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Donald N. Brown subseries

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription35

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1925 (date of original)-1995

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Description Level: Subseries

Physical Description: Textual records and other material

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of photographs taken by Freeman Donald N. Brown while involved in Burnaby Historical Society activities and textual records pertaining to his career with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Also included in the subseries are documents and photographs from his involvement with vari…

Repository: City of Burnaby Archives

Date: 1925 (date of original)-1995

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Historical Society fonds

Series: Community Archives Collection series

Subseries: Donald N. Brown subseries

Physical Description: Textual records and other material

Description Level: Subseries

Accession Number: BHS1987-03; BHS2003-04; BHS1992-20; BHS1995-09; BHS2000-10; BHS1991-41; BHS2001-12; BHS2004-01; BHS2004-12

Scope and Content: Subseries consists of photographs taken by Freeman Donald N. Brown while involved in Burnaby Historical Society activities and textual records pertaining to his career with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Also included in the subseries are documents and photographs from his involvement with various community groups including the Oakalla Lands Citizens' Committee, renovations of Burnaby Village Museum, and the restoration of Interurban tram no. 1223.

History: Donald Neil "Don" Brown was born in Birmingham, England. In 1922, while still an infant, he and his family moved to Winnipeg, Canada. On September 8, 1939, Don left his Senior Matriculation classes to join the Royal Canadian Engineers. Two weeks later, he eloped with his high school sweetheart, Helen J., just months before he was to be shipped overseas with the 3rd Contingent of Canadian Troops. He served in the army with the Royal Canadian Engineer’s 12th Field Company and saw action in both Sicily and Italy. In 1945, Don returned to obtain his Senior Matriculation and a year of university studies before re-enlisting in the army as a Second Lieutenant. He spent the next two years stationed in Chilliwack with Helen and their first child. In 1947, he left the army to join the ranks of the British Columbia Provincial Police force, embarking on a three-decade long career. His first assignment brought him to Burnaby where he served from 1947-1954, first as a member of the BC Police Department and then as a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman. In 1954, Don was transferred to Regina, Saskatchewan and then to Ottawa, Ontario to serve in the Crime Detection Laboratories. He became a qualified Examiner of Questioned Documents and provided expert testimony in handwriting, counterfeiting, graphic arts, and alterations. He attained the rank of first Corporal, and then Sergeant in the RCMP. He was transferred to Vancouver to be the Second in Charge of a new laboratory and head of the Document Section in July, 1963. On December 9, 1967, Helen Brown ran as an independent for the position of Alderman on the Burnaby Council. She was not elected. In May 1970, Don was promoted to Sub-Inspector and transferred to Edmonton to take command of the new Crime Detection Laboratory. By 1972, he was promoted to full Inspector. Transferred back to Vancouver in 1975, Don became the Officer-in-Charge of a new Crime Laboratory and took over the National Police Services pilot project for British Columbia. He was rewarded for this work with a promotion to Superintendent in September 1975. In 1976, after a distinguished 35 years combined service to the armed forces and the police, Don retired and founded his own laboratory to carry on his work in the field of questioned documents. He became a Fellow (Emeritus) of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, a Life Member (Emeritus) and Past Director of the Canadian Society of Forensic Sciences, a Member of the American Society of Questioned Document Examiners, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Document Examiners. After his retirement, Don became involved in local politics and, with the blessing of his wife and six children, joined the Burnaby Voters’ Association as their Secretary. In 1978 he was elected to a two-year term as a Burnaby School Trustee. During the next municipal election in November 1979, he successfully ran for Alderman. Don Brown served Burnaby as Alderman from 1979 to 1985. During this time, Don also became a member of the Community College for the Retired, the Horsemen’s Society and the Burnaby Historical Society. He also gave his support to Arts Council programs and numerous other community functions over the years and author "Why?: The Last Years of the British Columbia Policy 1858-1950" about the BC Provincial Police. In 1991, Don was appointed as Chair of the Burnaby Centennial Committee, dedicating himself to making Burnaby’s Centennial celebration a memorable success. His contributions were always supported by his wife Helen, and their work during the Centennial Year was just one example of the strength of their 66-year partnership. They were both formally recognized for their efforts when they were chosen to receive the Kushiro Cup and named the Citizens of the Year in 1992. Also that year, Don was a recipient of the Canadian 125 Medal and one year later, in March 1993, Donald Brown was awarded Burnaby’s highest honour and was made a Freeman of the City of Burnaby. Don passed away in 2009.

Media Type: Textual Record; Photograph; Moving Images

Creator: Brown, Donald N. "Don"

Notes: Title based on contents of fonds; PC194, PC241, MSS098, MSS148

My Story

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription9673

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Date: 2016

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Film and Video collection

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 video recording (mp4) (4 min., 21 sec.) : digital, 25 fps, col., sd., stereo

Scope and Content: This film chronicles that 2013 journey of Kehar Sing Aujla and his wife as they travelled to India on vacation. The visit included a trip to the town of Ledo in North-East India, where the Ledo Mine Rescue Centre is located. In the film, Aujla describes the trip and the work he oversaw at the Ledo …

1 image 1 video

Repository: Burnaby Village Museum

Collection/Fonds: Burnaby Village Museum Film and Video collection

Series: Elders Digital Storytelling project series

Description Level: Item

Physical Description: 1 video recording (mp4) (4 min., 21 sec.) : digital, 25 fps, col., sd., stereo

Scope and Content: This film chronicles that 2013 journey of Kehar Sing Aujla and his wife as they travelled to India on vacation. The visit included a trip to the town of Ledo in North-East India, where the Ledo Mine Rescue Centre is located. In the film, Aujla describes the trip and the work he oversaw at the Ledo Mine Rescue Centre when he was Superintendent of the Coal Mines Rescue Department in India. His visit with friends and trip to a local Sikh holy place is also included in the film.

History: Kehar Singh Aujla is originally from the Western part of India. He and his wife immigrated to Canada in 1996 to be closer to his son and his family in Burnaby. Aujla worked in the coal mining industry in India for 40 years starting in 1951. He passed his management exam in 1960, and spent 23 years working with a coal mine rescue organization. Since moving to Burnaby he has received recognition for his commitment to volunteer work, receiving eight awards between 2006 and 2016, including being selected as Burnaby's Citizen of the Year for 2011. His volunteering has included work with Volunteer Grandparents, Burnaby Citizen Support Services, Burnaby Village Museum, the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, BMO Marathon, Breast Cancer Association, and at the Sukh Sagar Gurdwara. His awards include the Gerontology Award from SFU, 2011 Citizen of the year from the City of Burnaby, Top 25 Immigrant of 2012 by Canadian Immigrants and Royal Bank of Canada, The Life Time Sewa Award by Sukh Sagar Sikh Temple of New Westminster, Best Community Service Award by Vaisakhi Gala of Surrey, Best Community Service Award by Age Care and News Leader, Sovereign Medal by Governor General of Canada, Above and Beyond Award by Fraser Health, Early Bird Award by Volunteer Resources of Burnaby General Hospital.