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Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to W.H. "Harry" O'Brien's involvement with the formation of the Army of the Common Good Credit Union (now the South Burnaby Credit Union).

1 image 1 audio

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Summary: This portion of the interview pertains to W.H. "Harry" O'Brien's involvement with the formation of the Army of the Common Good Credit Union (now the South Burnaby Credit Union).

Date Range: [1932]-1936

Photo Info: Harry and Gertrude (Sutherland) O'Brien on their wedding day, October 12, 1940. Item no. 315-005

Length: 0:11:12

Names: Darling, Gordon; Phillips, Turnie

Subjects: Organizations

Interviewer: Bradbury, Dr. Bettina

Interview Date: July / August 1975

Scope and Content: Recording is a taped interview with W.H. "Harry" O'Brien by SFU (Simon Fraser University) graduate student Bettina Bradbury. Major themes discussed are: the Army of the Common Good, the Union of the Unemployed and the Common Good Credit Union (now the South Burnaby Credit Union). To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".

Biographical Notes: W.H. “Harry” O’Brien was born in the coal mining town of Nanaimo, British Columbia on October 20, 1914. He came to Burnaby with his parents and five siblings in 1927. Harry’s mother, a school teacher, wanted her children to live closer to school in order to obtain a better education, so the O’Brien family settled at Inman Avenue, Burnaby. Harry's mother, Mary Anne Crossan, was Gilmore Avenue School's first teacher. Harry left school in June of 1929. Harry’s father worked as the caretaker at Central Park around this time and Harry helped him to clear brush, plant trees and enforce the land clearing and wood cutting permit regulations held by men who were on script. Although too young to vote by just over a week, Harry O'Brien worked as a scrutineer for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) during the 1935 Federal Election. On October 12, 1940 Harry O'Brien married Gertrude Sutherland at St. John the Divine in Burnaby. The Sutherland family came to Burnaby from Winnipeg in 1933 and settled at Nelson Avenue. Harry began his involvement with the Unemployment Organization in Burnaby by participating in an organised protest against the municipality for homeowner evictions brought on by unpaid taxes. The South Burnaby Union of the Unemployed organised in order to protest rules around receiving Relief. Harry became involved, eventually becoming one of the spearheads of the organization, taking over as secretary by 1936. Harry was an original member of the Army of the Common Good, helping to produce over one hundred and twenty-five tons of vegetables from its own gardens to feed Burnaby citizens suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression years. The members of the Army of the Common Good who cut wood for consumption or worked in the gardens were given credit for their work through LU (Labour Units) which they could then use to buy groceries and that at the Army's Cooperative stores, one of which was at McKay Avenue, where Harry began working as Manager of Groceries in 1937. The Credit Union movement of British Columbia was also organized by Harry O'Brien and his fellow Army of the Common Good members. W.H. "Harry" O'Brien died July 1, 1992.

Total Tracks: 9

Total Length: 1:17:56

Interviewee Name: O'Brien, Harry

Interviewer Bio: Bettina Bradbury teaches history and women's studies at York University. She is the author of Wife to Widow. Lives, Laws and Politics in Nineteenth-century Montreal. (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, June 2011), 520p; Working Families. Age, Gender and Daily Survival in Industrializing Montreal. (Toronto: Canadian Social History Series, McClelland and Stewart, 1993); (Republished Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1996) (3rd edition, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007). These interviews were undertaken after she completed her MA at Simon Fraser University in 1975 with the support of an LIP grant.

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Oral history subseries

Transcript Available: None

Media Type: Sound Recording

Web Notes: Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.

Images

Harry and Gertrude (Sutherland) O'Brien on their wedding day, October 12, 1940. Item no. 315-005 thumbnail

Audio Tracks

Track eight of interview with W.H.

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/media/hpo/_Data/_Archives_Oral_Histories/_Unrestricted/100-13-25/100-13-25_Track_8.mp3

basket

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact2720

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: HV971.171.1

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: HV971.171.1

Description: Chinese basket

Category: 04.Tools & Equipment for Materials

Classification: Food Processing & Preparation T&E - - Food Storage Equipment

Subjects: Persons - Chinese Canadians; Food Processing Tools and Equipment

Images

bottle

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact3306

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV989.34.1

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV989.34.1

Description: Chinese medicine bottle, clear glass, very slight greenish-blue tinge.

Object History: This artifact was dug up in Burnaby near Deer Lake.

Subjects: Persons - Chinese Canadians

Images

hand maul

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact3392

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV988.6.1

1 image 1 document

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV988.6.1

Description: Flat topped stone maul.

Subjects: Persons; Indigenous peoples - British Columbia; Woodworking Tools and Equipment; Woodworking Tools and Equipment - Maul

Images

Documents

2019_0064_0001_002

hand maul

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact3393

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV988.6.2

1 image 1 document

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV988.6.2

Description: Flat topped stone maul, broken

Subjects: Persons; Indigenous peoples - British Columbia; Woodworking Tools and Equipment; Woodworking Tools and Equipment - Maul

Images

Documents

2019_0064_0001_002

vase

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact4414

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV988.55.1

4 images

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV988.55.1

Description: Vase. Yellow ceramic urn with black handles, feet, and fluted rim; on a black and yellow pedestal with floral swags; Front - round white panel with gold writing and crown; similar round white panel on back is blank

Marks/Labels: On front panel - "CORONATION" "1911" "1911" "KING GEORGE.V."; On underside - "MARLENE" "APRIL 5.1959" "FROM" "GRANDPA" "THURSTON".

Subjects: Persons - Royalty; Souvenirs; Souvenirs - Royalty; Household Accessory

Images

lapel pin

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact6645

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV985.97.3

3 images

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV985.97.3

Description: Pin, round, enamelled brass. Wide blue border around outside with thin gold edges and gold lettering "INTERNATIONAL. BOWLING. TEAM. / VISIT. 1927. TO. CANADA". Inner part of pin is cruciform, with round centre connected to outer edge with four arms, open cut-out areas between. Each arm shows a coloured enamel floral symbol. At top is the rose, at right are shamrocks, at bottom is the lily, at left is the thistle. At the centre of the pin is the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom in red and blue with gold. Locking pin back on reverse, open loop. "R. SCOTT / GLASGOW" in raised letters near bottom edge. Some discolouration on back, very slight wear on front.

Category: 08. Communication Artifacts

Classification: Documentary Artifacts - - Memorabilia

Object Term: Commemorative

Marks/Labels: "INTERNATIONAL BOWLING TEAM", embossed gold lettering in half circle along top of pin "VISIT 1927 TO CANADA", embossed gold lettering in half circle along bottom of pin

Measurements: Dia: 2.9 cm

Country Made: Scotland

Site/City Made: Glasgow

Subjects: Adornment; Adornment - Lapel Pins; Advertising Medium; Events - Competitions; Organizations - Athletic Associations; Sports - Bowling

Images

exercise book

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact7000

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV985.360.1

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV985.360.1

Description: Exercise book, "Globe Stationery", for Mun Pow of the Lake Forest Academy Francais I - 1910

Object History: Some books in this accession are marked: "Mr. Chan Y. Leong, 111 Pender St. E., Vancouver B.C., Canada, North America, Western H."

Subjects: Persons - Chinese Canadians

Images

exercise book

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumartifact7001

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV985.360.2

1 image

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Accession Code: BV985.360.2

Description: Exercise book, for math, in very poor condition

Object History: Some books in this accession are marked: "Mr. Chan Y. Leong, 111 Pender St. E., Vancouver B.C., Canada, North America, Western H."

Subjects: Persons - Chinese Canadians

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Interview with W.H. O'Brien July / August 1975 - Track 8

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hand maul

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hand maul

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lapel pin

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exercise book

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