda Mauve Orr, August 24, 1989. This interview focuses on the history of newspaper and printing presses in Canada.

Biographical Notes: John Burton was born in 1912 in New Westminster. He went to Second Street School, then Edmonds, then Saint Anne's Convent, and St. Louis College and Connaught before graduating from Burnaby South School in 1930. While at High School, John worked at Cowan's Music Store at 716 Columbia Street in New Westminster on Saturdays and after school. John Burton's grandfather John Foley was the founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper in Orangeville, Ontario, established in 1861. He ran the paper until his death in 1882, when his son, John Foley Jr. took over as editor and publisher at the age of sixteen. Two of his daughters were involved in the newspaper; Margaret Foley was a regular contributor to the paper, and John Burton's mother was a typesetter. When John Burton was a teenager, he went to Orangeville to learn the trade from his uncle. Unfortunately, he was only there eighteen months when his uncle died December 21, 1932. The family was unable to hold on to the business and the paper amalgamated with the Orangeville Banner newspaper in 1933.

Total Tracks: 7

Total Length: 0:58:44

Interviewee Name: Burton, John

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Images

Audio Tracks

Track two of interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-001-4/MSS137-001-4_Track_2.mp3

Interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr - Track 4

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory220

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1920-1939

Length: 0:09:00

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's memories of the radio phenomena and its impact on the newspaper business.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's memories of the radio phenomena and its impact on the newspaper business.

Date Range: 1920-1939

Photo Info: Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002

Length: 0:09:00

Subjects: Sound Communication Tools and Equipment

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with John Burton at his residence in Surrey by Lynda Mauve Orr, August 24, 1989. This interview focuses on the history of newspaper and printing presses in Canada.

Biographical Notes: John Burton was born in 1912 in New Westminster. He went to Second Street School, then Edmonds, then Saint Anne's Convent, and St. Louis College and Connaught before graduating from Burnaby South School in 1930. While at High School, John worked at Cowan's Music Store at 716 Columbia Street in New Westminster on Saturdays and after school. John Burton's grandfather John Foley was the founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper in Orangeville, Ontario, established in 1861. He ran the paper until his death in 1882, when his son, John Foley Jr. took over as editor and publisher at the age of sixteen. Two of his daughters were involved in the newspaper; Margaret Foley was a regular contributor to the paper, and John Burton's mother was a typesetter. When John Burton was a teenager, he went to Orangeville to learn the trade from his uncle. Unfortunately, he was only there eighteen months when his uncle died December 21, 1932. The family was unable to hold on to the business and the paper amalgamated with the Orangeville Banner newspaper in 1933.

Total Tracks: 7

Total Length: 0:58:44

Interviewee Name: Burton, John

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Images

Audio Tracks

Track four of interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-001-4/MSS137-001-4_Track_4.mp3

Interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr - Track 5

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory221

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1860-1932

Length: 0:08:48

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's description of the Linotype machine, as well as the history of his grandfather, John Foley, founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's description of the Linotype machine, as well as the history of his grandfather, John Foley, founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper.

Date Range: 1860-1932

Photo Info: Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002

Length: 0:08:48

Names: Foley, John

Subjects: Printing Tools and Equipment; Documentary Artifacts - Newspapers

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with John Burton at his residence in Surrey by Lynda Mauve Orr, August 24, 1989. This interview focuses on the history of newspaper and printing presses in Canada.

Biographical Notes: John Burton was born in 1912 in New Westminster. He went to Second Street School, then Edmonds, then Saint Anne's Convent, and St. Louis College and Connaught before graduating from Burnaby South School in 1930. While at High School, John worked at Cowan's Music Store at 716 Columbia Street in New Westminster on Saturdays and after school. John Burton's grandfather John Foley was the founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper in Orangeville, Ontario, established in 1861. He ran the paper until his death in 1882, when his son, John Foley Jr. took over as editor and publisher at the age of sixteen. Two of his daughters were involved in the newspaper; Margaret Foley was a regular contributor to the paper, and John Burton's mother was a typesetter. When John Burton was a teenager, he went to Orangeville to learn the trade from his uncle. Unfortunately, he was only there eighteen months when his uncle died December 21, 1932. The family was unable to hold on to the business and the paper amalgamated with the Orangeville Banner newspaper in 1933.

Total Tracks: 7

Total Length: 0:58:44

Interviewee Name: Burton, John

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Images

Audio Tracks

Track five of interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-001-4/MSS137-001-4_Track_5.mp3

Interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr - Track 6

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory222

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1485-1814

Length: 0:09:45

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's explanation of the connection between printers and unions throughout history. He also tells the story of the cylinder press being smashed by handpress workmen to protect their jobs at the London Times as well as his own experiences learning on…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to John Burton's explanation of the connection between printers and unions throughout history. He also tells the story of the cylinder press being smashed by handpress workmen to protect their jobs at the London Times as well as his own experiences learning on the Linotype.

Date Range: 1485-1814

Photo Info: Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002

Length: 0:09:45

Subjects: Printing Tools and Equipment

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with John Burton at his residence in Surrey by Lynda Mauve Orr, August 24, 1989. This interview focuses on the history of newspaper and printing presses in Canada.

Biographical Notes: John Burton was born in 1912 in New Westminster. He went to Second Street School, then Edmonds, then Saint Anne's Convent, and St. Louis College and Connaught before graduating from Burnaby South School in 1930. While at High School, John worked at Cowan's Music Store at 716 Columbia Street in New Westminster on Saturdays and after school. John Burton's grandfather John Foley was the founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper in Orangeville, Ontario, established in 1861. He ran the paper until his death in 1882, when his son, John Foley Jr. took over as editor and publisher at the age of sixteen. Two of his daughters were involved in the newspaper; Margaret Foley was a regular contributor to the paper, and John Burton's mother was a typesetter. When John Burton was a teenager, he went to Orangeville to learn the trade from his uncle. Unfortunately, he was only there eighteen months when his uncle died December 21, 1932. The family was unable to hold on to the business and the paper amalgamated with the Orangeville Banner newspaper in 1933.

Total Tracks: 7

Total Length: 0:58:44

Interviewee Name: Burton, John

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Images

Audio Tracks

Track six of interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-001-4/MSS137-001-4_Track_6.mp3

Interview with Toki Miyashita by Rod Fowler February 27, 1990 - Track 9

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory524

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1980-1990

Length: 00:19:08

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Toki Miyashita’s involvement with the Ainu carver Nuburi Toko and her interest in the link between BC’s aboriginals and the Ainu of Japan. She describes Toko’s visits, her arrangement for Toko to meet Haida carver Bill Reid, and the events surrounding Burnaby…

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Toki Miyashita’s involvement with the Ainu carver Nuburi Toko and her interest in the link between BC’s aboriginals and the Ainu of Japan. She describes Toko’s visits, her arrangement for Toko to meet Haida carver Bill Reid, and the events surrounding Burnaby’s sister-city Kushiro’s gift of Toko’s sculptures to Burnaby for the Centennial. She also describes Toko’s appreciation of the Haida totems and the native people of BC, and his gift of a set of carving tools to Chief Saul Terry

Date Range: 1980-1990

Length: 00:19:08

Names: Burnaby Mountain Centennial Park; Burnaby Mountain Park; Kamui Mintara

Subjects: Celebrations - Centennial; Indigenous wood-carving - Totem poles; Woodworking Tools and Equipment

Geographic Access: Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: February 27, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Toki Miyashita, conducted by Rod Fowler. Toki Miyashita was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is about Toki Miyashita’s family’s internment during WWII, her awakening interest in Japanese culture after the war, her subsequent interest in teaching others about Japanese crafts and arts, and becoming a helpful intermediary between Burnaby and visitors from Japan. The interview explores her interest in the Ainu of Japan and their possible link to the aboriginals of BC, her impressions of the Ainu carver Nuburi Toko, and her involvement in the events surrounding the creation of the sculpture “Playground of the Gods” for Burnaby Mountain. The interview also contains interesting details about the art of Japanese flower-arranging. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Toki Miyashita was born in Richmond B.C., ca. 1935, at the Nelson Brothers “fishery”, a second generation Canadian descended from the Oikawa family who settled on Don and Lion Islands (Oikawa-shima). In 1942 the Japanese Canadians in BC were forcibly moved from the coast and their belongings confiscated. Toki Miyashita, her parents, two brothers, and grandparents were first taken to Hastings Park where her father was separated from the family to work in road camps, and the rest of the family were interned in New Denver. Her resourceful grandmother moved the family to land outside the internment camp, growing a large garden from seeds brought with her. In 1946 the family moved to Kamloops and in 1958, after finishing high school, Toki Miyashita moved to Montreal to be with relatives and a small Japanese community. At this time she became interested in Japanese culture and took a Japanese language course at age 22. She learned about Japanese flower-arranging (Ikebana), paper folding (Origami), silk doll making (from a Russian Jew), and how to wear a kimono. She began demonstrating these arts in schools and to other groups, which she continued doing when she, her husband and two young children moved to Burnaby in 1969. Toki Miyashita has been called an unpaid “ambassador” of Japanese culture to the Lower Mainland. She has acted as liaison between Burnaby and her sister city Kushiro in Japan, which involved her in the creation of the Ainu sculpture “Playground of the Gods” on Burnaby Mountain for Burnaby’s Centennial. Toki Miyashita is a recognized Master in Ikebana Sogetsu, a school of flower-arranging, and has served on the board of the Vancouver Ikebana Association. She also served on Burnaby’s Family Court in the 1980s.

Total Tracks: 11

Total Length: 01:34:10

Interviewee Name: Miyashita, Toki

Interviewer Bio: Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.

Collection/Fonds: SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

Transcript Available: Transcript available

Media Type: Sound Recording

Web Notes: Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.

Audio Tracks

Track nine of interview with Toki Miyashita

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-017/MSS187-017_Track_9.mp3

Interview with Toki Miyashita by Rod Fowler February 27, 1990 - Track 10

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory525

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1989-1990

Length: 00:06:41

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Toki Miyashita’s description of how Toko Nuburi and his son [Shusei] worked to create the pole carvings in 1989. She also relates that seeing Toko, a man of the north of Japan, explains her own physical characteristics

1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview is about Toki Miyashita’s description of how Toko Nuburi and his son [Shusei] worked to create the pole carvings in 1989. She also relates that seeing Toko, a man of the north of Japan, explains her own physical characteristics

Date Range: 1989-1990

Length: 00:06:41

Names: Burnaby Mountain Centennial Park; Burnaby Mountain Park; Kamui Mintara

Subjects: Celebrations - Centennial; Ceremonial Artifacts - Totem Poles; Woodworking Tools and Equipment

Geographic Access: Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area

Interviewer: Fowler, Rod

Interview Date: February 27, 1990

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Toki Miyashita, conducted by Rod Fowler. Toki Miyashita was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is about Toki Miyashita’s family’s internment during WWII, her awakening interest in Japanese culture after the war, her subsequent interest in teaching others about Japanese crafts and arts, and becoming a helpful intermediary between Burnaby and visitors from Japan. The interview explores her interest in the Ainu of Japan and their possible link to the aboriginals of BC, her impressions of the Ainu carver Nuburi Toko, and her involvement in the events surrounding the creation of the sculpture “Playground of the Gods” for Burnaby Mountain. The interview also contains interesting details about the art of Japanese flower-arranging. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.

Biographical Notes: Toki Miyashita was born in Richmond B.C., ca. 1935, at the Nelson Brothers “fishery”, a second generation Canadian descended from the Oikawa family who settled on Don and Lion Islands (Oikawa-shima). In 1942 the Japanese Canadians in BC were forcibly moved from the coast and their belongings confiscated. Toki Miyashita, her parents, two brothers, and grandparents were first taken to Hastings Park where her father was separated from the family to work in road camps, and the rest of the family were interned in New Denver. Her resourceful grandmother moved the family to land outside the internment camp, growing a large garden from seeds brought with her. In 1946 the family moved to Kamloops and in 1958, after finishing high school, Toki Miyashita moved to Montreal to be with relatives and a small Japanese community. At this time she became interested in Japanese culture and took a Japanese language course at age 22. She learned about Japanese flower-arranging (Ikebana), paper folding (Origami), silk doll making (from a Russian Jew), and how to wear a kimono. She began demonstrating these arts in schools and to other groups, which she continued doing when she, her husband and two young children moved to Burnaby in 1969. Toki Miyashita has been called an unpaid “ambassador” of Japanese culture to the Lower Mainland. She has acted as liaison between Burnaby and her sister city Kushiro in Japan, which involved her in the creation of the Ainu sculpture “Playground of the Gods” on Burnaby Mountain for Burnaby’s Centennial. Toki Miyashita is a recognized Master in Ikebana Sogetsu, a school of flower-arranging, and has served on the board of the Vancouver Ikebana Association. She also served on Burnaby’s Family Court in the 1980s.

Total Tracks: 11

Total Length: 01:34:10

Interviewee Name: Miyashita, Toki

Interviewer Bio: Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.

Collection/Fonds: SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee fonds

Series: Centennial Oral History project series

Transcript Available: Transcript available

Media Type: Sound Recording

Web Notes: Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.

Audio Tracks

Track ten of interview with Toki Miyashita

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS187-017/MSS187-017_Track_10.mp3

Recording of John Burton - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory210

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1920-1937

Length: 0:09:26

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to John Burton's description of national advertising in early weekly newspapers, with mentions of the Burnaby Post and the Burnaby Broadcast. He also describes the flatbed cylinder press and relates a story of a group of handpress workers who demolish a flatbe…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to John Burton's description of national advertising in early weekly newspapers, with mentions of the Burnaby Post and the Burnaby Broadcast. He also describes the flatbed cylinder press and relates a story of a group of handpress workers who demolish a flatbed cylinder press in order to save their jobs.

Date Range: 1920-1937

Photo Info: Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002

Length: 0:09:26

Subjects: Documentary Artifacts - Newspapers; Printing Tools and Equipment

Scope and Content: Recording is of John Burton discussing the history of the weekly newspaper and of the types of printing presses that have been used in Canada, as well as exactly how their parts function. John appears to be describing printing presses that are in the room with him.

Biographical Notes: John Burton was born in 1912 in New Westminster. He went to Second Street School, then Edmonds, then Saint Anne's Convent, and St. Louis College and Connaught before graduating from Burnaby South School in 1930. While at High School, John worked at Cowan's Music Store at 716 Columbia Street in New Westminster on Saturdays and after school. John Burton's grandfather John Foley was the founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper in Orangeville, Ontario, established in 1861. He ran the paper until his death in 1882, when his son, John Foley Jr. took over as editor and publisher at the age of sixteen. Two of his daughters were involved in the newspaper; Margaret Foley was a regular contributor to the paper, and John Burton's mother was a typesetter. When John Burton was a teenager, he went to Orangeville to learn the trade from his uncle. Unfortunately, he was only there eighteen months when his uncle died December 21, 1932. The family was unable to hold on to the business and the paper amalgamated with the Orangeville Banner newspaper in 1933.

Total Tracks: 5

Total Length: 0:46:18

Interviewee Name: Burton, John

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Images

Audio Tracks

Track two of recording of John Burton

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-001-2/MSS137-001-2_Track_2.mp3

Recording of John Burton - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory211

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1920-1959

Length: 0:09:54

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to John Burton's description of how various presses work, and their use by daily and weekly papers. He describes a press shop, most likely at the Burnaby Village Museum.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to John Burton's description of how various presses work, and their use by daily and weekly papers. He describes a press shop, most likely at the Burnaby Village Museum.

Date Range: 1920-1959

Photo Info: Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002

Length: 0:09:54

Subjects: Documentary Artifacts - Newspapers; Printing Tools and Equipment

Scope and Content: Recording is of John Burton discussing the history of the weekly newspaper and of the types of printing presses that have been used in Canada, as well as exactly how their parts function. John appears to be describing printing presses that are in the room with him.

Biographical Notes: John Burton was born in 1912 in New Westminster. He went to Second Street School, then Edmonds, then Saint Anne's Convent, and St. Louis College and Connaught before graduating from Burnaby South School in 1930. While at High School, John worked at Cowan's Music Store at 716 Columbia Street in New Westminster on Saturdays and after school. John Burton's grandfather John Foley was the founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper in Orangeville, Ontario, established in 1861. He ran the paper until his death in 1882, when his son, John Foley Jr. took over as editor and publisher at the age of sixteen. Two of his daughters were involved in the newspaper; Margaret Foley was a regular contributor to the paper, and John Burton's mother was a typesetter. When John Burton was a teenager, he went to Orangeville to learn the trade from his uncle. Unfortunately, he was only there eighteen months when his uncle died December 21, 1932. The family was unable to hold on to the business and the paper amalgamated with the Orangeville Banner newspaper in 1933.

Total Tracks: 5

Total Length: 0:46:18

Interviewee Name: Burton, John

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Images

Audio Tracks

Track three of recording of John Burton

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-001-2/MSS137-001-2_Track_3.mp3

Recording of John Burton - Track 4

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory212

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1885-1959

Length: 0:09:56

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to John Burton's description of the Linotype machine and how it functions.

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to John Burton's description of the Linotype machine and how it functions.

Date Range: 1885-1959

Photo Info: Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002

Length: 0:09:56

Subjects: Printing Tools and Equipment

Scope and Content: Recording is of John Burton discussing the history of the weekly newspaper and of the types of printing presses that have been used in Canada, as well as exactly how their parts function. John appears to be describing printing presses that are in the room with him.

Biographical Notes: John Burton was born in 1912 in New Westminster. He went to Second Street School, then Edmonds, then Saint Anne's Convent, and St. Louis College and Connaught before graduating from Burnaby South School in 1930. While at High School, John worked at Cowan's Music Store at 716 Columbia Street in New Westminster on Saturdays and after school. John Burton's grandfather John Foley was the founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper in Orangeville, Ontario, established in 1861. He ran the paper until his death in 1882, when his son, John Foley Jr. took over as editor and publisher at the age of sixteen. Two of his daughters were involved in the newspaper; Margaret Foley was a regular contributor to the paper, and John Burton's mother was a typesetter. When John Burton was a teenager, he went to Orangeville to learn the trade from his uncle. Unfortunately, he was only there eighteen months when his uncle died December 21, 1932. The family was unable to hold on to the business and the paper amalgamated with the Orangeville Banner newspaper in 1933.

Total Tracks: 5

Total Length: 0:46:18

Interviewee Name: Burton, John

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Images

Audio Tracks

Track four of recording of John Burton

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-001-2/MSS137-001-2_Track_4.mp3

Recording of John Burton - Track 5

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory213

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1850-1950

Length: 0:09:14

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to John Burton's description of the galley press and the proofing process. He also discusses job printing (now referred to as commercial printing).

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to John Burton's description of the galley press and the proofing process. He also discusses job printing (now referred to as commercial printing).

Date Range: 1850-1950

Photo Info: Burton family home, [1945]. Item no. 216-002

Length: 0:09:14

Subjects: Documentary Artifacts - Newspapers; Printing Tools and Equipment

Scope and Content: Recording is of John Burton discussing the history of the weekly newspaper and of the types of printing presses that have been used in Canada, as well as exactly how their parts function. John appears to be describing printing presses that are in the room with him.

Biographical Notes: John Burton was born in 1912 in New Westminster. He went to Second Street School, then Edmonds, then Saint Anne's Convent, and St. Louis College and Connaught before graduating from Burnaby South School in 1930. While at High School, John worked at Cowan's Music Store at 716 Columbia Street in New Westminster on Saturdays and after school. John Burton's grandfather John Foley was the founder of the Orangeville Sun newspaper in Orangeville, Ontario, established in 1861. He ran the paper until his death in 1882, when his son, John Foley Jr. took over as editor and publisher at the age of sixteen. Two of his daughters were involved in the newspaper; Margaret Foley was a regular contributor to the paper, and John Burton's mother was a typesetter. When John Burton was a teenager, he went to Orangeville to learn the trade from his uncle. Unfortunately, he was only there eighteen months when his uncle died December 21, 1932. The family was unable to hold on to the business and the paper amalgamated with the Orangeville Banner newspaper in 1933.

Total Tracks: 5

Total Length: 0:46:18

Interviewee Name: Burton, John

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Images

Audio Tracks

Track five of recording of John Burton

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-001-2/MSS137-001-2_Track_5.mp3

Alfred Bingham's writings - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory253

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1903-1940

Length: 0:09:46

Summary: This portion of the recording includes Alfred Bingham's descriptions of road construction in Burnaby, including the names of the settlers and logging companies involved in their construction. Alfred discusses the changes that took place during World War I, along with municipal Relief work that he t…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the recording includes Alfred Bingham's descriptions of road construction in Burnaby, including the names of the settlers and logging companies involved in their construction. Alfred discusses the changes that took place during World War I, along with municipal Relief work that he took part in at Burnaby Mountain. Alfred also discusses early schools and mentions his wife, Ada Bingham.

Date Range: 1903-1940

Photo Info: Alfred Bingham, April 20, 1947. Item no. 010-066

Length: 0:09:46

Subjects: Construction - Road Construction; Land Clearing

Planning Study Area: Burnaby Mountain Area

Scope and Content: Recording is of Alfred Bingham's writings, as read by Alfred Bingham. Major themes discussed are: Pioneers, early days in Burnaby and the Co-op Movement. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: Alfred "Alf" Bingham was born in England in 1892 and moved to Canada in 1912. His first job in Canada was laying track for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) from Edmonton to McBride in 1912. His second was in Vancouver at the Rat Portage Mill on False Creek, working on the Resaw machine. He quit after one week due to poor working conditions. After taking part in the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike as a delegate of the Retail and Mailorder Union (A.F.L.) on the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council, Alfred moved to Burnaby where he and fellow Burnaby residents Aungus McLean and Percy Little worked ten hour days to build a Shingle Mill on the edge of Burnaby Lake for Simpson & Giberson. George Green, carpenter and millwright (author of “The History of Burnaby”) also helped in the construction of the mill. Alfred built his own home from lumber cut from the mill in the Lochdale area on Sherlock Street between Curtis Street and Kitchener Street. On April 10, 1920 Alfred married Mary Jane “Ada” Reynolds. Alfred and Ada often took in foster children during their marriage. Due to her nursing experience, Ada was often called upon to deliver babies in the Burnaby area. Alfred and Ada Bingham were instrumental members of the Army of the Common Good, collecting vegetables and grains from growers in the area and even producing over 125 tons of vegetables from its own gardens to feed children and youth suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression years. The army was in operation for ten years and during that time the members organised the Credit Union movement of British Columbia and drew up the Credit Union act thorough the Vancouver Co-operative Council. They also started Co-Op stores and the Co-Op Wholesale Society. Alfred was also Secretary of the Burnaby Housing committee and in 1946 he became the Secretary of the North Burnaby Labour Progressive Party (LPP). Mary Jane “Ada” (Reynolds) Bingham died on August 9, 1969. Her husband Alfred died on April 29, 1979.

Total Tracks: 12

Total Length: 1:38:06

Interviewee Name: Bingham, Alfred "Alf"

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Oral history subseries

Transcript Available: MSS142-001 contains transcripts for each of the short stories

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.

Images

Audio Tracks

Track three of recording of Alfred Bingham's writings

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-20-2/100-13-20-2_Track_3.mp3

Murdock and Lillian McMurray interview November 17, 1975 - Track 1

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory243

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date Range: 1892-1911

Length: 0:09:58

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to Murdock McMurray's memories of the work that he and his brother did on the roadways; Canada Way, Kingsway. He discusses helping out at the Hatt-Cook residence as a boy as well as the tram system of the time. Lillian (Wray) McMurray is heard helping her husb…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the recording pertains to Murdock McMurray's memories of the work that he and his brother did on the roadways; Canada Way, Kingsway. He discusses helping out at the Hatt-Cook residence as a boy as well as the tram system of the time. Lillian (Wray) McMurray is heard helping her husband with these descriptions.

Date Range: 1892-1911

Photo Info: Emerson Doran (left) and Murdoch McMurray, 1917. Item no. 229-004

Length: 0:09:58

Subjects: Construction - Road Construction

Historic Neighbourhood: Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)

Interviewer: McGeachie, Doreen “Pixie”

Interview Date: November 17, 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is of an interview with Murdock McMurray and his wife Lillian (Wray) McMurray conducted by Pixie McGeachie on November 17, 1975. Major themes discussed are: Burnaby's development, the Wray Shoe store and Murdock McMurray's cordwood delivery business.

Biographical Notes: Murdock McMurray was born in Vancouver in 1892 to Wilhelmina May and Robert William McMurray. Other children in the family included older siblings John “Jack” and Margaret Lillian, younger siblings Minnie May born May 4, 1895 and Hampton born June 8, 1902. Murdock’s father Robert worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) but retired shortly after moving his family to Burnaby in 1906. He bought six acres of land of what had been previously the Gilley Ranch, the base of operations for Gilley Bros. Ltd. at 2519 Windsor Street (later renumbered and renamed to the 6400 block Imperial Street). Murdock McMurray quit school early to apprentice as a printer. By sixteen he had left the trade and gone into partnership with his older brother Jack. With a team of horses, harness and a wagon, the brothers helped to macadamize roads, haul building supplies for new homes, deliver cord wood for heating, clear land and excavate basements. When Jack McMurray set off to serve overseas during World War I as a driver in the engineer corps, Murdock bought his team of horses and continued working, mainly in the Deer Lake district. In 1916 Murdoch McMurray partnered with Emerson Doran, nephew of the owner of Doran's Mill to buy Edmonds Coal and Wood fuel yard. As everything was geared towards the war effort, Murdock and Emerson soon ran out of work and had to sell the business. Murdock sold off his horses and equipment and went to work at the ship yard on Pitt River. By 1919 Jack McMurray had returned home from overseas and was working as a fireman at the Shull Lumber and Shingle Mill on the Fraser River. In 1921, he and Murdock teamed up with Emerson Doran and repurchased the Edmonds Coal and Wood fuel yard which they ran together until 1947. Murdock McMurray married Lillian Wray on September 17, 1925. Lillian was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Wray, who came to settle in the Jubilee area of Burnaby in 1919. The family lived on Dow Road and Edward Wray operated Jubilee Shoe Store and Post Office. He was known throughout the district as "Wray - The Shoe Man." Mrs. Wray died in 1957 at the age of eight-six and Edward Wray died January 14, 1967 at age of ninety-three. Murdock and Lillian lived at Inverness Street (now Arcola) and raised three children together, Bob, Jack and Bessie. Murdock McMurray died in New Westminster on April 28, 1985 at the age of ninety-two. Lillian Ethel (Wray) McMurray died in Burnaby on February 28, 1986 at the age of eighty-seven.

Total Tracks: 7

Total Length: 0:58:55

Interviewee Name: McMurray, Lillian Wray; McMurray, Murdoch

Interviewer Bio: Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie was a resident of Burnaby for over sixty years. Pixie married John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie and raised their children Kathi (Dunlop) and David McGeachie in the house the couple built themselves in 1947. Pixie 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." She 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 (as these items were donated by the Society to the City Archives in 2007). 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. John Aloysius "Jack" McGeachie died October 12, 1981 at the age of sixty-seven. Doreen "Pixie" (Johnson) McGeachie died August 14, 2010 at the age of eighty-nine. On 24 September, 2011, the City of Burnaby dedicated the reading at the City Archives in honour of Pixie and formally named it the Pixie McGeachie Reading Room in recognition of her years of service to the community.

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

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.

Images

Emerson Doran (left) and Murdoch McMurray, 1917. Item no. 229-004 thumbnail

Audio Tracks

Track one of recording of interview with Lillian and Murdock McMurray

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/MSS137-010/MSS137-010_Track_1.mp3

Oral history interview with Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19146

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 29 Jun. 2022

Collection/Fonds: Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 3 sound recordings (wav) (02:06:53 min) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (02:06:53 min)

Scope and Content: Item consists of an audio recording of an oral history interview with Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos conducted by Denise Fong with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. During the interview, Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos discuss; their ancestral background, childhood, pla…

1 image 1 audio

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos fonds

Series: Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos interview series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 3 sound recordings (wav) (02:06:53 min) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (02:06:53 min)

Material Details: Interviewer: Denise Fong Co Interviewer and technical support: Kate Petrusa Interviewees: Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos Location of Interview: Home of Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos on Victory Street, Burnaby Date of interview: June 29, 2022 Total Number of Tracks: 3 Total length of all Tracks: 02:06:53 min Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto 3 separate audio tracks, edited and merged together and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby

Scope and Content: Item consists of an audio recording of an oral history interview with Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos conducted by Denise Fong with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. During the interview, Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos discuss; their ancestral background, childhood, places of residence, education, career history, how they met, Jimmy's experience working in the film industry, their home in Burnaby and their neighbourhood, their political activism in Burnaby, Robin Chung Dip's work in Vancouver’s' Chinatown, the gambling scene in Vancouver prior to legalized forms of gambling and their memories of supper clubs in Vancouver. 00:00 - 5:57 Opening introductions where Jimmy Chow and Donna Polos provide information on their full names, their birth places and their ancestral background. Jimmy clarifies that his birth name is Hipman Chow but that he was given the English name “Jimmy” by his father when he came to Canada. Jimmy shares that he was born in 1948, in the Village of Lin Pong Lee, Hoiping, China and immigrated to British Columbia with his mother, Gim Gee Chow in 1950 to escape the Communist Regime and to join his father who had already immigrated to Canada. Jimmy imparts that many Chinese immigrated to British Columbia in search of a better life, referring to it as “Gold Mountain” and that even though they faced extreme racial discrimination that many stayed since they felt that it was better than returning. Donna Polos shares ancestral information on both her maternal and paternal sides of the family. Donna’s mother’s family came from Helsinki, Finland. Donna’s paternal grandmother emigrated from Ukraine to Argentina and then to Winnipeg. Donna’s paternal grandfather, James Kostopolus (renamed Polos) emigrated as a 12 year old orphan from Sparta, Greece to the United States but was denied entry so ended up going to Halifax and eventually made his way to Vancouver. Once in Vancouver, he became a restaurant proprietor and over the years, he owned and operated three restaurants in Vancouver, including; “Jimmy’s Café” (next door the Astoria Hotel); “Home Apple Pie Café” (Princess Avenue & Hastings Street) and a restaurant that was located on Alma Street. 05:58 - 13:28 Jimmy recollects in further detail, the many places that his family lived over the years. Jimmy’s father Robin Chung Dip Chow immigrated to Vancouver at the age of 14 years and worked and lived in Victoria and Vancouver. In 1950, Jimmy and his mother fled China, first to Hong Kong and then to Vancouver to join his father. Soon after arriving in Vancouver, for the next four years, he and his parents lived in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Quebec City where his father, Robin had work in restaurants and hotels. Jimmy attended school while the family lived in these different places and began to learn English. After four years, the family returned to Vancouver, first living in areas of Chinatown and Strathcona before settling in the neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant. Jimmy shares his memories of growing up in Strathcona and the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, schools that he attended and the friendships that he made. Jimmy recollects details about the old Bethlehem Lutheran Church that he attended and describes the demands of the education required to become a Lutheran minister. 13:29 - 15:47 Jimmy tells of how his father, Robin Chung Dip Chow had to pay the Chinese Head Tax of $500 when he arrived in Vancouver at 14 years of age (1921) and how his father had to work hard pay off the head tax over the years. Denise Fong and Jimmy Chow, talk about the origin of a photograph portrait of Jimmy Chow that was taken around 1954 and speculate whether it might have been taken by well known portrait photographer, Yucho Chow. 15:48 - 19:33 Donna Polos recollects the many locations that her family lived while she was growing up in Vancouver. First residing at various locations in the downtown east side of Vancouver before moving to a home near Joyce Station where she lived until 21 years old. After 21 years of age, Donna moved in with roommates in Vancouver before moving in with Jimmy in North Burnaby in 1972. In 1976 Donna and Jimmy purchased their home on Victory Street. Both Donna and Jimmy talk about their careers after high school. Jimmy talks about how he worked at the Supervalu grocery store near his house. Jimmy planned to use his savings from his job to travel but instead he used his savings for a down payment on a house with Donna. Donna imparts that after obtaining her teaching degree she began working in Burnaby schools, eventually teaching at Burnaby South. 19:34 - 32:08 Both Jimmy and Donna share their educational background and experiences growing up. Jimmy first attended Florence Nightingale elementary in Strathcona, then Mount Pleasant Elementary and later high school at 24th Avenue and Main Street. Donna lists the schools that she attended including; elementary school in Strathcona, Carlton Elementary School at Kingsway and Joyce, Windermere High School, Vancouver City College (Langara) and the University of British Columbia. Donna and Jimmy reflect on public transportation that was available during the time they were growing up. Donna recollects her childhood growing up in the neighbourhood of Joyce Station, the freedom that she experienced playing outside in nature and what inspired her to become a teacher. Jimmy reflects on some of his mentors and about his first experience seeing movies as a young child at a cinema in Asquith, Saskatchewan. Donna communicates her own experiences of sexism throughout her high school, college and university education (1968-1972). 32:09 - 36:18 Donna talks about her career history and some of her major turning points. Donna recollects starting out as a Chemistry lab assistant, marking math papers before working as a teacher on call and eventually being hired as a teacher at Clinton Elementary School where she taught for nine years. Donna shares a memory of her first experience working as a teacher on call at Gilmore Elementary School and the fire that occurred there. After starting a family (Jimmy and Donna had three children) Donna worked part time teaching while Jimmy worked full time in film. Donna, shares that in 1991, after a near death experience, she became interested in fine art and took drawing and watercolour painting classes. With this experience, Donna experimented with different painting techniques on paper and fabric. Donna tells of how she retired from teaching in 2008 but continued to participate in the schools as an Artist in Residence. 36:19 - 58:18 Jimmy talks about his work and career history. He shares memories of his experiences as a young boy delivering newspapers, working at a local pharmacy, stocking shelves at the local supermarket, and his experience working with troubled youth and of how he thought that he might like to become a social worker. Jimmy tells of how he was uncertain of what to do until he got a job with the CBC in 1973 which eventually launched his career as a property master in the film industry, becoming a member of IATSE and a voting member of the Academy of Motion Pictures. Jimmy describes in detail what it means to be a property master and the work that is entailed in the film industry. 58:19 - 1:07:45 Donna Polos describes her art practice and her connection to Burnaby. Donna recollects how she first started working with textiles and fabrics from a young age and how this later inspired her to develop her own watercolour techniques of painting on paper, canvas and fabrics. Donna describes how she first got started by taking art classes in Burnaby and now has over 31 years of experience working in watercolour. Donna has worked as an Artist in Residence in Burnaby schools, been a member of the Burnaby Arts Council, had her first show in 1997 and has been involved in many art projects over the years. Donna describes the style of her work, first starting with more figurative work, social commentary and still life and that now most of her work is landscape based. Donna coveys that as a political activist in Burnaby, she was an active participant in the development of a tree bylaw, has petitioned to protect renters from demo-evictions and the impacts of future development on the local environment. 1:07:46 - 1:07:59 Background discussion between Denise Fong and Kate Petrusa re interviews. 1:08:00 - 1:26:36 Jimmy provides information on his connection to the local film industry and the changes that have occurred over the years. Jimmy describes the first studios on the North Shore and the eventual establishment of Bridge Studios on Boundary Road. Jimmy shares that in 1988, he and some of his colleagues in the film industry put a proposal together to buy the Bridge Studios but it didn't go through. Since the Bridge Studios and other film studios have been established in Burnaby and Vancouver, the industry has grown exponentially. Jimmy became the 54th member of the local IATSE union. Jimmy describes some of his experiences working on various productions including "Seven Years in Tibet", provides a description of what a film studio is, how it is used and the differences between working in the film industry in the United States and British Columbia. 1:26:37 - 1:32:46 Jimmy and Donna recollect how they first met, buying a house in Burnaby, getting married and starting a family. The two share memories of their wedding in White Rock and Jimmy talks about the Chinese hair cutting ceremony in recognition of their first born child that took place in Chinatown in Vancouver. Jimmy tells of how his parents had hopes of him marrying a Chinese woman and his mother began introducing him to a few young Chinese women from the time he was 16 years old. Jimmy mentions that his parents rarely used Western Medicine and relied on Traditional Chinese Medicine. Donna and Jimmy talk about Jimmy's parents, when they died and how happy his parents were to have grandchildren. 1:32:47 - 1:40:13 Jimmy and Donna talk about their house on Victory Street which they purchased in 1976. They share information on the history of the house, how it was built in 1939 by Norm Clark, how they fell in love with the design of the house and the neighbourhood. 1:40:14 - 1:58:31 Jimmy and Donna share information on their family life in Burnaby, their neighbourhood and favourite places in Burnaby. Donna lists the schools that their three children attended including; Nelson Avenue School, Burnaby South High School and Burnaby Central High School. Both Donna and Jimmy convey that all of their children played soccer and the benefits that the sport provided them. Donna and Jimmy talk about how the neighbourhood has changed over the years, the benefits of where they live, their fondness for built heritage and the many parks and trees in Burnaby. 1:58:32 - 2:02:50 Jimmy begins to share information on his father, Robin Chung Dip Chow's employment history. Jimmy recalls that his father, Robin worked in a variety of jobs over the years and as a young child, Jimmy was uncertain of what his father's job was but thought that he worked in accounting. He mentions that his father stopped working at 45 years of age due to a problem with his Achilles tendon. Jimmy describes his father as an intellectual who worked at gambling houses in Vancouver's Chinatown where people played mah-jong and fan-tan. Jimmy recollects that these were large clubs with lots of employees. His father never gambled but he was good with money so he worked on the management side. Jimmy mentions that while working in the film industry, his father took him and some of his film colleagues into some of the gambling houses in Chinatown to assist them with a production that they were working on. 2:02:51 - 2:06:58 Donna shares her own family history regarding gambling. She mentions that her uncle worked as a high end "bookie" in Vancouver and how in 1968, her uncle was arrested but got let go with just a small fine. Jimmy describes what gambling was like in those days with various sweepstakes, not under the jurisdiction of the government like it is today. Both Donna and Jimmy recollect the popularity of supper clubs their memories of Vie's Chicken and Steak House that was located in Hogan's Alley. Jimmy laments the destruction of Hogan's Alley and the other proposals that were brought forward that would change Chinatown and Strathcona.

History: Interviewees biography: Hipman "Jimmy" Chow was born in Lin Pong Lee, Hoiping, China in 1948. In 1950, Jimmy Chow immigrated to Vancouver from China with his mother, Gim Gee Chow to join his father, Robin Chung Dip Chow who'd immigrated to Canada at 14 years of age in 1921. For the first four years after immigrating, Jimmy and his parents lived in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Quebec before returning to Vancouver around 1954. Jimmy and his family then lived and worked in Vancouver eventually settling in the neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant. In the early 1970s, Jimmy met his future wife Donna Polos and they married in 1981. Donna Polos was born in 1949 to Donald James Polos and Mayme "May" Helen Tilikana Polos and grew up in Vancouver. Between the age of 5 and 21 years, Donna lived in the neighbourhood of Joyce Station. In 1976, Jimmy and Donna purchased and moved into a house on Victory Street in Burnaby where they still live today. While living on Victory Street, they've raised their three children. Donna received her teaching degree and taught in elementary schools for many years. In 1991, after a near death experience, Donna developed an interest in drawing and painting and began experimenting with water colour painting on fabric. Donna has since exhibited her work widely, participated as an Artist in Residence in Burnaby schools and is a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. Jimmy entered the film industry in 1973, gaining experience and recognition as a property master and has worked on many films over a 45 year career. 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: Buildings - Commercial - Restaurants; Buildings - Residential; Buildings - Residential - Houses; Education; Geographic Features - Parks; Geographic Features - Neighbourhoods; Government - Local Government; Industries - Film; Migration; Occupations; Occupations - Artists; Occupations - Grocers; Occupations - Entrepreneurs; Occupations - Teachers; Persons - Chinese Canadians; Social Issues - Racism; Sports - Soccer

Names: Bridge Studios; Chow, Gim Gee Dang; Chow, Hipman "Jimmy"; Chow, Robin Chung Dip; Polos, Donna; Polos, James "Jimmy", 1898-1962; Polos, Donald James; Polos, Mayme "May" Helen Tilikana

Geographic Access: Victory Street

Accession Code: BV022.21.1

Date: 29 Jun. 2022

Media Type: Sound Recording

Notes: Title based on contents of recording; Hipman "Jimmy" Chow's name in Cantonese is Chow Hipman and in Mandarin is Zhou Xiamin.

Images

Audio Tracks

Oral history interview with Hipman

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0021_0001_004.mp3

Interview with Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19346

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: [1600-2022] (interview content), interviewed 7 Oct. 2022

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum fonds

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 2 sound recordings (wav) (111 min., 51 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (111 min., 51 sec.)

Scope and Content: Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. During the interview Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar discusses and provides in…

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) (111 min., 51 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (111 min., 51 sec.)

Material Details: Interviewers: Anushay Malik, Rajdeep Co Interviewer and technical support: Kate Petrusa Interviewee: Nadeem Parmar Location of Interview: Residence of Nadeem Parmar in Burnaby Interview Date: October 7, 2022 Total Number of tracks: 2 Total Length of all Tracks: 01:51:51 min 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 Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar conducted by interviewers, Anushay Malik and Rajdeep with assistance from Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa. During the interview Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar discusses and provides information on; his ancestral background, his education, his employment background, his experiences of racial discrimmination as a South Asian immigrant, saw mills established by South Asian relations in Paldi (Vancouver Island), in North Vancouver and Burnaby, family relations in the South Asian Canadian community and in regions in Punjab, the caste system, his literary works, locations of family homes in Burnaby, the architectural design of his house, personal stories and anecdotal information as a South Asian Canadian living and working in Canada. 00:00 – 01:45 The framework and purpose of the interview is explained to interviewee Nadeem Parmar by interviewers Rajdeep and Anushay Malik. The interviewers explain how the information from this interview can be drawn on for Burnaby Village Museum’s future exhibits and also how researchers will learn more about the history of the South Asian community in Burnaby through residents’ stories. Interview begins with Nadeem providing his full name "Kulwant Singh Parmar". He clarifies that his name was given to him by his grandfather who was a civil engineer and that his father also worked as a civil engineer. Nadeem expresses that he was born with a “silver spoon in his mouth” as a descendent of his maternal grandfather who was a successful landlord. Nadeem explains that when the Partition of India came into effect, (1947) he was 11 years old. He and his family left the partitioned side, his native village was located in Punjab and his forefathers were located in Rajasthan. 3:20 – 4:57 Nadeem explains further about his forefathers who came from Rajasthan. He shares information about his ancestor on his father’s side, named Vijay Singh who was friends with Emperor Jahangir. When fighting began against Jahangir he left the area to head to the middle of central India, then to the Punjab area with small states. As a clan, as a Parmar, he conveys there were about eleven or twelve villages with the same name. Interviewer, Anushay helps Nadeem to clarify the time period of this information. Nadeem refers to the time period being similar to the epic historical film “Moghal-e-Azam” and Anushay confirms the time period being the 1600s when they left Rajasthan. 4:58 – 10:59 Interviewer Anushay asks Nadeem to about his migration to Canada. Nadeem conveys that his first ancestor on his in-laws side of the family migrated around 1889. Further discussion ensues about reading Punjabi and how interviewer Rajdeep can read Punjabi and that she comes from the village of "Lakhpur" in Punjab. Rajdeep notes that “Lakhpur” is near "Phagwara". Nadeem clarifies that his village is "Panchat" and this family used to live in "Phagwara". and Nadeem and Rajdeep compare their familiarity and memories of the area. Nadeem conveys some of his comments in Punjabi and then changes to English. Nadeem recollects when the Japanese bombarded Shillong, he was around seven years old and attended missionary school. The only languages that were taught were English and Persian. Nadeem conveys that his mother had hopes of Nadeem becoming an army officer and moving up the ranks but Nadeem wasn’t interested. Nadeem attended college, graduated with a Bachelor of Science, BSC with Physics and Chemistry, followed by another Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and finally a degree in his favourite subject in the language of Urdu. He completed these degrees in Punjab in Doaba College, Jalandher. Nadeem recollects how he started teaching but wasn’t getting paid very well. When he was at college, with encouragement from his professor, Veer Pankalia [sic] he began writing poetry and short plays. His professor also introduced him to a famous poet of Punjab, Mila Ram Offa [sic] and he gave him the name of Nadeem. Nadeem explains the meaning of the name “Nadeem” “…the one who know about it, inside out…” even though we generally think of the meaning being “friend” it’s not just about friend. 11:00 -24:48 Nadeem provides background information on how he ended up marrying his future wife who was born in India and immigrated to Canada with her family. Nadeem explains how the marriage was arranged through family relations that were already established in Punjab over a century ago. One of his wife’s ancestors, head of the family called “baniye” (traders) immigrated to Canada in [1899]. This relation returned to Punjab where he had nephews, the youngest of the nephews was Nadeem’s father (Lashman Singh Manhas) in law’s father (Sher Singh Manhas). He expresses that his wife’s ancestor couldn’t bring Nadeem’s father in law’s father since he was only 12 or 13 years old but he brought three of the nephews back to Canada with him. The nephews were named, Pola Singh, Ginaya Singh and Doman Singh (also named Dolmans). He describes how the group left India but it took them two to three years before they arrived in Canada. The group travelled to Burma, Indonesia and Hong Kong before landing in San Francisco. From San Francisco they walked and worked on the rail line before entering Canada and arriving in Grand Forks. The men got work on the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and eventually made their way to the lower mainland. Nadeem conveys that the younger brother of Ginaya Singh, Maya Singh joined the others in Canada taking the same route, arriving in Bridal Falls where they were working at a saw mill and in CP rail construction. He describes Maya Singh as business minded and since he was too young to work in the mill, he began working as a cook and then began growing potatoes on land that he leased from a Dutch land owner. The local mill at Bridal Falls was facing bankruptcy and Maya Singh arranged to lease the mill, eventually buying it. From there the group moved their business to Strawberry Hill in Surrey and when the sale of logs declined, they moved over to Vancouver Island and established a sawmill with Doman Singh in the community of Paldi (originally known as Mayo Lumber) near Duncan. He explains further how the South Asian community helped each other like they did back home. He clarifies that his father in law’s father is the youngest cousin of Ginaya and Doman Singh and when he died, his father in law’s younger brother started Kashmir Lumber. Eventually his father in law (Lashman Singh Manhas) and the rest of the whole family including cousins and nephews were sponsored by their relations and immigrated to Canada. Nadeem explains how in 1959, his brother in law returned home to Punjab to get married, bringing his family with him. He tells of how during this time period, a marriage was arranged by his parents for him to marry his future wife. Nadeem recollects how this came to be. Nadeem and his wife Surjeet married in Punjab in December 1960, Nadeem was 24 years old and his wife was 18 years old. 24:49 – 39:42 Nadeem describes how he obtained his teaching degree from Ramgarhia College in Phagwara (located in the Kapurhtala district of Punjab) and after a disagreement with a teacher at home, he decided to go to England. He explains how he joined his brother who had moved to England and was working as a labourer. Nadeem tells of the difficulties he faced applying for a teaching job in England and how he had to go back to school to help with his English pronunciation. Nadeem explains that after taking this course, he got work teaching Grade two students which he felt was below his qualifications (he mentions that while living in Punjab, he was a Secondary School teacher) and the pay was very low. He discovered that his brother was making more money working as a labourer so Nadeem became discouraged and quit. When Nadeem couldn’t find work as a labourer, his brother advised him to shave off his beard. Nadeem conveys how difficult it was for him to shave off his beard and how once he was clean shaven he got work as a sweeper in a factory. He shares his experience of working in the factory and of how with his former education he got himself promoted to a more technical position. With encouragement from his employer, Nadeem enrolled in technical courses which lead to him obtaining an HNC Engineering Degree. He completed the course work in two years, obtaining skills in microwave communication becoming the senior test engineer at the factory. While working in this position, Nadeem shares how he suffered discrimination when he was passed over for a senior chief engineer position at the factory by a less educated and experienced employee. 39:43 – 53:38 Nadeem recollects how things changed for him in the 1970s. It began with his father in law (Lashman Singh Manhas) passing away in 1970 while he and his family were living on 18th Street in Burnaby. His father in law had been working at the saw mill, Kashmir Lumber Company in North Vancouver that was owned by his father in law’s younger brother (Kashmir Singh Manhas). The mill had burnt down and many of the workers lost everything. Nadeem confides that during this time, his wife was suffering from depression and wanted to be with her mother back in Canada now that her father had passed away. Nadeem emphasizes how his wife’s family (over 300 relatives) in Canada often get together every year on July 1st in Paldi near Duncan. In 1972, Nadeem arrived in Canada on his own to find work but was unsuccessful so he and his wife made plans to move to Uganda where he was offered a job. In 1973, when his visa didn’t come through for Uganda, Nadeem, his wife and two children decided to come to Canada. Nadeem describes that after several unsuccessful experiences to find skilled work in Canada, he eventually found work at Canadian National Telecommunications. During this time, Nadeem and his family lived with his father in law’s family at 5216 Pandora Street in Burnaby and in 1974, Nadeem purchased a house at 131 Fell Avenue in Burnaby. Nadeem provides further details of when the families lived at these different addresses and how in 1983 he had a house built on Woodsworth Street where he is still living now. He conveys some of the history of the lot where his current house resides including details on the lot subdivision, lot ownership and the cost of building his new house. Nadeem tells of how he designed his home with help from his son who was working as an apprentice with architect Arthur Erikson at the time. He describes the architectural interior as an open concept design, in an “L” shape in honour of his father “Lakhmir Singh”. Nadeem shares information on his mother’s name which was Jamna (prior to her marriage) and became Davinder Kaur after she was married. (Note: Jamna was her name before marriage. Traditionally after a woman is married, her husband’s family changes her first name because she is now considered a part of a new family). 53:39 – 58:56 Nadeem provides information on his career working as CNCP technician working with CPIC systems and how he was promoted to a new position. Nadeem inserts a quote from a Punjabi poem which he translates to English as “Somebody asked the blind people. What do you need? He said, do you need two eyes?, he said, what else do I need?”. Nadeem conveys how in 1986 his mother passed away so he went back home to the village of Lakhpur where his father and younger brother were living. His father and younger brother were on their own and in 1986 they decided to demolish the family home. He explains that there’s a college there now and that a library was built at this location in the name of his grandfather. 58:57 – 1:04:38 Nadeem shares how he suffered a heart attack in 1990 during the marriage ceremony of his son in Williams Lake. Nadeem talks about the complicated relations of the South Asian families and the saw mill owners in Paldi and comments on the problems with the caste system that provokes discrimination within the South Asian community. Nadeem refers to disputes that arose amongst mill owners and investors that included Kapoor Singh Siddoo, Mayo Singh, Gurdial Singh Teja and Ginaya Singh which caused problems amongst his family and also lead to Kapoor Singh selling his portion of the mill. Nadeem spells “Ginaya” Singh’s name and explains that this name is the nickname for “Krishna”. Nadeem provides his insight into the joint ownership of the saw mills located in Paldi and how the the joint ownership was dissolved in 1952. Nadeem clarifies that Ginaya Singh also left Paldi and that Ginaya Singh’s wife is his mother in law’s aunt and that he also moved to Burnaby. Nadeem explains the proper name spelling of mill owner “Mayo Singh” and that the correct spelling is actually “Mayan Singh” but he changed it to “Mayo” when it was mis-pronounced. Nadeem also comments on the problems that he encountered in 1970 on the pronunciation of his own name while living in England and at one point his employer referred to him as “Paul”. 1:04:39 – 1:18:50 Nadeem relays that when he emigrated from India and to Canada that he carried his personal possessions in a small suitcase made from cardboard since the weight limit on the airplane was just three pounds. He conveys that many of his relations have all suffered from heart problems including Ginaya Singh and his children. Nadeem shares that Ginaya Singh’s three sons all lived in Burnaby. Nadeem conveys that many South Asians lived in Burnaby and many worked at saw mills in North Vancouver and in the L&K sawmill near Pemberton. Nadeem explains further about the how the disagreements came to be between Mayo Singh and Kapoor Singh. He describes how each had a different business strategy in harvesting lumber and that there were feuds amongst the families. Nadeem provides further details on the root of the family feuds. Nadeem provides definitions for certain Punjabi terms that he’s using including “Mehta”(meaning lowest class of farmers, foreigner as well head as a title given to people of a clan living in the area) and ‘Panchat”, the name of his family village that was built and founded by five brothers and one nephew (Panj- meaning five and the sound “cht” meaning six). Nadeem explains that these terms were given to people from his own clan living in the area because it was small. Nadeem explains further about status that is based on money and the Punjabi terms “Parsu”, “Parsa” and “Pasaram” that are often used to describe a person. When you are poor the term “Parsu” is used and when you become rich the term “Pasaram” is used. Nadeem refers to Mayo Singh as a Pasaram as the second most successful millner in British Columbia, second to Frederick John Hart. Nadeem mentions that Ginaya Singh, elder brother to Mayo Singh helped provide the finances to start the mill and when there was a disagreement, Ginaya Singh left the mill business, moved his family to Burnaby and began working in insurance. Nadeem shares the sad story of Ginaya Singh’s sudden death (in 1953). Nadeem states that many of the people who left the mills at Paldi went to work at the Kapoor Mill in Burnaby and some relocated to the Interior of British Columbia. Nadeem mentions that his father in law (Lashman Singh Manhas) was able to purchase a house on 18th Street in along with other residences that he bought with his hard earned money working in the farms and mills, 16 hours per day, seven days a week. 1:18:51 – 1:32:04 Nadeem explains why he thinks that most South Asian people worked in the mills in the earlier days. Nadeem conveys that since Sikh men wore beards and turbans they encountered discrimination and were unable to get work in the business community. Nadeem shares his own personal experiences of wearing a turban and the discrimination he’s encountered while living in Scotland and Canada. Nadeem mentions that a defense committee was formed to protect the Gurdwaras and people’s homes from being vandalized due to racial discrimination. Nadeem describes some of the troubles that he’s encountered in his own neighbourhood when he had to call the police. Nadeem shares a personal experience just after 9/11 where he was the target of racial discrimination in the parking lot of Burnaby Lake. Nadeem emphasizes that he has experienced many incidents of racial discrimination, especially in the workplace and that this was not unusual for him. 1:32:05 – 1:36:19 Nadeem talks about his interest in writing and his many literary works including 12 novels that he’s written in Punjabi. Nadeem highlights a few books that he’s written including a book titled “Rape” and another one titled “Sponsorship” which conveys the complex nature of people immigrating to Canada. Nadeem mentions a particular book about AIDS, titled “Wide Net” that he’s been trying to get published. Nadeem speaks to the challenges and high costs of trying to get his works published. Nadeem provides a brief synopsis of his book “Wide Net”. Nadeem relays that this is a personal account of a gay couple that he knew where one of the partners died of AIDS and that the couple gave Nadeem permission to tell their tragic story. 1:36:20 – 1:51:51 Nadeem talks about his children and compares their experiences to his own as a South Asian immigrant. Nadeems talks about the accomplishments of his son, his daughter and grandchildren including their education and careers. Nadeem says that his children are well educated and well established in their careers. Nadeem’s children attended Capitol Hill Elementary School and North Burnaby High School in Burnaby. Nadeem shares specifics of his son’s career history. Nadeem expresses that he still considers Canada to be the best country for opportunities and that he prefers to live in Burnaby rather than Surrey and shares some personal anecdotes. Nadeem lists some local places that he’s shopped for South Asian groceries and spices rather than travelling to Surrey. He mentions shopping at Kelly Douglas, stores in Chinatown, small grocers on Capitol Hill, Patel’s on Commercial Drive and Main Street. As an aside Nadeem mentions that he worked as a security guard and the wages that he earned. Nadeem comments that he has been awarded various certificates and certifications from his education and career over the years, including a Bachelor of Science. The interviewers further express their interest in seeing the cardboard case that Nadeem brought with him when immigrating to Canada. In closing Nadeem states that his favourite food from back home was kheer (rice pudding).

History: Interviewee biography: Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar was born June 9, 1936, Chuck 138 in Lyalpur (India before 1947) to parents Lakhmir Singh Parmar and Davinder Kaur Jamana Parmar. Nadeem grew up in the village of Panchat in the northern region of Punjab, India. Nadeem married his wife Surjeet in Punjab in 1960. After marrying the couple immigrated to England where Nadeem was already working. While living in England, Nadeem and Surjeet had two children. After Surjeet's father died in Canada in 1972, Nadeem, Surjeet and their two children immgrated to Canada, joining Surjeet's family who were living in Burnaby. After Nadeem immigrated to Burnaby in 1973 he worked various jobs before working with CN/CP Telecommunications. Nadeem holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Teaching from Punjab University and a diploma from the London Board of Education (L.B.E.) and a P.Eng. from Lancaster. He has seven books published in Punjabi, three in Urdu and is published in eight anthologies. He is fluent in Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi. 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”. Rajdeep was born and raised in the Lower Mainland and is of Punjabi (South Asian) descent. She has an Associate of Arts degree in Asian Studies from Kwantlen Polytechnic University, a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia. She is a student in the Restoration of Natural Systems program at the University of Victoria. Rajdeep works at Simon Fraser University as a Program Assistant and as a researcher with the City of Burnaby. At Burnaby Village Museum, Rajdeep contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.

Creator: Burnaby Village Museum

Subjects: Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores; Buildings - Industrial - Saw Mills; Buildings - Industrial - Factories; Education; Employment; Industries - Logging/lumber; Migration; Occupations - Engineers; Occupations - Millworkers; Occupations - Teachers; Occupations - Writers; Persons - South Asian Canadians; Social Issues; Social Issues - Racism

Names: Parmar, Kalwant Singh "Nadeem"; Kapoor Sawmills Limited; Siddoo, Kapoor Singh; Teja, Gurdial Singh; Parmar, Surjeet Kaur; Manhas, Ghania Singh; Singh, Mayo; Manhas, Kashmir Singh; Manhas, Sher Singh; Manhas, Budhan Kaur; Manhas, Lashman Singh

Responsibility: Malik, Anushay; Rajdeep

Geographic Access: Woodsworth Street

Accession Code: BV022.29.1

Access Restriction: No restrictions

Reproduction Restriction: No known restrictions

Date: [1600-2022] (interview content), interviewed 7 Oct. 2022

Media Type: Sound Recording

Historic Neighbourhood: Capitol Hill (Historic Neighbourhood)

Planning Study Area: Douglas-Gilpin Area; Capitol Hill Area

Related Material: See also BV022.29.5 - Interview with Surjeet Kaur Parmar

Notes: Title based on contents of item; Spelling of "Ginaya Singh" found as "Ghania Singh Manhas" in obituary and death certificate; Interview is conducted in English with various segments of discussion in Punjabi; Transcript of interview available upon request

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Interview with Kalwant Singh

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2022_0029_0001_003.mp3

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Interview with Ron Smitherman by Eric Damer November 15, 2012 - Track 1

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Interview with Surjeet Kaur Parmar

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Interview with Prem Kaur Gill, Santokh Singh Gill and Mohinder Kaur Gill

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Interview with Alfred Bingham June 10, 1975 - Track 4

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Interview with Honourable Raj Chouhan

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Interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr - Track 1

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Interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr - Track 2

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Interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr - Track 4

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Interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr - Track 5

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Interview with John Burton by Lynda Maeve Orr - Track 6

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Interview with Toki Miyashita by Rod Fowler February 27, 1990 - Track 9

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Interview with Toki Miyashita by Rod Fowler February 27, 1990 - Track 10

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Recording of John Burton - Track 2

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Recording of John Burton - Track 3

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Recording of John Burton - Track 4

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Recording of John Burton - Track 5

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Alfred Bingham's writings - Track 3

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Murdock and Lillian McMurray interview November 17, 1975 - Track 1

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Oral history interview with Hipman "Jimmy" Chow and Donna Polos

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Interview with Kalwant Singh "Nadeem" Parmar

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