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Edmonds Baptist Church
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark575
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Description
- Church building.
- Associated Dates
- 1912
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Geographic Access
- Walker Avenue
- Associated Dates
- 1912
- Description
- Church building.
- Heritage Value
- Beautifully designed in an Arts and Crafts idiom, this church features a textural mix of finishes including lapped siding and stucco and half timbering in the gables. The British Columbian reported in July 1912 that: "The Baptists of Edmonds will possess a fine and well planned church when the building now commenced is ready for occupation. The architects are J.P. Matheson and Son, of Vancouver, and the contractors, Muttitt and Bell, of New Westminster. The entrance porch fronts Edmonds Road and the west side faces Vancouver Road. It will have a capacity for 272 sittings, spacious aisles and choir platform besides various rooms for Baptistery, vestry and robing apartments."
- Locality
- Edmonds
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Richmond Park Area
- Architect
- J.P. Matheson & Son
- Builder
- Muttitt and Bell
- Area
- 1471.58
- Contributing Resource
- Building
- Ownership
- Private
- Names
- Matheson, John
- Street Address
- 7135 Walker Avenue
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
Images
H.T. Ceperley Estate 'Fairacres' Mansion
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark526
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Description
- 'Fairacres' is a large, two-and-one-half storey estate house in the British Arts and Crafts style, located in Deer Lake Park, with four associated original outbuildings.
- Associated Dates
- 1911
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Other Names
- Henry Tracy & Grace Ceperley Estate
- Burnaby Art Gallery
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Other Names
- Henry Tracy & Grace Ceperley Estate
- Burnaby Art Gallery
- Geographic Access
- Deer Lake Avenue
- Associated Dates
- 1911
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Enactment Type
- Bylaw No. 9807
- Enactment Date
- 23/11/1992
- Description
- 'Fairacres' is a large, two-and-one-half storey estate house in the British Arts and Crafts style, located in Deer Lake Park, with four associated original outbuildings.
- Heritage Value
- 'Fairacres' is important as a record of the early years of Burnaby, specifically the Deer Lake area, as a place of tranquility and beautiful scenery in which the wealthy and successful in the burgeoning cities of New Westminster and Vancouver chose to retire or to make their family homes. The main house, which anchors in style and setting the outbuildings on the estate, demonstrates the social, cultural, and aesthetic values of local wealthy businessmen and women of the early twentieth century - values such as appreciation of architectural elegance and grand interior spaces, leisure and recreation, formal landscaped gardens and scenic views. Also important is the association with the English-born and trained architect Robert Mackay Fripp (1858-1917), as this was one of his grandest residential commissions. Steeped in the current architectural trends in Great Britain, Fripp designed this sprawling mansion in the Arts and Crafts style, reflected in the architectural detailing and proportions. The style was common at the time and was often used for estate mansions as a symbol of affluence and good, modern taste as well as an affinity for all things British. Quality is displayed inside and out in the finishes and materials, orchestrated by prominent local contractor, James Charles Allen, including imported English materials of specific value such as imported Medmenham tiles in the fireplace surrounds, one of the earliest documented use of these tiles outside the United Kingdom. Detailed features of the interior woodwork were carved by Scottish-born master wood carver George Selkirk Gibson (1867-1942), who was best known for his many commissions for prominent British Columbia architect Samuel Maclure. The outbuildings at 'Fairacres' are an important record of the functioning of a large estate of the time. The Garage and Stables and the Chauffeur’s Cottage accommodated the use of automobiles, horses and carriages, and in concert with the estate's location near the new British Columbia Electric Railway 'Burnaby Lake' interurban line, illustrate the evolving nature of regional transportation and the growing bedroom communities and estates made possible by increasing options for transportation. Other outbuildings accommodated the agricultural activities that helped support the Ceperley estate. The estate was conceived and funded by American-born Grace E. Dixon Ceperley (1863-1917), who had achieved significant wealth through a bequest from her brother-in-law, Vancouver pioneer Arthur Ferguson. Her husband, Henry Tracy Ceperley (1850-1929), also American-born, was a successful and well-respected businessman who made a significant contribution to the development of the City of Vancouver. The construction of 'Fairacres' spawned the transformation of the Deer Lake area from a farming community into a preferred location for elite suburban homes. 'Fairacres' is significant to the City of Burnaby as its first civic heritage conservation project. Acquired in 1966 for conversion to Burnaby’s first art gallery, it was dedicated in 1967 to mark Canada’s Centennial of Confederation.
- Defining Elements
- Key elements that define the heritage character of the ‘Fairacres’ mansion include its: - setting in relation to the gardens, its former market garden, and the vistas to Deer Lake and other grand homes in the area - side gable roof with prominent dormers and cedar shingle cladding - verandah across the eastern (garden) facade, with its view over the landscaped gardens and the distant mountains - porte cochere with its side steps for those arriving by automobile, and central raised step for those alighting from horse-drawn carriages - rich variety of exterior elements that demonstrate the typical Arts and Crafts use of local materials such as cobble stone chimneys and foundations, wide wooden siding and half-timbering - mixture of double-hung and casement wooden-sash windows, many with multi-paned sash - lavish interior spaces, designed for entertaining on a grand scale, including a billiard room with a beamed ceiling and an inglenook fireplace, and generous living and dining rooms arranged off a central hall - quality of the interior materials such as imported Medmenham tiles in fireplace surrounds, window hardware by Hope and Sons, and leaded stained glass - interior wood work including the staircase, and carvings by George Selkirk Gibson - remaining formal Edwardian garden landscape elements, including the cross-axial plan that reflects the relationship of the mansion to its 'outdoor rooms'
- Locality
- Deer Lake Park
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Architect
- Robert Mackay Fripp
- Function
- Primary Current--Museum
- Primary Historic--Estate
- Community
- Burnaby
- Cadastral Identifier
- P.I.D. No. 004-493-311 Legal Description: Block 3 Except: Part subdivided by Plan 26865, District Lot 79, Group 1, New Westminster District, Plan 536
- Boundaries
- ‘Fairacres’ is comprised of a single municipally-owned property located at 6344 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby.
- Area
- 17,065.00
- Contributing Resource
- Building
- Landscape Feature
- Ownership
- Public (local)
- Other Collection
- City of Burnaby, Visual Art Collection: Original rendering by R.P.S. Twizell Burnaby Historical Society, Community Archives: Ceperley Photograph Album Burnaby Village Museum, Collection: Carved dining room panels by G.S. Gibson and other hardware items
- Documentation
- Heritage Site Files: PC77000 20. City of Burnaby Planning and Building Department, 4949 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C., V5G 1M2
- Names
- Ceperley, Grace
- Ceperley, H.T.
- Fripp, Robert Mackay
- Allen, James Charles
- Gibson, George Selkirk
- Street Address
- 6344 Deer Lake Avenue
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
Images
H.T. Ceperley Estate 'Fairacres' Chauffeur's Cottage
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark529
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Description
- Designed in the British Arts and Crafts style, the Chauffeur's Cottage is situated across from the main entrance to the Ceperley Mansion, and adjacent to the Garage and Stables. A long, narrow single-storey building, it was constructed by joining together two modest estate cottages.
- Associated Dates
- 1911
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Geographic Access
- Deer Lake Avenue
- Associated Dates
- 1911
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Enactment Type
- Bylaw No. 9807
- Enactment Date
- 23/11/1992
- Description
- Designed in the British Arts and Crafts style, the Chauffeur's Cottage is situated across from the main entrance to the Ceperley Mansion, and adjacent to the Garage and Stables. A long, narrow single-storey building, it was constructed by joining together two modest estate cottages.
- Heritage Value
- The outbuildings at 'Fairacres' are a rare surviving architecturally designed ensemble of agricultural structures that exist in complementary harmony with the main estate house. Architect Robert Mackay Fripp (1858-1917) was retained by the Ceperleys to design several original outbuildings on their estate at the same time as the main house was constructed. The Chauffeur's Cottage illustrates the increasing importance of the automobile in the lives of the wealthy of the early twentieth century. It also demonstrates Grace and Henry Tracy Ceperley's social aspirations and grand-country-estate pretension in having a chauffeur. The cottage's location - close to the garage and convenient, but not adjacent, to the main house - enhances the grand country house landscape design and contributes to the overall composition of the estate's plan. The Arts and Crafts styled Chauffeur's Cottage is important as an indicator of the aesthetic and social sensibilities of the Ceperley family in retaining an architect to design a modest building for staff accommodation.
- Defining Elements
- Key elements that define the heritage character of the 'Fairacres' Chauffeur's Cottage include its: - location, in relation to the main house and in close proximity to the Garage and Stables buildings - side gable roof with cedar shingle cladding - Arts and Crafts architectural features such as the jerkin-headed door hood, a reference to the thatched-roofed cottages of southern England; eight-paned wooden-sash casement windows; and cedar-shingled exterior - two internal brick chimneys - modest, functional interior, with simple trim and lack of pretension
- Locality
- Deer Lake Park
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Architect
- Robert Mackay Fripp
- Function
- Primary Historic--Outbuilding
- Community
- Burnaby
- Cadastral Identifier
- P.I.D. No. 004-493-311 Legal Description: Block 3 Except: Part subdivided by Plan 26865, District Lot 79, Group 1, New Westminster District, Plan 536
- Boundaries
- ‘Fairacres’ is comprised of a single municipally-owned property located at 6344 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby.
- Area
- 17,065.00
- Contributing Resource
- Building
- Landscape Feature
- Ownership
- Public (local)
- Other Collection
- Burnaby Historical Society, Community Archives: Ceperley Photograph Album Burnaby Village Museum, Collection: Chinese ‘Tiger Whiskey’ and opium bottles found during restoration
- Documentation
- Heritage Site Files: PC77000 20. City of Burnaby Planning and Building Department, 4949 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C., V5G 1M2
- Street Address
- 6344 Deer Lake Avenue
Images
H.T. Ceperley Estate 'Fairacres' Garage & Stables
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/landmark530
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Description
- Designed in the British Arts and Crafts style, the ‘Fairacres’ Garage and Stables is a two-storey wood frame building located on the 'Fairacres' estate, situated to the north of the Chauffeur's Cottage; at the south end of the structure is a single vehicle garage and to the north are several stable…
- Associated Dates
- 1911
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
- Repository
- Burnaby Heritage Planning
- Geographic Access
- Deer Lake Avenue
- Associated Dates
- 1911
- Formal Recognition
- Heritage Designation, Community Heritage Register
- Enactment Type
- Bylaw No. 9807
- Enactment Date
- 23/11/1992
- Description
- Designed in the British Arts and Crafts style, the ‘Fairacres’ Garage and Stables is a two-storey wood frame building located on the 'Fairacres' estate, situated to the north of the Chauffeur's Cottage; at the south end of the structure is a single vehicle garage and to the north are several stables for carriage, riding, and draught horses, a coach house, and tack room; the upper floor was originally a hay loft.
- Heritage Value
- The outbuildings at 'Fairacres' are a rare surviving architecturally designed ensemble of agricultural structures that exist in complementary harmony with the main estate house. Architect Robert Mackay Fripp (1858-1917) was retained by the Ceperleys to design several original outbuildings on their estate at the same time as the main house was constructed. The Garage and Stables building is important as a record of its era when transportation modes were in transition and the horse-drawn carriage, while still in use, was giving way to the automobile. The relative spatial arrangements within the building are a valuable indication of the economy of space associated with the automobile, as compared to the horse. The extent of the stabling arrangements signifies not only the use of carriage horses but also the continued reliance on draught horses in farming activities in this era. As well, it is an indication of the fashionable nature of equestrianism for wealthy families during this time. The building is important as a demonstration of the aesthetics of the Ceperley family in having an architect-designed outbuilding and obtaining craftsmanship and materials of the highest quality for each structure on their estate.
- Defining Elements
- Key elements that define the heritage character of the 'Fairacres' Garage and Stables include its: - location within easy reach of the main house and in close proximity to the Chauffeur's Cottage - floor plan with the garage at one end, close to the Chauffeur's Cottage, and stables and equine facilities at the other - variety and complexity of the roofline, including gable wall dormers, gable-on-hip roof ends, and half-hip extensions - Arts and Crafts architectural features of the exterior such as the shingle wall cladding articulated with a chevron-patterned course of shingles at the first floor level; casement windows; and deep eaves with additional purlins to support the overhang - original stable doors with hand-made forged-iron door hardware - multi-paned wooden-sash windows, some retaining original wire glass
- Locality
- Deer Lake Park
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Burnaby Lake (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Douglas-Gilpin Area
- Architect
- Robert Mackay Fripp
- Function
- Primary Historic--Outbuilding
- Community
- Burnaby
- Cadastral Identifier
- P.I.D. No. 004-493-311 Legal Description: Block 3 Except: Part subdivided by Plan 26865, District Lot 79, Group 1, New Westminster District, Plan 536
- Boundaries
- ‘Fairacres’ is comprised of a single municipally-owned property located at 6344 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby.
- Area
- 17,065.00
- Contributing Resource
- Building
- Landscape Feature
- Ownership
- Public (local)
- Other Collection
- Burnaby Historical Society, Community Archives: Ceperley Photograph Album
- Documentation
- Heritage Site Files: PC77000 20. City of Burnaby Planning and Building Department, 4949 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C., V5G 1M2
- Street Address
- 6344 Deer Lake Avenue
- Street View URL
- Google Maps Street View
Images
![First Burnaby Girl Guides Company, [1919] (date of original), copied [1972] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1972/1972_0051_0001_001.jpg?width=280)
First Burnaby Girl Guides Company
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription1080
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1919] (date of original), copied [1972]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 16.6 x 21.5 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the eighteen girls of the first Burnaby Girl Guide Company. The girl guide flag with a clover leaf symbol in the centre, and writing, "1st Burnaby Company" at the top, is hanging on a staff behind the girls. An earlier catalogue record from 1976 notes that the brick building behind t…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 16.6 x 21.5 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the eighteen girls of the first Burnaby Girl Guide Company. The girl guide flag with a clover leaf symbol in the centre, and writing, "1st Burnaby Company" at the top, is hanging on a staff behind the girls. An earlier catalogue record from 1976 notes that the brick building behind the girls would almost certainly be the Burnaby Municipal Hall built in 1911, from having examined the detail of the brickwork, the stonework of the foundations and the joinery around the windows of the basement. One of the girls is holding a pennant with the Union Jack at one end and the word "Welcome" in the fly. The 1976 record surmises that this might be for the visit of the Prince Wales in 1919. The girls' uniforms consist mostly of white middies, long dark skirts and Australian-style Stetsons. Some girls are wearing dark dresses with a belt at the waist and a knotted scarf at the neck. The skirts are mid-calf. The Girl Guides first formed in Burnaby in 1914, and worked on making and sending gifts to the soldiers in their war efforts. An annotation on the back of the photograph reads, "300 out."
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Street Address
- 7282 Kingsway
- Accession Code
- HV972.51.1
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1919] (date of original), copied [1972]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 2023-04-04
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
![First Burnaby Girl Guides Company, [1919] (date of original), copied [1972] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1972/1972_0051_0001_001.jpg)
![Interview with Josephine Chow by Denise Fong February 7, 2020, [1900-2020] (interview content), interviewed Feb. 7, 2020 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/2017/2017_0036_0004_001.jpg?width=280)
Interview with Josephine Chow by Denise Fong February 7, 2020
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription12337
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1900-2020] (interview content), interviewed Feb. 7, 2020
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (mp3) (00:43:19 min.)
- Scope and Content
- Recording consists of an interview with Josephine Chow (nee Hong) conducted by BVM researcher Denise Fong at the Burnaby Village Museum. Josephine describes her family history and recollects her childhood experiences in 1950s and 60s while growing with her family on their "Hop On" farm in Burnaby. …
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- Subseries
- Chinese Canadians in Burnaby subseries
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recording (mp3) (00:43:19 min.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Denise Fong Interviewee: Josephine Chow Location of Interview: Burnaby Village Museum Interview Date: February 7, 2020 Total Number of Tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 00:43:19
- Scope and Content
- Recording consists of an interview with Josephine Chow (nee Hong) conducted by BVM researcher Denise Fong at the Burnaby Village Museum. Josephine describes her family history and recollects her childhood experiences in 1950s and 60s while growing with her family on their "Hop On" farm in Burnaby. The farm is situated in the Big Bend area along Marine Drive and is still in operation today. 0:00-08:45 Josephine Chow provides some historical background on the history of “Hop On Farm” and her family in British Columbia. She tells of how her grandfather Gay Tim Hong and three partners pooled money together to purchase twelve acres on Marine Drive in 1951. Prior to this, most of them farmed on the ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nation Reserve for 20-30 years. It all began when her great grandfather Sui Wing Hong, first came to Canada from China and slowly brought over her grandfather, father and other members of the family. Her grandfather, Gay Tim Hong went back and forth between Canada and China at least four times since he and her grandmother had four children including her father, who was born in 1931. Her father came to Canada at 10 years of age to live with his father. Josephine’s great grandfather came to Vancouver from Zhongshan county in Canton Province (also known as Guangdong). 8:46- 14:20 Josephine provides the names of her siblings from the eldest to the youngest; Pauline, Josephine (herself), Catherine, Noreen, Gary, Darlene and Marlene. She describes what life was like on the farm with her parents working from sunrise to sunset. The family farmed vegetable produce taking orders from local stores in the lower mainland. Often the children helped their parents with the orders starting at eight or nine years of age. Other workers on the farm travelled by bus from Vancouver’s Chinatown. She also tells of how her father was an animal lover and raised chickens, pigeons, geese, koy, goldfish and dogs. 14: 21 – 16:56 Josephine describes what Burnaby was like during the time that she grew up in the late 1950s. She explains that Burnaby was very quiet with nothing being open on Sundays. On the farm, she and her siblings would entertain themselves by playing games like soccer, baseball and kick ball or also by catching frogs, snails, caterpillars and ladybugs. There were neighbours living on Marine Drive and almost every house had someone who we went to the same elementary school. The neighbourhood children would often come to play with them on their farm. 16:56- 26:47 Josephine describes how when they were young there were farms all around them and how on Sunday drives with her father, they would go to feed horses or look at the cows. Josephine shares that her elder sister Pauline was the only one born in China and how when she first arrived that she lived on the ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) First Nations Reserve with their parents before they moved to Burnaby. Josephine recollects that most of her friends were farmer’s kids from the neighbourhood but while in school, she had more Caucasian friends. Josephine and her siblings attended Glenwood Elementary on Marine Drive and later Junior Secondary at McPherson Park (grades 8-10) and Burnaby South Senior Secondary (grades 11-12. ). She shares some of her experiences while attending school. She said that there were about a dozen Asians in school with her, mostly from farming families in the “Flats”. 26:48- 30:45 Josephine describes what life was like for her and her siblings after school. They often helped on the farm when they got home, usually taking care of orders for green onions. Her mother made dinner and did all of the cooking for family and workers on the farm as well as working in the fields. Her father did all of the grocery shopping in Vancouver’s Chinatown two or three times per week where he purchased meat and fish. She says that her grandfather, often travelled by bus every Saturday or Sunday to meet up with friends in Chinatown. Extracurricular activities for her and her siblings included volley ball and soccer as long as it didn’t interfere with their work schedule on the farm. 30:46- 37:03 Josephine describes what occurred while living at home, the food they ate, shopping and attending Chinese school. Her mother cooked only Chinese food, she didn’t know how to cook “Western food”. For school lunches, the kids made their own sandwiches. She tells of a Chinese language school arranged by Mrs. Joe [sic] who lived on Gilley Road and was Canadian born Chinese. Mrs. Joe [sic] also arranged an English class for farmer’s wives on Tuesday nights in which her mother attended. Josephine recollects learning Mandarin from Mrs. Joe [sic] a few days a week after her regular school. Chinese school took place at Riverway School on Meadow Avenue in Burnaby. Mrs. Joe also taught them a lot about Chinese culture including Kung Fu, Chinese Dance and Chinese brush painting. 37:04- 39:39 Josephine describes Medical Care for her and her family in the 1950s and 1960s. She tells of a female Chinese doctor in Vancouver, Dr. Madeline Chung. Dr. Chung was responsible for delivering a lot of Chinese babies including Josephine. The family also visited herbalists in Vancouver Chinatown. They would often buy herbs for colds etc. Josephine also tells of how her parents stayed in touch with family in China by writing letters. Her mother’s family, including her parents and siblings were still in China while most of her father’s family were here in Canada. 39:40- 43:19 – In closing, Josephine shares how life is much busier now and of how she misses the quietness of her days growing up. She briefly describes her life on the family farm now and how different it is from when her parents worked the farm. She explains how farming methods have changed and how they don’t have to work as hard as her parents did.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Josephine Chow (nee Hong) is the second eldest child of Chan Kow Hong and Sui Ha Hong. In 1925, Josephine's grandfather, Gay Tim Hong immigrated to Canada from Zhongshan county in Canton Province (also known as Guangdong). In 1952, her father, Chan Kow Hong joined his father, Gay Tim Hong and by 1953, he established "Hop On Farms" in the Big Bend area of Burnaby near Marine Drive. Josephine grew up on the farm with her parents and six siblings; Pauline, Catherine, Norine, Gary, Darlene and Marlene. In 1969, Josephine's elder sister Pauline and her husband Jack Chan took over the family farm and in 1972 their father and grandfather moved to Kamloops to open a restaurant. As an adult, Josephine worked in several different areas including owning and running her own Aesthetics business. Josephine eventually retired and returned to the farm to assist her siblings. The farm is still in operation. 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
- Agriculture - Farms
- Education
- Buildings - Schools
- First Nations reserves - British Columbia
- Names
- Chow, Josephine
- Glenwood Elementary School
- McPherson Park Junior Secondary School
- ʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam)
- Responsibility
- Fong, Denise
- Geographic Access
- Byrne Road
- Accession Code
- BV020.6.1
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1900-2020] (interview content), interviewed Feb. 7, 2020
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Fraser Arm (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Big Bend Area
- Related Material
- See also BV017.36*
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 12/3/2017
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of interview
- Photograph info: Gary Hong and Chan Kow Hong harvesting celery at Hop-On Farms [1969]. BV017.36.4
Images
![Interview with Josephine Chow by Denise Fong February 7, 2020, [1900-2020] (interview content), interviewed Feb. 7, 2020 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/2017/2017_0036_0004_001.jpg)
Audio Tracks
Interview with Josephine Chow by Denise Fong February 7, 2020, [1900-2020] (interview content), interviewed Feb. 7, 2020
Interview with Josephine Chow by Denise Fong February 7, 2020, [1900-2020] (interview content), interviewed Feb. 7, 2020
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2020_0006_0001_001.mp3
Burnaby Welcomes You
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35940
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1912
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 8.9 x 14.0 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of the welcome arch erected at Edmonds and Kingsway to welcome Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught during his visit to Burnaby. A large crowd is milling around the decorated arch which reads, "Burnaby Welcomes You." Prince Arthur was Governor General of Canada at this time.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1912
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Pioneer Tales subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 8.9 x 14.0 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 204-800
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1988-03
- Scope and Content
- Photographic postcard of the welcome arch erected at Edmonds and Kingsway to welcome Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught during his visit to Burnaby. A large crowd is milling around the decorated arch which reads, "Burnaby Welcomes You." Prince Arthur was Governor General of Canada at this time.
- Subjects
- Persons - Crowds
- Events - Royal Visits
- Documentary Artifacts - Postcards
- Events - Visits of State
- Symbols - Flags
- Structures - Arches
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Geographic Access
- Edmonds Street
- Kingsway
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Richmond Park Area
Images
![Burnaby Welcomes You, 1912 (date of original), copied [1997] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/316/350-023.jpg?width=280)
Burnaby Welcomes You
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37329
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1912 (date of original), copied [1997]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 12 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the welcome arch erected at Edmonds and Kingsway to welcome Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught during his visit to Burnaby. A large crowd is milling around the decorated arch which reads, "Burnaby Welcomes You." Prince Arthur was Governor General of Canada at this time.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1912 (date of original), copied [1997]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Jim Wolf subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 12 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 350-023
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1997-09
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the welcome arch erected at Edmonds and Kingsway to welcome Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught during his visit to Burnaby. A large crowd is milling around the decorated arch which reads, "Burnaby Welcomes You." Prince Arthur was Governor General of Canada at this time.
- Subjects
- Persons - Crowds
- Events - Royal Visits
- Events - Visits of State
- Symbols - Flags
- Structures - Arches
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Geographic Access
- Edmonds Street
- Kingsway
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Edmonds Area
Images
![Burnaby Welcomes You, 1912 (date of original), copied [1997] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/316/350-023.jpg)
East Burnaby Public School
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription4033
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1910
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 9.3 x 14.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photographic postcard of a class from East Burnaby School (Edmonds Street School) taken outside the school building. There are nineteen boys and seventeen girls sitting and standing in three rows, with their teacher standing in the centre at the back. Six of the boys seated at the front…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 9.3 x 14.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photographic postcard of a class from East Burnaby School (Edmonds Street School) taken outside the school building. There are nineteen boys and seventeen girls sitting and standing in three rows, with their teacher standing in the centre at the back. Six of the boys seated at the front are holding lacrosse sticks. Female student on far left of back row is identified as either Ethel or Stella Buskins.
- Subjects
- Buildings - Schools
- Occupations - Teachers
- Sports - Lacrosse
- Persons - Black Canadians
- Persons - Students
- Names
- Edmonds Community School
- Geographic Access
- Edmonds Street
- Street Address
- 7641 Edmonds Street
- Accession Code
- BV017.17.35
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- 1910
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Edmonds Area
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 01/09/2017
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph.
- The postcard is stamped on the front in red ink, "East BURNABY. PUBLIC SCHOOL".
- The postcard is inscribed on the front in printing, in ink, "1910"
Images
Kingsway West's trophy winners
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34516
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1917
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : 12.5 x 17.5 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of children standing outside of Kingsway West School (originally named West Burnaby School). The children at the front are holding a Union Jack and the school cheer is written in front of them, "Rim-a-lic, Zim-a-lic / Boom alac-aday / Kingsway West, Kingsway West / Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1917
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Jeanie Brown subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : 12.5 x 17.5 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 033-004
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of children standing outside of Kingsway West School (originally named West Burnaby School). The children at the front are holding a Union Jack and the school cheer is written in front of them, "Rim-a-lic, Zim-a-lic / Boom alac-aday / Kingsway West, Kingsway West / Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!" A boy and two girls are each holding a trophy.
- Names
- Kingsway West School
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Street Address
- 4800 Kingsway
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Maywood Area
Images
![Brown's Real Estate Office, [1912] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/126/127-001.jpg?width=280)
Brown's Real Estate Office
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34750
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1912]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 13.6 x 8.1 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of Percy Boyer Brown's real estate office at Edmonds. Two young men are standing outside, and the exterior is decorated with flags and bunting. "Post Office" is written on the window, and there is a display of properties for sale or rent.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1912]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 13.6 x 8.1 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 127-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the exterior of Percy Boyer Brown's real estate office at Edmonds. Two young men are standing outside, and the exterior is decorated with flags and bunting. "Post Office" is written on the window, and there is a display of properties for sale or rent.
- Subjects
- Symbols - Flags
- Buildings - Commercial
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
Images
![Brown's Real Estate Office, [1912] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/126/127-001.jpg)
![Official Opening, [between 1911 and 1917] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/001/024-001.jpg?width=280)
Official Opening
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34503
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1911 and 1917]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 16 x 21 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby Municipal Council in front of Burnaby Municipal Hall. Identified, front row, seated left to right: Eber Stride (former Council member), Peter Byrne (former Council member), Charles Frederick Sprott (former Council member), Reeve Hugh M. Fraser, [unidentified man], and possibl…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [between 1911 and 1917]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 16 x 21 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 024-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Burnaby Municipal Council in front of Burnaby Municipal Hall. Identified, front row, seated left to right: Eber Stride (former Council member), Peter Byrne (former Council member), Charles Frederick Sprott (former Council member), Reeve Hugh M. Fraser, [unidentified man], and possibly John W. Weart (former Reeve). Back row, standing left to right from uniformed man in centre: possibly Thomas Sanderson (in uniform, former Reeve), [unidentified man], possiby John Murray (Council member), George J. Webb (Council member), John Mulgrew (Council member), possibly Jesse Love (former Council member), Phillip W. Fau Vel (Council member), and Arthur Lomas (Council member). Standing at left beside stage: possibly Louis Claude "Claude" Hill. Photograph may depict the official opening of the second Municipal Hall (1912) or the 25th anniversary of the incorporation of Burnaby (1917).
- Subjects
- Events - Anniversaries
- Officials - Alderman and Councillors
- Buildings - Civic - City Halls
- Symbols - Flags
- Names
- Byrne, Peter
- Fau Vel, Phillip W.
- Fraser, Hugh M.
- Hill, Louis Claude "Claude"
- Lomas, Arthur
- Love, Jesse, 1849-1928
- Mulgrew, John
- Murray, John
- Sanderson, Thomas F.
- Sprott, Charles Frederick
- Stride, Eber
- Weart, John W.
- Webb, George J.
- Burnaby City Hall
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Transcribed title
- Title transcribed from photograph caption
- Note in blue ink on verso reads: "25th Anniversary / Council in front of 2nd Municipal Hall / 1911"
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Street Address
- 7282 Kingsway
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
Images
![Official Opening, [between 1911 and 1917] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/001/024-001.jpg)
Interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription20285
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 sound recordings (wav) (121min., 14 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (121 min., 13 sec.)
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 25, 2023. The interview is divided into four sections: early life of Harry Toy, the Canada Way Food Market, the Fraser M…
- 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
- 1 sound recordings (wav) (121min., 14 sec.) + 1 sound recording (mp3) (121 min., 13 sec.)
- Material Details
- Interviewer: Denise Fong Interviewees: Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy Location of Interview: Residence of Harry Toy Interview Date: September 25, 2023 Total Number of tracks: 1 Total Length of all Tracks: 02:01:13 Digital master recording (wav) was converted to mp3 for access on Heritage Burnaby
- Scope and Content
- Item consists of a recording of an oral history interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy conducted by Burnaby Village Museum researcher Denise Fong on September 25, 2023. The interview is divided into four sections: early life of Harry Toy, the Canada Way Food Market, the Fraser Merchants’ Association and Harry's daughters, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy's memories of growing up in Burnaby. 00:00:00 – 00:23:53 Harry Toy shares biographical information about himself and his ancestors. Harry provides information about his migration to Canada and his life in Manitoba, attending school, working at the family restaurant and teaching high school. 00:23:53 – 00:41:16 Harry talks about moving his family to Burnaby and his experiences owning and operating the Canada Way Food Market. 00:41:17 – 00:54:19 Harry talks about his involvement with the Fraser Merchants Association (FMA) and provides some history about the organization. 00:54:20 – 1:22:44 Harry talks about running the Canada Way Food Market and the alterations that he made to the store over the years. Harry and his daughters comment as they look through photographs of Harry and his store and the Fraser Merchants Association. 1:22:45 – 2:01:14 Beverley and Christina talk about their early childhood in Manitoba and growing up in Burnaby. They recall what it was like growing up and working in the family owned store.
- History
- Interviewee biography: Harry Wee Koon Toy was born in February 9, 1936 in Taikong, Toisan county, Guangdong, China. Harry's father William Toy came to Canada in the early 1920s when he was ten years old. Harry arrived in Vancouver, Canada on September 9, 1950. After staying in Vancouver for one night, he joined his father in Neepawa, Manitoba where the family operated a cafe business (Royal Cafe). Harry grew up in Neepawa and graduated from the University of Manitoba and teacher's college. He became a high school teacher and worked at schools in Minnedosa and Gladstone, Manitoba teaching various subjects including, science, business, geography, history and physical education. Harry and his wife, had three daughters, Melinda, Beverley and Christina who were all born in Neepawa. When the family decided to move to the west coast, Harry was introduced to the grocery store business through an uncle who was a store operator. Around 1970, Harry purchased a grocery store at 4694 Canada Way in Burnaby which he named "Canada Way Food Market" and Harry and his daughters made their home at the back of the store. Harry owned and operated the store for approximately 40 years between 1970 and 2010. Around 1986, Harry purchased the butcher shop next door (4692 Canada Way) which was no longer in operation, expanding his store and adding a second storey to use a residence. Harry's children helped him operate the store throughout their childhood. In the early 1970s, corner stores were threatened by the spread of small chain-operated convenience stories from Eastern Canada to Vancouver. Formed in April 1972, the Fraser Merchants’ Association was established to protect the rights of corner store operators. With no paid legal help, the association was incorporated in Victoria, BC for the cost of 56 cents. The benefits of being a member of the association included warehouse and group purchasing, common advertising and other advantages of being part of an association. Founded by Gary Lee Ling and five others, Fraser Merchants’ Association’s first member was Graham Grocery. By 1978, the association represented over 200 corner stores in the Lower Mainland (Delta, Surrey, White Rock, Langley, Coquitlam, and New Westminster) and Fraser Valley. The association remained active into the 1980s and 1990s. Harry has served as President of the Fraser Merchants' Association from 1992 to present. 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
- Education
- Migration
- Occupations - Teachers
- Occupations - Grocers
- Organizations
- Organizations - Business Associations
- Persons - Chinese Canadians
- Social Issues
- Social Issues - Racism
- Buildings - Commercial - Grocery Stores
- Names
- Toy, Christina
- Toy, Harry Wee Koon "Harry"
- Babey, Beverley
- Canada Way Food Market
- Fraser Merchants' Association
- Responsibility
- Fong, Denise
- Geographic Access
- Canada Way
- Street Address
- 4694 Canada Way
- Accession Code
- BV023.16.19
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Date
- [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023
- Media Type
- Sound Recording
- Related Material
- See also: BV023.25 - Harry Toy fonds
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
- Transcription available
Documents
Audio Tracks
Interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy, [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023
Interview with Harry Toy, Beverley Babey and Christina Toy, [1905-2023] (interview content), interviewed 25 Sep. 2023
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Sound_Recordings/Oral_Histories/2023_0016_0019_002.mp3Interview 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…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum fonds
- Series
- Museum Oral Histories series
- 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
Audio Tracks
Interview with Surjeet Kaur Parmar, [1905-2022] (interview content), interviewed 6 Dec. 2022
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![Bicycle display, [191-] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1971/197300220006.jpg?width=280)
Bicycle display
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription984
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [191-]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 15.5 x 20.5 cm, mounted on card 27 x 34 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a man working at a bicycle display decorated with Union Jack flags at an unidentified fair ground.
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Village Museum Photograph collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 15.5 x 20.5 cm, mounted on card 27 x 34 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a man working at a bicycle display decorated with Union Jack flags at an unidentified fair ground.
- Subjects
- Transportation - Bicycles
- Symbols - Flags
- Accession Code
- HV973.22.6
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Date
- [191-]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Scan Resolution
- 600
- Scan Date
- 1/8/2010
- Scale
- 100
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
![Bicycle display, [191-] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_BVM_Images/1971/197300220006.jpg)
Burnaby Welcomes You
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34051
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1912
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.7 x 12.4 cm mounted on cardboard
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the welcome arch erected at Edmonds and Kingsway to welcome Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught during his visit to Burnaby. Prince Arthur was Governor General of Canada at this time. The sign on the arch reads, "Burnaby Welcomes You."
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1912
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Stride family subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.7 x 12.4 cm mounted on cardboard
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 001-027
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the welcome arch erected at Edmonds and Kingsway to welcome Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught during his visit to Burnaby. Prince Arthur was Governor General of Canada at this time. The sign on the arch reads, "Burnaby Welcomes You."
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Geographic Access
- Edmonds Street
- Kingsway
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Richmond Park Area
Images
Dedication of the World War One Honour Roll
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription37222
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- July 14, 1916
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 10 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the First World War Honour Roll dedication at the former Municipal Hall at Edmonds and Kingsway. The intention of this memorial was to "keep the record bright before the people of the municipality". At the conclusion of this war over 1,200 names of service men and women were listed in…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- July 14, 1916
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 10 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 339-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the First World War Honour Roll dedication at the former Municipal Hall at Edmonds and Kingsway. The intention of this memorial was to "keep the record bright before the people of the municipality". At the conclusion of this war over 1,200 names of service men and women were listed including over 90 "Heroic Dead" who paid the "ultimate sacrifice".
- Names
- Burnaby City Hall
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Street Address
- 7282 Kingsway
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
Images
Honour Roll Dedication
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34508
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1916
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 19.5 x 23.8 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the dedication of Burnaby's Honour Roll at Burnaby Municipal Hall, Edmonds and Kingsway. A crowd is gathered inside the hall looking toward a decorated stage on which is the honour roll and group of men.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1916
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Photographs subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 19.5 x 23.8 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 029-001
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the dedication of Burnaby's Honour Roll at Burnaby Municipal Hall, Edmonds and Kingsway. A crowd is gathered inside the hall looking toward a decorated stage on which is the honour roll and group of men.
- Names
- Burnaby City Hall
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Annotation on back of copy 7 reads, "1919 - Dedication of Honour Roll / War of 1914-18 / in old Mun. Hall (now Library)"
- Geographic Access
- Kingsway
- Street Address
- 7282 Kingsway
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Edmonds (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Stride Avenue Area
Images
![Towland house, [1917] (date of original), copied 1986 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/204/204-797.jpg?width=280)
Towland house
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35937
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1917] (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.9 x 14.0 cm print
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a group of five people and a dog outside the Towland family home, likely sometime between July 1-4, 1917. Annotations on the back of the photograph read, "at Mrs. Towland's - Burnaby - B.C." and (in different handwriting), "Probably July 1-4; 1917? Woman in foreground was an America…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1917] (date of original), copied 1986
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Pioneer Tales subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8.9 x 14.0 cm print
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 204-797
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS1988-03
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of a group of five people and a dog outside the Towland family home, likely sometime between July 1-4, 1917. Annotations on the back of the photograph read, "at Mrs. Towland's - Burnaby - B.C." and (in different handwriting), "Probably July 1-4; 1917? Woman in foreground was an American. This fact may account for the Stars and Stripes as well as the Ensign"
- Subjects
- Animals - Dogs
- Symbols - Flags
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
Images
![Towland house, [1917] (date of original), copied 1986 thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/204/204-797.jpg)
![Visit of the Prince of Wales, September 29, 1919 (date of original), copied [between 1975 and 1985] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/001/001-010.jpg?width=280)
Visit of the Prince of Wales
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription34034
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- September 29, 1919 (date of original), copied [between 1975 and 1985]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w negative ; 8.1 x 10.5 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the motorcade of Edward VIII, Prince of Wales, at Central Park during his 1919 visit to Canada. There are automobiles driving under the arch and flags displayed on top of the arch.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- September 29, 1919 (date of original), copied [between 1975 and 1985]
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Subseries
- Stride family subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w negative ; 8.1 x 10.5 cm
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- 001-010
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- No known restrictions
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of the motorcade of Edward VIII, Prince of Wales, at Central Park during his 1919 visit to Canada. There are automobiles driving under the arch and flags displayed on top of the arch.
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Geographic Access
- Imperial Street
- Central Park
- Street Address
- 3883 Imperial Street
- Historic Neighbourhood
- Central Park (Historic Neighbourhood)
- Planning Study Area
- Maywood Area
Images
![Visit of the Prince of Wales, September 29, 1919 (date of original), copied [between 1975 and 1985] thumbnail](/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Images/_Unrestricted/001/001-010.jpg)