More like 'Burnaby citizens'

100 records – page 1 of 5.

Burnaby Municipal Council

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription55608
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1946
Collection/Fonds
Charles MacSorley fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of the eight members of Burnaby's Municipal Council standing in an office, each holding a piece of paper. Written across the bottom of the photograph is the caption: "Burnaby Council 1946 Reeve Morrison". Reeve George Morrison can be seen to the far right. Third from the right is Willi…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1946
Collection/Fonds
Charles MacSorley fonds
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
486-002
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2005-14
Scope and Content
Photograph of the eight members of Burnaby's Municipal Council standing in an office, each holding a piece of paper. Written across the bottom of the photograph is the caption: "Burnaby Council 1946 Reeve Morrison". Reeve George Morrison can be seen to the far right. Third from the right is William Beamish, fifth from the right is Charles MacSorley and at the far left is Joseph Gartlan. The rest are unidentified although the remaining members of the 1946 Council were James West, William Philps, John Jones and Harry Ball.
Subjects
Officials - Alderman and Councillors
Officials - Mayors and Reeves
Names
Morrison, George
MacSorley, Charles W.
Beamish, William Randolph "Ran"
West, James G.
Philps, William P.
Jones, John S.R.
Gartlan, Joseph P.
Ball, Harry
Media Type
Photograph
Photographer
Vancouver Sun
Notes
Title based on caption
Photorgapher's stamp on verso
Images
Less detail

Charles Sprott

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription452
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[194-] (date of original), copied 1978
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 25.2 x 20.2 cm print
Scope and Content
Photograph of Charles Sprott as an elderly man. He is wearing a suit, with a vest and tie, glasses, and hat. He was Reeve of Burnaby from 1904 to 1905. He was also a member of Council from 1895 to 1904 and in 1907.
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 25.2 x 20.2 cm print
Scope and Content
Photograph of Charles Sprott as an elderly man. He is wearing a suit, with a vest and tie, glasses, and hat. He was Reeve of Burnaby from 1904 to 1905. He was also a member of Council from 1895 to 1904 and in 1907.
Subjects
Officials - Alderman and Councillors
Officials - Mayors and Reeves
Names
Sprott, Charles Frederick
Accession Code
HV978.1.6
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[194-] (date of original), copied 1978
Media Type
Photograph
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
2023-08-01
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

George A. Morrison

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34741
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1949] (date of original), copied [1995]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 17.1 x 12.0 cm print
Scope and Content
Photograph (mounted and titled) of George A. Morrison, Reeve of Burnaby from 1945 to 1949 and Council member in 1944.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1949] (date of original), copied [1995]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Photographs subseries
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 17.1 x 12.0 cm print
Description Level
Item
Record No.
126-016
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
BHS2007-04
Scope and Content
Photograph (mounted and titled) of George A. Morrison, Reeve of Burnaby from 1945 to 1949 and Council member in 1944.
Subjects
Officials - Alderman and Councillors
Officials - Mayors and Reeves
Names
Morrison, George
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

George A. Morrison

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription45822
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1949]
Collection/Fonds
Columbian Newspaper collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 17.5 x 11 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of George A. Morrison, Reeve of Burnaby from 1945 to 1949 and Council member in 1944.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1949]
Collection/Fonds
Columbian Newspaper collection
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 17.5 x 11 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
480-716
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
2003-02
Scope and Content
Photograph of George A. Morrison, Reeve of Burnaby from 1945 to 1949 and Council member in 1944.
Subjects
Officials - Alderman and Councillors
Officials - Mayors and Reeves
Names
Morrison, George
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

William Willson

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34740
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1943] (date of original), copied [1995]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 17.0 x 11.9 cm print
Scope and Content
Photograph (mounted and titled) of William T. Willson, Reeve of Burnaby from 1943 to 1944 and Council member in 1927.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1943] (date of original), copied [1995]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
Photographs subseries
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 17.0 x 11.9 cm print
Description Level
Item
Record No.
126-015
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS2007-04
Scope and Content
Photograph (mounted and titled) of William T. Willson, Reeve of Burnaby from 1943 to 1944 and Council member in 1927.
Subjects
Officials - Alderman and Councillors
Officials - Mayors and Reeves
Names
Willson, William T.
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

William Willson

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription38557
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1943]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 10.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of William Tate Willson, Burnaby Reeve for 1943 and1944 and councillor in 1927.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1943]
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Historical Society fonds
Series
Community Archives Collection series
Subseries
New Westminster Public Library subseries
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 10.5 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
459-017
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS2003-19
Scope and Content
Photograph of William Tate Willson, Burnaby Reeve for 1943 and1944 and councillor in 1927.
Subjects
Officials - Alderman and Councillors
Officials - Mayors and Reeves
Names
Willson, William T.
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

Interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription19610
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1942- 2023] (interview content), interviewed Jan. 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
4 sound recordings (wav) (186 min., 1 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (186 min., 2 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa and Museum Registrar, James Binks. The interview was conducted on January 10, 2023 and January 24, 2023. 00:00 – 08:52 First part of interview…
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
4 sound recordings (wav) (186 min., 1 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (186 min., 2 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewers: Kate Petrusa and James Binks Interviewees: Rajinder and Raj Pandher Location of Interview: Love farmhouse, Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: January 10, 2023 and January 24, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 4 Total Length of all Tracks: (3:06:01 min) Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto four 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 Rajinder and Raj Pandher conducted by Burnaby Village Museum Assistant Curator, Kate Petrusa and Museum Registrar, James Binks. The interview was conducted on January 10, 2023 and January 24, 2023. 00:00 – 08:52 First part of interview begins on January 10. Rajinder Pander provides information on where he was born and where he grew up and shares details regarding his family and his childhood including; his elementary and high school education and experiences and his involvement and interest in the sport of field hockey. 08:53 – 23:24 Raj Pander provides information on where she was born and shares details regarding her family and education. Raj recalls details of her family life in India including her family farm, her father’s service in the Indian National Army and other ancestor’s involvement in the military. Rajinder assists with the details regarding Raj’s father’s military service and explains how he was highly decelerated for his heroic actions. Rajinder conveys further information in reference to the Sikh Empire. 23:25 – 35:53 Rajinder and Raj share information on their formal education. Raj explains how she learned English and talks about the other spoken languages that her family used while she was growing up. Rajinder and Raj recall how they first met which lead them to marry in 1971. Rajinder provides information about his older brothers who left India before him. He explains how his elder brother, Kirpal Singh Pandher immigrated to Canada in 1970 and provides details on his other brother who lived in Malaysia and England before coming to Canada in 1975. Rajinder conveys how after his brother, Kirpal Singh Pandher arrived in Canada, he lived in Campbell River and worked at the saw mill there. 35:54 – 1:01:38 Rajinder and Raj share their immigration stories including details of; what lead them to immigrate, their immigration route, what they brought with them and where they lived and worked. Rajinder and Raj tell of how they both faced discrimination in finding work that they were qualified for and describe some of the jobs that they worked at before obtaining their Real Estate licences. 1:01:39 – 1:13:09 Rajinder and Raj share information on where they’ve purchase traditional food supplies in Burnaby and Rajinder provides further details on his employment and recalls how they were able to purchase their first home in Burnaby. 1:13:10 - 1:19:33 Rajinder describes how he began writing for the Sikh newsletter “The Western Sikh Samachar”. Rajinder shares how he first started printing small pamphlets of Sikh Cultural history in 1975 and how he’s been volunteering with the National Democratic Party (NDP) since 1973. 1:19:34 - 1:38:24 Second part of interview continues on January 24, 2023. Rajinder provides further information about the Sikh newsletter “The Western Sikh Samachar”, provides an historical summary of the Sikh Empire and the Sikh religion and describes a book that’s he’s written about his culture and the village he lived in India. 1:38:25 - 1:52:24 Raj describes some of the traditional textiles that she’s created including a dury, embroidered cloth (pakha and pakhi) and clothing. Raj shares a story of a train derailment in India in which her father survived. 1:52:25 - 2:14:53 Raj Pandher talks about her father’s letters and diaries, Rajinder talks about receiving a Diamond Jubilee Medal for his community service and they both talk about their daughter Amanjit’s education and career accomplishments. Raj describes her involvement in the community council of her children’s school and both Raj and Rajinder describe their involvement in multicultural education and events that they were involved with in Burnaby and New Westminster. Interviewer lists Rajinder Pandher’s many volunteer awards and accomplishments. 2:14:54 - 2:39:53 Raj and Rajinder describe some of their family photographs as well as personal items from India including decorative arts and textiles. They talk about celebrating their 30 year wedding anniversary and the origin of their Sikh names. Rajinder describes a visit to Paldi in 1977 when the whole family was baptized at the Sikh temple and provides informaton about Hardial Singh Atwal, the first Sikh child born in Canada. Rajinder discusses what he thinks a cookhouse looked like, his friendship with former Mayor William J. Copeland and wages of South Asians working in sawmills. 2:39:54 - 3:06:01 Raj and Rajinder talk about food including where they’ve purchased traditional South Asian foods and what they grow in their home garden. Rajinder provides details about the Burnaby Multicultural Society, talks about South Asian work ethics and housing and shares some of the cultural and religious traditions of Sikhs and celebrations that take place in Vancouver and Burnaby.
History
Interviewees biographies: Rajinder Pandher was born five years prior to the Partition of India in the Village of Jhamat, Ludhiana District, Punjab. Raj Pandher was born in 1948 in the Village of Chapar, Ludhiana District, Punjab. Rajinder played field hockey while living in India and is passionate about the sport. Both Rajinder and Raj Pahndher attended college in India and were married in India in 1971. Rajinder Pandher immigrated to Canada in 1972 and his wife, Raj Pandher joined him in 1973. After arriving in Canada, Rajinder Pandher started working at a sawmill in Campbell River but didn't like the work and moved to Vancouver to find better employment opportunties. In 1976, the couple moved to Burnaby and rented until they could buy a home a year later. They raised two children who attended Second Street Elementary School and Cariboo Hill Secondary School in Burnaby. Rajinder and Raj Pandher were both very involved with multicultural efforts at their childlren's schools including turban tying and sari demonstrations and Rajinder was a founding member of the Burnaby Multicultural Society. Interviewers biographies: 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. James Binks has lived in the Lower Mainland since 2009 after relocating from Ontario. James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of British Columbia, where he conducted researched on heritage, environment, and globalization in India, Nepal, and Italy. At Burnaby Village Museum, James contributed to the exhibit “Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby”.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Education
Housing
Employment
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Persons - Volunteers
Religions - Sikhism
Migration
Organizations
Organizations - Societies and Clubs
Social Issues - Racism
Social Issues
Celebrations
Sports - Field Hockey
Names
Pandher, Raj
Pandher, Rajinder
Copeland, William J.
Pandher, Harman
Pandher, Amanjit
Burnaby Multicultural Society
The Western Sikh Samachar
Responsibility
Petrusa, Kate
Binks, James
Accession Code
BV023.1.2
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1942- 2023] (interview content), interviewed Jan. 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
Transcripts available upon request
Audio Tracks

Interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher, [1942- 2023] (interview content), interviewed Jan. 2023

Interview with Rajinder and Raj Pandher, [1942- 2023] (interview content), interviewed Jan. 2023

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0001_0002_003.mp3
Less detail

Convention in Victoria 1949 Burnaby Council

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription55612
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1949
Collection/Fonds
Charles MacSorley fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 20.5 x 25 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of eight men identified as Burnaby's Municipal Council sitting and standing on a stone staircase outside an unidentified building in Victoria. Written across the bottom of the photograph is: "Convention in Victoria 1949 Burnaby Council." Identified in the picture are Reeve George Morri…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1949
Collection/Fonds
Charles MacSorley fonds
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 20.5 x 25 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
486-006
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
2005-14
Scope and Content
Photograph of eight men identified as Burnaby's Municipal Council sitting and standing on a stone staircase outside an unidentified building in Victoria. Written across the bottom of the photograph is: "Convention in Victoria 1949 Burnaby Council." Identified in the picture are Reeve George Morrison (third from the left), Charles MacSorley (fifth from the left, seated in back), Doug Drummond (seated in front of Charles MacSorley) and William Beamish (second from right).
Subjects
Officials - Alderman and Councillors
Names
Morrison, George
MacSorley, Charles W.
Drummond, John D. "Doug"
Beamish, William Randolph "Ran"
Media Type
Photograph
Photographer
Halkett, Bill
Notes
Title based on caption
Photographer's stamp on verso
Images
Less detail

George D. McLean

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription46056
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[between 1948 and 1959]
Collection/Fonds
Columbian Newspaper collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 16.5 x 11.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of George D. McLean, who was a Burnaby council member in 1948.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[between 1948 and 1959]
Collection/Fonds
Columbian Newspaper collection
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 16.5 x 11.5 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
480-944
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
2003-02
Scope and Content
Photograph of George D. McLean, who was a Burnaby council member in 1948.
Subjects
Officials - Alderman and Councillors
Names
McLean, George D.
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Images
Less detail

Interview with Betty Blair by Eric Damer October 17, 2012 - Track 4

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory299
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1940-1959
Length
0:07:48
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Betty (Warburton) (Atkinson) Blair's memories of events held at the Church, including her own wedding. She discusses her involvement with the church group Canadian Girls in Training. She also discusses her volunteer years at the Burnaby Hospital and her lif…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Betty (Warburton) (Atkinson) Blair's memories of events held at the Church, including her own wedding. She discusses her involvement with the church group Canadian Girls in Training. She also discusses her volunteer years at the Burnaby Hospital and her life when her children were small.
Date Range
1940-1959
Photo Info
Graduating class at Burnaby South High School; Betty Warburton is third from the right in the front row, [1942 or 1943]. Item no. BV004.82.5.
Length
0:07:48
Names
Canadian Girls in Training
Subjects
Persons - Volunteers
Interviewer
Damer, Eric
Interview Date
October 17, 2012
Scope and Content
Recording is an interview with Betty (Warburton) (Atkinson) Blair conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, October 17, 2012. Major theme discussed: life in Burnaby during the war years.
Biographical Notes
Betty Warburton (later Atkinson) (later Blair) was born in 1926 and grew up at three different locations on Frederick Avenue in Burnaby. She went to school in Burnaby; first at Kingsway West for two years, then Nelson Avenue and then Burnaby South High School where she completed senior matriculation. After graduation, Betty worked for a few years in Vancouver before marrying her first husband Don Atkinson and raising their children in Burnaby. Betty (Warburton) (Atkinson) Blair has participated in a range of activities from hiking and Girl Guides to volunteer arthritis care. By the nineteen-sixties she had began to learn pottery and take lessons at Mather House in Burnaby.
Total Tracks
6
Total Length
0:59:03
Interviewee Name
Blair, Betty Warburton Atkinson
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
Audio Tracks

Track four of recording of interview with Betty Blair

Less detail

Interview with Hazel Simnett by Eric Damer October 27, 2012 - Track 3

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory401
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1942-1975
Length
0:08:03
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Hazel Simnett's volunteerism and her political activism. Hazel discusses being an organizer for the Burnaby Citizen's Association (BCA) and an active supporter of the libraries in Burnaby. She also discusses what it was like to be a student in the elementar…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Hazel Simnett's volunteerism and her political activism. Hazel discusses being an organizer for the Burnaby Citizen's Association (BCA) and an active supporter of the libraries in Burnaby. She also discusses what it was like to be a student in the elementary school classroom in the nineteen-thirties. Leslie Rossa lends her support to the interview.
Date Range
1942-1975
Photo Info
Hazel Simnett standing in a garden, with a small dog in her arms [194-]. Item no. 549-063.
Length
0:08:03
Names
Burnaby Citizen's Association
Subjects
Persons - Volunteers
Interviewer
Damer, Eric
Interview Date
October 27, 2012
Scope and Content
Recording is an interview with Hazel Simnett conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, October 27, 2012. Leslie Rossa lends her support to the interview. Major theme discussed: political activism in Burnaby.
Biographical Notes
Hazel Simnett was born in Burnaby in 1922 and grew up looking up to her father Frederick Simnett who was very involved in labour and unions. A politically active citizen, Hazel Simnett has supported the Canadian Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and the New Democratic Party (NDP). She once ran as a New Democratic Party candidate for Burnaby City Council. In 2006, Hazel Simnett won the Burnaby Local Hero Award for her volunteer work at the New Vista Society where she served as chair for a number of years. She also served as a member of the Burnaby Historical Society and established the Hazel Simnett Endowment with the Burnaby Public Library to bring a collection of books on Canadian history and social issues.
Total Tracks
4
Total Length
0:36:12
Interviewee Name
Simnett, Hazel
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
Audio Tracks

Track three of recording of interview with Hazel Simnett

Less detail

Interview with Merrill M. Gordon by Rod Fowler March 19, 1990 - Track 5

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory476
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1935-1956
Length
00:04:56
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s marriage and move to Burnaby in 1953, and settling at the house near Cliff Avenue United Church in 1956. He talks about his first encounters with volunteering at Ratepayer meetings attended by his father, and in dance and drama activities at s…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Merrill Gordon’s marriage and move to Burnaby in 1953, and settling at the house near Cliff Avenue United Church in 1956. He talks about his first encounters with volunteering at Ratepayer meetings attended by his father, and in dance and drama activities at school.
Date Range
1935-1956
Photo Info
Burnaby Alderman Merrill Gordon (second from right) following a candidates' meeting, 1973. Item no. 480-263
Length
00:04:56
Subjects
Persons - Volunteers
Education
Historic Neighbourhood
Lochdale (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Lochdale Area
Interviewer
Fowler, Rod
Interview Date
March 19, 1990
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with Merrill Gordon, conducted by Rod Fowler.Gordon Merrill 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 Merrill Gordon’s childhood in the Depression, including his story about the family’s difficult trek to Burnaby from Alberta; his education, teachers and first volunteer activities at Grandview High School; his career at Fleck Brothers and the start of his own company Blaze Industries and later work in India; and his many volunteer activities in Burnaby. He describes how he started the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, the soccer club's subsequent growth and development, some of the people involved, and the founding of the youth soccer exchange. He also describes his work on the Parks Board and in the arts community, including the 1987 arts centre referendum, and involvement with the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society (1988- ), and mentions his work for other groups including the New Vista Society, library board, and Burnaby Mental Health Committee. He also talks about his political career with the Better Burnaby Committee and Burnaby Voters Association, resulting in his 1972 election to Burnaby’s 1973 council. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
Biographical Notes
Merrill M. Gordon was born in Saskatchewan in 1929 to parents farming north of North Battleford. After a fifth year of crop failure the family of four left the farm in 1934 to join relatives living near the corner of Union and Sperling in Burnaby. With little resources the family adapted as well as possible in the Depression years, moving often in the East Vancouver/North Burnaby area in an attempt to better their situation. Merrill’s father obtained work at sawmills including Kapoor’s Sawmill at Barnet, walking to work over Burnaby Mountain. After attending numerous public schools, Merrill Gordon eventually spent three years at Templeton School and then completed his education at Grandview High School of Commerce, majoring in accounting and commercial law. He worked a few years at Canadian Industries Ltd., then joined Fleck Brothers. In 1965 Merrill Gordon and his wife started their own company Blaze Industries of Canada that manufactured wood burning fireplaces, selling the company to AB Electrolux in 1980. After a short retirement, Merrill Gordon went back to work in 1981 for a company manufacturing solar panels, one project taking him and his wife intermittently to India over a four year period. Merrill Gordon helped found the political group Better Burnaby Committee, later the Burnaby Voters Association, with Alan Emmott and Bill Lewarne, ran for Burnaby Municipal Council and served one year as councillor in 1973. Merrill Gordon is well known for his over 40 years of volunteer work in Burnaby, particularly as founder in 1956 and director of the Cliff Avenue United Football Club, one of the largest soccer clubs in BC. He was also the founder of Burnaby Youth Soccer and the first youth soccer exchange with Washington State. His other volunteer work includes library trustee, Parks Commissioner (1987-1992), Director of New Vista Home for Seniors, Chair of campaign raising funds for building Shadbolt Arts Centre, and Chair of the Burnaby Mental Health Committee. In 1988 Merrill Gordon, Betty Gordon, Dean Lamont and several others formed the Burnaby Mountain Preservation Society, which advocated for the return of unused land to Burnaby from SFU and the subsequent creation of Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area. Merrill Gordon and Elizabeth Balfour (nee Leitch) (1926-2012) married in 1953 and had two children.
Total Tracks
11
Total Length
1:31:44
Interviewee Name
Gordon, Merrill
Interview Location
unknown
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.
Images
Audio Tracks

Track five of interview with Merrill Gordon

Less detail

Interview with Tom Mark by Eric Damer October 12, 2012 - Track 2

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory364
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1946-1965
Length
0:08:24
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Thomas "Tom" Mark's memories of his activities outside of work. He discusses his garden and aviary filled with birds, he and his wife's volunteerism, and his memories of how the Fraser Valley flood of 1948 affected Burnaby.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Thomas "Tom" Mark's memories of his activities outside of work. He discusses his garden and aviary filled with birds, he and his wife's volunteerism, and his memories of how the Fraser Valley flood of 1948 affected Burnaby.
Date Range
1946-1965
Length
0:08:24
Subjects
Persons - Volunteers
Interviewer
Damer, Eric
Interview Date
October 12, 2012
Scope and Content
Recording is an interview with Thomas "Tom" Mark conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, October 12, 2012. Major theme discussed: being a volunteer.
Biographical Notes
Thomas "Tom" Mark was born in 1923 and grew up in New Westminster. In 1937 his family moved to Victoria, British Columbia where he finished his schooling and worked for a year in the shipyard before enlisting in the air force. He was stationed in England during the war, and in 1946 he bought a small house in East Burnaby for his English bride and himself. For three years Tom drove a heating fuel truck for Shell Oil and then became the agent for a Shell marine service station on the Fraser River, near the Patullo Bridge. His aviary garnered him the nickname “birdman of Burnaby.” His son attended St. Thomas Moore High School and then Simon Fraser University when it opened in 1965. In 1995 Tom Mark was awarded the Kushiro Cup for Outstanding Citizen of the Year for his volunteer work with the Burnaby Health Department.
Total Tracks
4
Total Length
0:32:43
Interviewee Name
Mark, Thomas "Tom"
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
Audio Tracks

Track two of recording of interview with Tom Mark

Less detail

Interview with Tom Mark by Eric Damer October 12, 2012 - Track 4

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory366
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1930-1995
Length
0:05:40
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Thomas "Tom" Mark's experiences as a care giver for his wife as well as a volunteer at the Burnaby Health Department. He mentions being awarded Burnaby's Kushiro Cup Citizen of the Year Award in 1995. Tom finishes his interview with a childhood story involv…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the recording pertains to Thomas "Tom" Mark's experiences as a care giver for his wife as well as a volunteer at the Burnaby Health Department. He mentions being awarded Burnaby's Kushiro Cup Citizen of the Year Award in 1995. Tom finishes his interview with a childhood story involving his uncle's roadster.
Date Range
1930-1995
Length
0:05:40
Subjects
Persons - Volunteers
Interviewer
Damer, Eric
Interview Date
October 12, 2012
Scope and Content
Recording is an interview with Thomas "Tom" Mark conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, October 12, 2012. Major theme discussed: being a volunteer.
Biographical Notes
Thomas "Tom" Mark was born in 1923 and grew up in New Westminster. In 1937 his family moved to Victoria, British Columbia where he finished his schooling and worked for a year in the shipyard before enlisting in the air force. He was stationed in England during the war, and in 1946 he bought a small house in East Burnaby for his English bride and himself. For three years Tom drove a heating fuel truck for Shell Oil and then became the agent for a Shell marine service station on the Fraser River, near the Patullo Bridge. His aviary garnered him the nickname “birdman of Burnaby.” His son attended St. Thomas Moore High School and then Simon Fraser University when it opened in 1965. In 1995 Tom Mark was awarded the Kushiro Cup for Outstanding Citizen of the Year for his volunteer work with the Burnaby Health Department.
Total Tracks
4
Total Length
0:32:43
Interviewee Name
Mark, Thomas "Tom"
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
Audio Tracks

Track four of recording of interview with Tom Mark

Less detail

Interview with Richard Liu

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20283
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
3 sound recordings (wav) (153 min., 33 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (152 min., 59 sec.)
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Richard Liu conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 11, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:26:39 Richard Liu shares biographical information about himself and his family in China. He talks about his family being forced…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Burnaby Village Museum fonds
Series
Museum Oral Histories series
Subseries
Many Voices Project Interviews subseries
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
3 sound recordings (wav) (153 min., 33 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (152 min., 59 sec.)
Material Details
Interviewer: Denise Fong Interviewee: Richard Liu Location of Interview: Love farmhouse at Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: September 11, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 3 Total Length of all Tracks: 02:33:33 Digital master recordings (wav) were recorded onto three separate audio tracks, edited and merged together into one track and converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Richard Liu conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 11, 2023. 00:00:00 – 00:26:39 Richard Liu shares biographical information about himself and his family in China. He talks about his family being forced out by the communist regime in the early ‘50s and their experiences immigrating to Hong Kong, Europe and Canada. 00:26:40 - 00:32:59 Richard talks about his parents’ experiences living in Toronto, Victoria and Burnaby and shares some of his father’s business accomplishments including establishing the first direct flight to Beijing in 1987 and the first sister city between China and Canada. 00:33:00 – 01:13:59 Richard talks about living in Burnaby and his educational experiences at Thomas More Collegiate. He recalls his experience of travelling to North Korea in 1988 and being a student at Peking University in Beijing during the student-led demonstrations in Tiananmen Square and the Tiananmen Square massacre in 1989. 01:14:00 – 01:26:16 Richard talks about his education and reflects on how his experiences in Beijing influenced his education and career choices including working in the Prime Minister’s office on trade missions to China and talks about the importance of leaning French. 01:26:17 – 01:48:35 Richard shares his memories and experiences of; being on the Canadian Paralympic Committee during the 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games in China, supporting Rick Hansen during his visit to China for the 25th anniversary of the Man in Motion World Tour and working with Team Canada in China for the 2022 Olympic Games. 01:48:36 – 01:52:22 Richard talks about his life in Burnaby after moving back from China in 2014 and the changes he’s noticed since being away. Richard talks about his involvement with St. John Ambulance, his role as the Honorary Brigade Division President and his role as Heritage Commissioner for the City of Burnaby. 02:14:32 – 02:29:27 Richard talks about his investiture to the Order of Saint John in 2023 and reflects on the accomplishments of his great uncle Dr. Shin-Shu Liu (China’s first Ambassador to Canada). 02:29:28 – 02:32:59 In closing Richard imparts some words of wisdom for future generations.
History
Interviewee biography: Richard N. Liu was born in 1970 in Toronto and raised in British Columbia. Richard's family has distinguished Canada-China ties for three generations. His Great-Uncle, Dr. Liu Shih-shun, was China's first Ambassador to Canada in 1942 and his father, Dr. Liu Dun-ren, built relations in education, culture and tourism for three decades including establishing the first Twin Sister City between Canada and China with Victoria and Suzhou in 1980. Richard's maternal great-grandfather, Dr. Wu Han-chi (1872-1913) played an active role in uprisings that shaped the future of modern China, was an elected member of the lower house of the first formal parliament in 1913 and was assassinated on political grounds. Dr. Wu's daughter, Dr. Wu Chi-mei served Dr. Sun Yat-sen, was elected as a Guangzhou City Councillor and visited Vancouver in 1929 and 1932. After graduating from St. Thomas More Collegiate in Vancouver, Richard Liu moved to China to begin his studies at Peking University but in 1989, following the Tiananmen Square protest and massacre, he was evacuated from China and returned to Canada. While back in Canada, Liu completed a BA in East Asian Studies from the University of British Columbia and in 1993, he returned to China to continue his Chinese studies at Peking University and continued to live in China for twenty years. In 2008, Richard worked as Team Canada’s Attaché for the Paralympic Summer Games that took place in Beijing. In 2014, Liu returned to Canada and made his home in Burnaby with his wife and two children. In 2022, Liu returned to Beijing to serve as Mission Staff member for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics. Richard has also played a leading role with the Terry Fox Run, Special Olympics and Rick Hansen's visit to Beijing in 2011. Liu’s areas of expertize include; public relations, diplomacy, major events organization and education. Liu works as an advisor in East Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia and is a MA Candidate at Peking University. Richard founded the Canadian Alumni Network that connects over 16,000 alumni in China who’ve attended Canada's post-secondary institutions. Liu has been a commissioner with the City of Burnaby’s Heritage Commission (2018-2023) and sits on various boards advising companies and organizations on a variety of sectors pertaining to Asia. In 2019, Liu was appointed the Honorary Brigade Division President for St. John Ambulance and was among 13 UBC Alumni to be recognized and awarded the 2018-2019 UBC Alumni Builder Award “For his service, dedication, and contribution to UBC and its alumni community. For his long record of service fostering connections with alumni and students in Beijing and Asia as well as dedication to mentoring students in the Faculty of Arts.” On June 24 2023, Richard was formally invested into the Order of St. John, one of five national orders in the Canadian Honours System. Interviewer biography: Denise Fong is a historical researcher at Burnaby Village Museum. She has degrees in Anthropology (BA) and Archaeology (MA), and is completing her doctoral degree at UBC in Interdisciplinary Studies. Her primary research interests are in Chinese Canadian history and critical heritage studies. She is the co-curator of BVM’s “Across the Pacific” exhibition, and the Museum of Vancouver’s “A Seat at the Table – Chinese Immigration and British Columbia”.
Creator
Burnaby Village Museum
Subjects
Persons - Chinese Canadians
Migration
Officials
Education
Protests and Demonstrations
Social Issues
Social Issues - Racism
Sports
Travel
Religions - Christianity
Names
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Chak, Dr. Po Tin
Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC
Liu, Richard N.
Liu, Dr. Dun-ren
Liu, Dr. Shih-Shun
Gigli, Beniamino
Hansen, Richard Marvin "Rick"
Olympic Games
Paralympic Games
Peking University
St. John Ambulance
St. Thomas More Collegiate
Tiananmen Square
University of British Columbia
Responsibility
Fong, Denise
Accession Code
BV023.16.17
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[1936-2023] (interview content), interviewed 11 Sep. 2023
Media Type
Sound Recording
Notes
Title based on contents of item
transcription available
Documents
Audio Tracks

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

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

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

21st Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20318
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[between 1945 and 1948]
Collection/Fonds
Joseph H.C. Corsbie fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w print ; 28 x 39 cm mounted on matt board 30.5 x 41 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of the "21st Legislative Assembly" portraits, 1945-1948. Members are identified in the top row left to right: J. Mowat; W.T. Straith K.C.; E.E. Winch; R.H. Carson; J.J. Gillis M.D.,C.M.; T. Uphill; T. King; L.Le Bourdais; S. Guthrie; L.H. Eyres; T.A. Love; second row left to right: Hon. …
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Joseph H.C. Corsbie fonds
Series
Joseph H.C. Corsbie personal and professional records series
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w print ; 28 x 39 cm mounted on matt board 30.5 x 41 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of the "21st Legislative Assembly" portraits, 1945-1948. Members are identified in the top row left to right: J. Mowat; W.T. Straith K.C.; E.E. Winch; R.H. Carson; J.J. Gillis M.D.,C.M.; T. Uphill; T. King; L.Le Bourdais; S. Guthrie; L.H. Eyres; T.A. Love; second row left to right: Hon. E.C. Carson; Hon. F. Putnam; Hon. G.S. Pearson; Hon. r.L Maitland K.C.; Hon. H. Hart Premier; H.E. Winch Leader of the Opposition; Hon. E.T. Kenney; Hon. H. Anscomb; Hon. G.M. Weir M.A.,d.Paed.; third row left to right: G.S. Wismer K.C.; H. Gargrave; F.W. Green M.D., C.M.; W.A.C. Bennett; Mrs. N. Hodges; Hon. N.w. Whittaker K.C.; Mrs. T.J. Rolston; R.C. MacDonald; A.J. Turner; B.I. Johnson; H.J. Welch; fourth row, left to right: J.H. Corsbie; W.D. Smith; E.F.Rowland; McIntyre E.C. (Law Clerk); W.R. Webster Capt. (Sgt.at arms); R.S. Yates (Clerk of House); A.J. McDonell; D.C. Brown; A.C. Hope; bottom row left to right: C.W. Morrow; R. Harding; A.B. Ritchie; C.T. Beard; R.R. Laird M.D., C.M.; J. McInnis; W.J. Johnson; J.H. Cates; J.L. Webster; W.H. Brett.
Subjects
Officials - Premiers
Officials - Elected Officials
Accession Code
BV020.31.41
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Date
[between 1945 and 1948]
Media Type
Photograph
Scan Resolution
600
Scan Date
19-09-2023
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Signature of photographer in lower left corner of matt reads: "Philip Fort"
Images
Less detail

CCF MLA's in their seats in the B.C. Legislature

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription3699
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[between 1949 and 1956]
Collection/Fonds
Harold Edward Winch collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia ; 20 x 25 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) Members of the Legislative Assembly at their seats inside of the British Columbia Parliament buildings in Victoria. Photograph is taken inside the legislature. Members are identified as; Frank Calder, Rupert Haggen, Leo Nimsick, Frank Mitchel…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
Harold Edward Winch collection
Series
Harold E. Winch photographs series
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia ; 20 x 25 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) Members of the Legislative Assembly at their seats inside of the British Columbia Parliament buildings in Victoria. Photograph is taken inside the legislature. Members are identified as; Frank Calder, Rupert Haggen, Leo Nimsick, Frank Mitchell, Arthur Turner, Harold Winch, Ernest Winch, and Ran Harding.
Subjects
Government - Provincial Government
Officials - Elected Officials
Organizations - Political Parties
Names
Winch, Ernest "Ernie"
Winch, Harold Edward
Calder, Frank
Haggen, Rupert
Nimsick, Leo
Mitchell, Frank
Turner, Arthur
Harding, Ran
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation "CCF"
Accession Code
BV013.12.56
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[between 1949 and 1956]
Media Type
Photograph
Photographer
Portley, John S.
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Handwritten annotations on recto of photograph provide identification and read from left to right: "Frank Calder_Rupert Hagen_Leo Nimsick_Frank Mitchell / Arthur Turner_Harold Winch_Ernest Winch_Ran Harding / CCF MLA's / in their seats in the B.C. Legislature"
Photograph is a part of original scrapbook Item BV013.12.11
Note on verso of photograph reads: "Our fighting '8' in the BC Legislature : / Were we downhearted? / Yes & No / HW"
Stamp in blue ink on verso of photograph reads: "John S. Portley [sic]"
Images
Less detail

Ernest and Alan Winch

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription64752
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1942
Collection/Fonds
Ernest Winch fonds
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 10.5 x 6 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Ernest E. (Ernie) standing next to his son Alan Winch, dressed in uniform. An unidentified dog stands between them, facing the camera.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1942
Collection/Fonds
Ernest Winch fonds
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 10.5 x 6 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
514-030
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2010-06
Scope and Content
Photograph of Ernest E. (Ernie) standing next to his son Alan Winch, dressed in uniform. An unidentified dog stands between them, facing the camera.
Subjects
Clothing - Military Uniforms
Animals - Dogs
Officials - Elected Officials
Names
Winch, Ernest "Ernie"
Winch, Alan
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
Note in blue ink on verso of photograph reads: "Ernest and Alan - 1942"
Images
Less detail

Interview with William A. Lewarne by Rod Fowler March 14, 1990 - Track 7

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/oralhistory447
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date Range
1937-1990
Length
00:05:53
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Bill Lewarne’s discussion of the attitudes, energy and time commitment required for operating a seasonal business and needed for politics. He mentions the Nelson Avenue family home, still lived in by his mother
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Summary
This portion of the interview is about Bill Lewarne’s discussion of the attitudes, energy and time commitment required for operating a seasonal business and needed for politics. He mentions the Nelson Avenue family home, still lived in by his mother
Date Range
1937-1990
Photo Info
Burnaby Alderman, Bill (William) Lewarne, [1973]. Item no. 231-012
Length
00:05:53
Subjects
Occupations - Entrepreneurs
Officials - Elected Officials
Geographic Access
Nelson Avenue
Interviewer
Fowler, Rod
Interview Date
March 14, 1990
Scope and Content
Recording is of an interview with former Mayor William “Bill” Lewarne, conducted by Rod Fowler. Bill Lewarne 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 mainly about Bill Lewarne’s business and political careers, and memories of growing up in South Burnaby in the 1930s. Bill Lewarne talks about his parent’s origins, his family and community struggles during the Depression, the interurban, his education, war service, and joining his father's business. He describes the start, operation and expansion of the family ice cream business, and how business life compared to political life. The interview explores the role of politics in community affairs, his political activities, the history of the BVA, and his involvement in various community organizations. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track, expand this description and see “Notes”.
Biographical Notes
William Alfred “Bill” Lewarne was born in Burnaby in 1926 to Ethel Cecilia Leer (1899- ) and Alfred Lewarne (1893-1962). The family, Ethel, Alfred and their three children Patricia, Beverley and William, moved to a house on Nelson Avenue in Alta Vista in 1931. Ethel still lived in the family home in 1990. Bill Lewarne attended Nelson Avenue School and South Burnaby High School (1932-1944). His father Alfred worked at Colony Farms as a dairy inspector and then for the Port of Vancouver Dairy before being laid off early in the Depression. The family struggled until in 1936 Alfred started his own ice cream business. After graduation Bill was in the army for two years, taking a refrigeration course under the veteran’s training benefit, before joining his father’s business. Three generations of the family operated the successful company, expanding from wholesale, retail and distribution of ice cream products into refrigerated warehouses and the wholesale ice business, until the business was sold to its competitor Dairyland in 1989. Bill Lewarne entered politics in 1965, first with the Nonpartisan Association (NPA) and then as a founder of the Burnaby Citizens Association (BCA). He served as an alderman on Burnaby Council 1973-1975 and 1977-1981 and as Mayor 1981-1987. In 1979 he ran for provincial office for the Social Credit Party against Rosemary Brown but lost. Bill Lewarne married June Lawrence and they had three children Robert, Leslie and Janice. He was active in many organizations: Burnaby/Willingdon Liberal Association, Seton Villa, Irish Fusileers of Canada, Lions Club, Rotary Club, Burnaby Association for Community Inclusion, and the Burnaby Hospital Foundation, and continued to be active on the Board of the BCA. Bill Lewarne died in 1995.
Total Tracks
14
Total Length
1:34:40
Interviewee Name
Lewarne, William A. "Bill"
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 business computerization 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.
Images
Audio Tracks

Track seven of interview with Bill Lewarne

Less detail

Barnet school class

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription15184
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Date
[between 1941 and 1942] (date of original), copied 2004
Collection/Fonds
In the Shadow by the Sea collection
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : 300 dpi
Scope and Content
Photograph of Barnet School elementary class, 1941-1942. The group of students are arranged outside in three rows with trees behind them. Students are identified from left to right as; front row: Kenny Marshall, unknown, Lakhbeer Siddoo, Gurdeb Siddoo, Bobby Karppinen, unknown, Hardev Siddoo; middl…
Repository
Burnaby Village Museum
Collection/Fonds
In the Shadow by the Sea collection
Series
Kapoor Singh Siddoo family photographs series
Description Level
Item
Physical Description
1 photograph (tiff) : 300 dpi
Scope and Content
Photograph of Barnet School elementary class, 1941-1942. The group of students are arranged outside in three rows with trees behind them. Students are identified from left to right as; front row: Kenny Marshall, unknown, Lakhbeer Siddoo, Gurdeb Siddoo, Bobby Karppinen, unknown, Hardev Siddoo; middle row: Moyra Foort, Rose Johnston, Doreen Karppinen, Deirdre Davidson, Freda Hall, Joan Lynch, Sheila Carey, Catherine La Favor, Beatrice Woolsey and Goglin; back row: Bobby Goglin, Jackie Marshall, Ken Murray, Gurmeet Gurdell, Florence La Favor, Diljeet Teja, Colin Simmons, Ronny Johnson.
Subjects
Persons - Students
Persons - Children
Persons - South Asian Canadians
Buildings - Schools
Names
Barnet School
Marshall, Kenny
Siddoo, Hardev
Siddoo, Lakhbeer
Siddoo, Gurdeb
Karppinen, Robert "Bobby"
Foort, Moyra
Johnston, Rose
Karppinen, Doreen
Davidson, Dierdre
Hall, Freda
Lynch, Joan
Carey, Sheila
La Favor, Cathryn Bernice
McMillan, Beatrice Woolsey
Goglin, Robert "Bobby"
Marshall, Jack Darrel "Jackie"
Murray, Ken
Gurdell, Gurmeet
La Favor, Florence Alice
Teja, Diljeet
Simmons, Colin
Johnson, Ron "Ronny"
Accession Code
BV019.32.5
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Date
[between 1941 and 1942] (date of original), copied 2004
Media Type
Photograph
Historic Neighbourhood
Barnet (Historic Neighbourhood)
Planning Study Area
Burnaby Mountain Area
Notes
Title based on contents of photograph
see page 235 in the book "In the Shadow by the Sea - recollections of Burnaby's Barnet Village". Caption with photograph reads: "Barnet School / Class 1941-1942 / Back Row:..."
Images
Less detail

100 records – page 1 of 5.