39 records – page 1 of 2.

Alan Fish collection

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription72547
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1920-1929]
Collection/Fonds
Alan Fish collection
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 8 x 13 cm
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of one photographic postcard of the North Pacific Lumber Co. Mill at Barnet Village in Burnaby.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1920-1929]
Collection/Fonds
Alan Fish collection
Physical Description
1 photograph : sepia postcard ; 8 x 13 cm
Description Level
Fonds
Accession Number
2007-04
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of one photographic postcard of the North Pacific Lumber Co. Mill at Barnet Village in Burnaby.
History
John Lawrence Fish was born in 1904 at Oldham, Lancashire, England. His father, Samuel, first immigrated to Canada 1909, eventually bringing his family to Davie Street, Vancouver in 1919. In 1924, John started working for the Barnet Lumber Company. After working six months at Hanbury Lumber Company in Vancouver in 1926, he came back to the Barnet Mill. In 1927 he began working for the Nichols Chemical plant. Lucy Isabelle Currie was born in Vancouver in 1911 to Harvey and Jane May “Jennie” (Laidlaw) Currie. After graduating from Magee High School, she studied teaching at the Normal School, then went to work at the Compensation Board. In 1942 John and Lucy married at Ryerson Church in Kerrisdale, Vancouver and moved to an apartment at 4095 East Hastings Street in Burnaby. Their daughter, Rosemary Ann Fish, was born in 1943 and their son, Alan John Fish, was born in 1945. In 1947 or 1948 the family of four moved to an apartment at Barnet, followed by a move to a house at Nichols Road. By 1956, they were living in house number 28 on the Nichols property. Alan and Rosemary grew up at Barnet, roaming freely with the other Barnet children around the area of Nichols and the beaches west of the plant. The Fish siblings were taken to school on the Barnet school bus; they attended Rosser Elementary School, Westridge Elementary School, Sperling Elementary School, Kensington Junior High School and Burnaby North High School. As a young adult, Alan worked weekends as a boiler house fireman at the Bestwood shingle mill from 1963 to 1966. He worked at the Nichols Chemical plant from 1966 to 1967. John worked for the Nichol Chemical plant for over 40 years. On November 3, 1968 he was in an accident at the plant from which he suffered first, second and third degree burns. He succumbed to his injuries in hospital on December 16, 1968. Rosemary married Larry Meech. They were living together at Barnet while finishing college when John died. The Meeches then bought a house in Capitol Hill. Alan and Lucy moved to an apartment at Westridge. Lucy passed away in 1974.
Media Type
Textual Record
Creator
Fish, Alan
Other Title Information
Title was changed from Alan Fish fonds to Alan Fish collection to better reflect the nature of the materials.
Notes
Photo catalogue 539
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City of Burnaby Archives photograph collection

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription93710
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1920]-[1979]
Collection/Fonds
City of Burnaby Archives photograph collection
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
43 photographs (39 tiffs ; 2 jpegs ; 3 col. prints, 9 x 9 cm) and 3 p. of textual records
Scope and Content
Collection consists of photographs that were selected for preservation because of their relevance to documenting the heritage and development of the City of Burnaby. The items in this collection depict Burnaby citizens, locations, businesses, residences, geography, and events throughout the history…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1920]-[1979]
Collection/Fonds
City of Burnaby Archives photograph collection
Physical Description
43 photographs (39 tiffs ; 2 jpegs ; 3 col. prints, 9 x 9 cm) and 3 p. of textual records
Description Level
Fonds
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Accession Number
2010-01
2013-31
2016-24
2021-10
Scope and Content
Collection consists of photographs that were selected for preservation because of their relevance to documenting the heritage and development of the City of Burnaby. The items in this collection depict Burnaby citizens, locations, businesses, residences, geography, and events throughout the history of the City of Burnaby. The items in this collection are acquisitions of discrete items or small sets of items that do not form a discrete fonds or collection.
History
Burnaby’s first municipal archive officially opened on November 10, 2001, and is located in the McGill Branch Public Library at 4595 Albert Street. The City Archives functions as a branch of the Office of the City Clerk and operates as the official repository of Burnaby’s municipal records, containing records dating back to Burnaby’s incorporation in 1892. In 2007, the City of Burnaby Archives expanded its collection mandate to include private as well as public records. Types of records held at the Archives include City Records (Council minutes and reports, bylaws, departmental records and photographs) and records from private individuals and community organizations (correspondence, reports, minutes, photographs, moving images and sound recordings). The Archives storage area is equipped with the sophisticated environmental controls necessary to preserve Burnaby’s unique archival material into the future. The mandate of the City of Burnaby Archives is to identify, acquire, preserve and make accessible archival material in the form of civic and private records documenting the history of the City of Burnaby.
Media Type
Textual Record
Photograph
Creator
City of Burnaby Archives
Notes
Title based on contents of collection.
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Disney Family collection

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97178
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1914-1963]
Collection/Fonds
Disney Family collection
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
6 architectural drawings : pencil and ink on paper ; 52 cm x 77 cm and smaller + 1 p. of textual records (40 cm. x 31 cm.) + 1 plan : col. ; 55 cm x 75 cm folded to 28 cm x 10 cm + 1 map : diazo print ; 39 cm x 28 cm.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of maps and plans created and collected by Jack Disney.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1914-1963]
Collection/Fonds
Disney Family collection
Physical Description
6 architectural drawings : pencil and ink on paper ; 52 cm x 77 cm and smaller + 1 p. of textual records (40 cm. x 31 cm.) + 1 plan : col. ; 55 cm x 75 cm folded to 28 cm x 10 cm + 1 map : diazo print ; 39 cm x 28 cm.
Description Level
Fonds
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Accession Number
2016-03
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of maps and plans created and collected by Jack Disney.
History
John Howard "Jack" Disney served as Burnaby Surveyor from 1911 to 1919.
Media Type
Photograph
Notes
Title based on contents of collection
MSS199
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William Martin family fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription66694
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1927-1940 (date of originals)
Collection/Fonds
William Martin family fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
26 photographs : 1 original photograph + 19 jpegs + 6 copy prints
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of photographs of the William and Ellen Martin family, pioneers of Burnaby.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1927-1940 (date of originals)
Collection/Fonds
William Martin family fonds
Physical Description
26 photographs : 1 original photograph + 19 jpegs + 6 copy prints
Material Details
2 copy prints + 1 jpeg are duplicates to the original; 3 copy prints are duplicates to a larger copy print
Description Level
Fonds
Accession Number
2011-11
2006-03
2012-03
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of photographs of the William and Ellen Martin family, pioneers of Burnaby.
History
William Martin and Ellen Ward met while attending school in Glasgow, Scotland. They married in 1916 while William was on leave from the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force. After the war, they immigrated to Canada with their two-year-old daughter, Margaret. They spent a few years in Vancouver where three more daughters were born: Barbara (later Punnett); Juanita (later Safarik); and Sally (later Forbes). With their four small daughters, they moved to Los Angeles where William worked as a craftsman for Samuel Goldwyn Studios. In 1926, they returned to B.C., where William purchased five acres of land on Spruce Street in Burnaby. Much of the land had been logged but not cleared. Dynamite was used to remove the large, burnt stumps. While William prepared the land for a new house, the family lived in a temporary building that was later used for a garage. The seven-room house that William built was one of the first houses on Spruce Street. During this time, William and Ellen’s two sons, Bill and Jackie, were born. The Martins made good use of their property. They kept chickens, ducks, and a goat, planted fruit trees, and had a large raspberry patch. The children enjoyed their large playground, much of it still heavily forested. In the winter they walked to Deer Lake to ice skate. They hiked Burnaby Mountain and sometimes walked to Capitol Hill where there was a recreation centre. All six children attended Douglas Road School and South Burnaby Secondary School. Margaret became a schoolteacher; Juanita and Barbara did office work after attending Sprott Shaw Business School; Sally became a public health nurse; and Bill and Jackie became doctors. Margaret taught in Burnaby schools for 27 years. Before her marriage, Sally served as a public health nurse in Burnaby for three years. Bill had an ophthalmology practice in Burnaby until his retirement. Margaret married Jack Greenall, the eldest son of another Burnaby family who lived on Nursery Street on a large property with a garden, greenhouse, and chicken house. Margaret and Jack had three children: Dr. Martin Greenall, Sharon (later Ingalls), and Diane (later Macnair). Margaret later married Peter Andrusiak and had two sons: Gordon and Peter. All of her children were raised in New Westminster. Margaret was active in her community and was awarded the New Westminster Citizen of the Year award in 1992. She died July 26, 2006, at the age of 89.
Formats
Records from accession 2011-11 exist only in electronic format - copied 2011
Media Type
Photograph
Creator
Martin family
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds
Photo catalogue 525
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Montgomery family fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription77525
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1927-1962
Collection/Fonds
Montgomery family fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
21 photographs : b&w
Scope and Content
Fonds consists mainly of photographs taken outside the Cunningham house which depict members of both the Montgomery and Cunningham families.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1927-1962
Collection/Fonds
Montgomery family fonds
Physical Description
21 photographs : b&w
Description Level
Fonds
Accession Number
2013-09
2013-04
Scope and Content
Fonds consists mainly of photographs taken outside the Cunningham house which depict members of both the Montgomery and Cunningham families.
History
Samuel Clifford “Monty” Montgomery was born on July 24, 1894, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He studied Mechanical Engineering at McGill University in Montreal before serving in World War I. After the war, Monty came out west to Vancouver. Marjorie Elizabeth Carpenter was born on May 5, 1900, in Montreal, Quebec. She studied to be a teacher before moving out west with her sister Mildred Carpenter, brother Harold Carpenter, and widowed mother Claire Carpenter in 1920. Marjorie trained to be a nurse from 1920 to 1923 when she moved to Hawaii with her sister and mother. While living in separate countries, Monty and Marjorie courted through correspondence. On July 16, 1927, Monty and Marjorie were married in Hawaii. The couple had two daughters, Margery Kathleen “Kathleen” Montgomery (later Green) born in 1928 and Janet Montgomery (later Fernau) born in 1934. Monty met Fred Cunningham when they were young men. Monty is believed to have helped in the design of the Fred and Edna Cunningham house built in 1923 at 3555 Douglas Road in Burnaby. From 1926 to 1930, both Fred and Monty were working in Ocean Falls, British Columbia. Monty was working at a mill and Fred was an insurance agent. Marjorie (Carpenter) Montgomery was ill with tuberculosis during this time, so their only daughter at the time, Kathleen, was sent to live with Edna Cunningham in Burnaby from the spring of 1929 to the fall of 1930. Though the Montgomery family had settled in Rossland, British Columbia, they would make frequent trips to Vancouver to visit the Cunninghams. Kathleen met Lewis Green in Vancouver and on September 16, 1950, they were married. Their wedding reception was held at the Cunningham’s house. They lived most of their married lives in Vancouver, and each month Kathleen would visit her ‘Aunty’ Edna Cunningham. Janet would visit her ‘Aunty' Edna each week; later she moved permanently to the United Kingdom. The Cunningham and Montgomery families have remained close friends over generations.
Media Type
Photograph
Creator
Montgomery family
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds
Photo catalogue 554
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South East Burnaby Ratepayers' Association fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription46984
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1927-1967
Collection/Fonds
South East Burnaby Ratepayers' Association Fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
2.5 cm of textual records.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records created by the South East Burnaby Ratepayers' Association.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1927-1967
Collection/Fonds
South East Burnaby Ratepayers' Association Fonds
Physical Description
2.5 cm of textual records.
Description Level
Fonds
Accession Number
2007-19
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records created by the South East Burnaby Ratepayers' Association.
Media Type
Textual Record
Creator
South East Burnaby Ratepayers' Association
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Brainerd family fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription76949
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1926-1958; 2013
Collection/Fonds
Brainerd family fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
1 cm. of textual records + 4 photographs (copy-print)
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of receipts, agreements, and registry letter for family home on Harwood Street, along with an election slip, a labour publication, and a propaganda leaflet related to Lawrence Brainerd, as well as a newspaper clipping from 2013 and photocopied and copy-printed early photographs of th…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1926-1958; 2013
Collection/Fonds
Brainerd family fonds
Physical Description
1 cm. of textual records + 4 photographs (copy-print)
Description Level
Fonds
Accession Number
2013-05
2013-06
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of receipts, agreements, and registry letter for family home on Harwood Street, along with an election slip, a labour publication, and a propaganda leaflet related to Lawrence Brainerd, as well as a newspaper clipping from 2013 and photocopied and copy-printed early photographs of the family.
History
Lawrence and Violet Brainerd came to Vancouver in 1925 or 1926. Lawrence purchased a small house on Harwood Street in North Burnaby for his wife and two children from her previous marriage. Roy Brainerd was born in 1928 at Royal Columbian Hospital. His sister Patricia Brainerd (later White) was born in 1931, also at Royal Columbian Hospital. Lawrence rebuilt and renovated the house to fit his growing family, planting abundant vegetable gardens and building a chicken coop, and paid off his taxes by doing roadwork for the municipality. Violet Brainerd supplemented her family's income by doing in-home nursing, as she'd been a nurse in France during the war. Roy Brainerd started at Douglas Road School in 1934 and then attended Hugh M. Fraser High School. Roy left his high school at 15 to work for Snap-On Tools, working his way up from pushing a broom to becoming a branch manager. He retired in 1983 after 41 years of service. Together with his wife, Carol, Roy raised three daughters.
Media Type
Textual Record
Photograph
Creator
Brainerd family
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds
MSS172, photo catalogue 551
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Building Department fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription13
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1926-2003
Collection/Fonds
Building Department fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
10 cm of textual records.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of historical building records from the Building Department.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1926-2003
Collection/Fonds
Building Department fonds
Physical Description
10 cm of textual records.
Description Level
Fonds
File Class
48100 05 (add. 2020; prev. D)
48100 10 (add. 2020; prev. D)
48100 11 (add. 2020; prev. D)
48100 12 (add. 2020; prev. D)
48100 14 (add. 2020; prev. D)
48100 18 (add. 2020; prev. D)
Reproduction Restriction
Reproductions subject to FOIPPA
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of historical building records from the Building Department.
History
In 2022, responsibility for Major Civic Projects was moved from the Planning and Building Department to the newly-created Lands and Facilities Department.
Media Type
Textual Record
Creator
City of Burnaby
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds.
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Jackson family collection

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription74500
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
November 7, 1925
Collection/Fonds
Jackson family collection
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
32 p. of textual records.
Scope and Content
Collection consists of the 1925 Official Opening booklet for the first Second Narrows Bridge.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
November 7, 1925
Collection/Fonds
Jackson family collection
Physical Description
32 p. of textual records.
Description Level
Fonds
Accession Number
2012-28
Scope and Content
Collection consists of the 1925 Official Opening booklet for the first Second Narrows Bridge.
History
James Francis Coho Jackson and his wife, Willena May (Campbell) Jackson, moved from Ontario to Vancouver, settling in West Vancouver in 1922. They had four children together: Ruth Helen Jackson (later Thompson) born in 1910 in Lethbridge, Alberta; James F Jackson born in 1912, also born in Lethbridge; their second son John R Jackson born in 1921 in Kamloops; and their youngest daughter, Dorothy Jackson (later Maclaren), born in North Vancouver in 1925. After serving overseas, James Francis Coho Jackson worked as a Court Clerk in the City of Vancouver. Ruth married Robert Alexander “Bert” Thompson and had Betty Anne Thompson (later Yuill) and Robert R. “Bob” Thompson. Ruth died in 2009 just shy of the age of 99. Dorothy married John Philip “Phil” Maclaren and settled on the North Shore. Phil commuted to work in Burnaby at Lenkirk Electric (now Telus) from 1960 to 1975. They retired and later moved to Sydney, British Columbia, where they currently live. Dorothy and Philip Maclaren’s daughter Susan Maclaren lives in Vancouver with her husband Alan Boysen and commutes to British Columbia Institute of Technology in Burnaby to teach Interior Design. Alan grew up in Burnaby and attended Burnaby North Secondary School.
Media Type
Textual Record
Creator
Jackson family
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds
MSS169
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Harry Stanley Bate fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription65612
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1924-1926
Collection/Fonds
Harry Stanley Bate fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
7.5 cm of textual records.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual records mostly pertaining to the Burnaby Police Commission. Included in the fonds are publications, meeting minutes and reports.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1924-1926
Collection/Fonds
Harry Stanley Bate fonds
Physical Description
7.5 cm of textual records.
Description Level
Fonds
Record No.
MSS143
Accession Number
2010-09
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual records mostly pertaining to the Burnaby Police Commission. Included in the fonds are publications, meeting minutes and reports.
History
Harry Stanley “Stanley” Bate was born April 16, 1895, in London, England, the son of Florence Ellen Barnes and Harry Symonds Bate. Florence and Harry Bate immigrated to Canada in July of 1913. Bertha “Bunny” Sawyer was born February 10, 1889, in London, England, the daughter of Ellen and Willard Sawyer. She sang in a choir at the Crystal Palace, where she met Stanley Bates. Bunny and Stanley were married on August 5, 1917, and were only together for two days before Stanley was sent overseas. Bunny followed her in-laws to Canada alone. Stanley joined them a full two years later. The young couple bought their first house at 2137 Royal Oak Avenue in Burnaby. Their first child, Kathleen Frances Bate was born at home on March 15, 1920. On July 22, 1921, twins Kenneth Willard Stanley Bate and Gordon Bate were born but unfortunately only Kenneth survived. Stanley Bate worked as a salesman and was a member of the Burnaby Police Commission for over half a decade, beginning January 28, 1924. By December of 1925, he and his family of four had moved to 2331 Grey Avenue in Burnaby. Their daughter Kathleen Frances Bate married Joseph Norton Would on December 19, 1942, and gave them four grandchildren: Robert Norton (Staff Sergeant R.N. Would), Carol Frances, Barbara Elaine, and Gordon Lawrence Would. Bunny and Stanley’s son Kenneth married Madge Mathews. Kenneth worked as an undertaker at Woodlawn-Bowell in New Westminster and he and his wife kept in close contact with his extended family. Harry Stanley Bate died April 6, 1945. Later, Bunny married her second husband, George Loomes. Bertha Sawyer Bate Loomes died December 27, 1976.
Media Type
Textual Record
Creator
Bate, Harry Stanley "Stanley"
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds
MSS143
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Small family fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription91819
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1922-2016
Collection/Fonds
Small family fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
75 photographs : b&w & col. + 1 plan
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of photographs documenting the transformation of the Burnaby Lake area of Burnaby, B.C. from semi-rural in the 1920s to urbanized in 2016. Photographs depict the land and houses located on the corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street as the property was rezoned and its density quad…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1922-2016
Collection/Fonds
Small family fonds
Physical Description
75 photographs : b&w & col. + 1 plan
Description Level
Fonds
Access Restriction
Open access
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Accession Number
2017-01
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of photographs documenting the transformation of the Burnaby Lake area of Burnaby, B.C. from semi-rural in the 1920s to urbanized in 2016. Photographs depict the land and houses located on the corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street as the property was rezoned and its density quadrupled. Fonds also includes photographs of the Small family house being moved to 5496 Dominion Street and the original landscape plan for 5118 Douglas Road.
History
In 1915, John W. Roberts and his wife Mary Allen Roberts moved from the United States to Canada along with their daughter, Lauretta. On first moving to Canada, the family lived in a rented house in Vancouver and John worked as a movie projectionist in the city. The couple had three more children, all sons: John A., Edward, and Roland. Circa 1921, John purchased a large parcel of land at the corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street in Burnaby. This parcel encompassed the equivalent of at least six 66-foot lots along the south side of Dominion Street and the same along the north side of Norfolk Street. On their property, a barn and small living quarters were built. The family moved in, raising goats and growing potatoes to supplement their income. They also planted cherry, apple, and pear trees; hazelnut and walnut trees; raspberries; and a large vegetable garden, the fruits of which Mary preserved for year-round use. At this time, agricultural activities were common for families in the area: the Roberts' neighbours kept chickens for personal use and for selling eggs; grew mushrooms for commercial sale; and sold manure from an old buckboard drawn by Clydesdale horses. John built a new house in the middle of the Roberts’ lots on the southwest corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street. The house faced Douglas Road and overlooked a large, well-landscaped front yard to the east and a full-sized, clay tennis court to the north. The family moved into this new house in 1925. When the Roberts ceased raising goats, the barn and original living quarters were reduced to a double-car garage with storage space plus a sawdust-insulated “root cellar”. John also built a house on the northwest corner of the lot at Douglas Road and Dominion Street (3093 Douglas Road), which was purchased by the Hardy family. In 1957, part of this property (3071 Douglas Road) was sold to the Brocklebanks who built a house and lived there. In addition, John built a house at the northwest corner of Douglas Road and Norfolk Street (5106 Douglas Road). The original purchaser of this house is unknown, but in 1949, it was bought by the Meyers family. In 1952 or 1953, the Meyers sold part of this property and the Manahans built a house on it, facing Douglas Road. Several other lots that John owned were also sold off over the years. By the 1950s, John owned only five 66-foot lots from Douglas Road west, along the south side Dominion Street. In 1954, John sold the lot furthest from Douglas Road (5486 Dominion Street) to a builder who built a “ranch-style” house and put it up for sale. John retired from his career as a movie projectionist in the 1950s. He, Mary, and Lauretta retained their US citizenship all their lives, although they never returned to the USA except for brief visits. John A., Edward, and Roland who, as children of US citizens, also had US citizenship, eventually moved to the US, where they remained for the rest of their lives. In 1945, Lauretta married Frederick Small. The couple lived in a rented house in Vancouver for a few years before moving in with John and Mary in Burnaby. The couple had four children: Elizabeth, Kathryn, Charles, and Martin. In 1955, Frederick purchased the rancher at 5486 Dominion Street and the family moved in. The Small children grew up enjoying the freedom of having their grandparent’s large property in addition to their parent’s yard to play in. The back lane that ran between Dominion Street and Norfolk Street was filled with trees and bushes, creating a narrow bit of “forest” to explore. In 1957, John died. Mary died in 1969, as did Frederick. Lauretta was executor for her mother’s and husband’s estates. After much consideration, she decided to sell the house at 5486 Dominion Street and move back into her childhood home. By doing so, she was able to settle her mother’s estate to the satisfaction of her brothers. Elizabeth married and moved away. Over the next few years, the “Roberts” house was home to Lauretta, Kathryn, Charles, and Martin, with the three grown children moving in and out several times during the 1970s. In 1981, Lauretta died. Her children discussed at length how to divide up the property, which consisted of four 66-foot lots, according to her will. None of her children wanted to see the old family house destroyed but the house straddled two lots. They finally decided that if one of them wanted to pay to move the house to sit on one of the lots, the “value” of the house would not enter into the settlement of the estate. Kathryn chose to do this. In 1982, the old house was moved to 5496 Dominion Street and Kathryn continued to live in it. Martin died in 1982. Elizabeth and Charles each inherited one lot and the last lot, which would have gone to Martin, was sold, the funds divided equally between Elizabeth, Kathryn, and Charles. The three lots between 5496 Dominion Street and Douglas Road were subdivided into 33-foot lots and six new houses were built. In 1993, the Meyers property and the Manahan property were subdivided into 33-foot lots facing Norfolk Street and the old houses were torn down and four new houses were built.
Media Type
Photograph
Technical Drawing
Creator
Small family
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Finance Department fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription46
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1920-1950
Collection/Fonds
Finance Department fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
30 cm of textual records.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1920-1950
Collection/Fonds
Finance Department fonds
Physical Description
30 cm of textual records.
Description Level
Fonds
Access Restriction
Subject to FOIPPA
Reproduction Restriction
Reproductions subject to FOIPPA.
History
In 2017, responsibility for Risk Management and Emergency Preparedness transferred from the Finance Department to the Public Safety and Community Services Department's Risk Management and Emergency Services division.
Media Type
Textual Record
Creator
City of Burnaby
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds.
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Fire Department fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription47
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1920-2019
Collection/Fonds
Fire Department fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
1 m of textual records, graphic material, and cartographic material
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of news clippings; notes correspondence; and layout and research materials used in the development and creation of the Burnaby Fire Department history entitled “Follow that Fire.” Also consists of administrative records created by the Fire Department related to its management, direct…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1920-2019
Collection/Fonds
Fire Department fonds
Physical Description
1 m of textual records, graphic material, and cartographic material
Description Level
Fonds
Access Restriction
Subject to FOIPPA
Reproduction Restriction
Reproductions subject to FOIPPA
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of news clippings; notes correspondence; and layout and research materials used in the development and creation of the Burnaby Fire Department history entitled “Follow that Fire.” Also consists of administrative records created by the Fire Department related to its management, direction, coordination, training services, and planning, including daily record books, emergency preparedness pamphlets, a departmental practice manual, procedural directives, scrapbooks, and an orthophoto map (in 63 pieces) of the City of Burnaby.
History
Serving the City since 1911, the Burnaby Fire Department is committed to providing timely, professional, and effective fire-related emergency services to save lives, property and the environment. Their dedicated staff serves the City via seven fire stations located strategically across Burnaby. Each of our stations is equipped with up-to-date vehicles and equipment. Their highly skilled and trained team of men and women provide many services, including fire suppression and prevention, investigation, inspection, training, medical, vehicle extrication, technical and other speciality rescues, hazardous materials response and public education services. The following information pertains to the publication "Follow That Fire": Communities have always lived with the threat of fire. Early Burnaby residents banded together to extinguish out-of-control brush fires. In the 1920s, the Municipal Police were responsible for fire-related matters, earning three dollars for attending a fire. Donations to the Vancouver and New Westminster Fire Departments' Benevolent Funds brought the first fire engines to Burnaby's rescue. As the population increased, by-laws were enacted to develop a full-time fire service. Several members saw the value in jotting down recollections of their experiences as Burnaby firemen, which sparked an interest in completing the History of the Burnaby Fire Department. While researching this project, the author was fortunate in being able to draw from the resources of retired chiefs Fred Blake and Lewis Auvache, who were original members of the Department. The Department's progression includes heated and sometimes humorous debates regarding who should be responsible for fire protection, deciding if there was a need for a fire services, and how taxes would be levied to support the service. Photographs throughout the text represent stages of development which include a pictorial record of Burnaby fire trucks from 1923 to the present platform ladder trucks. From its humble beginning as two separate fire departments operating from a converted police horse stable and a water pumping station, the Burnaby Fire Department has developed into a professional organization serving its citizens from six fire stations.
Media Type
Textual Record
Photograph
Cartographic Material
Creator
City of Burnaby
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds.
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Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1920-1990
Collection/Fonds
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
Textual records and photographs
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual records and photographs created by the Burnaby Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department. Records include files and photographs related to cultural services, administration, and delivery of special events, as well the records of the Parks and Recreation Commissi…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1920-1990
Collection/Fonds
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department fonds
Physical Description
Textual records and photographs
Description Level
Fonds
Access Restriction
Subject to FOIPPA
Reproduction Restriction
Reproductions subject to FOIPPA
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual records and photographs created by the Burnaby Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department. Records include files and photographs related to cultural services, administration, and delivery of special events, as well the records of the Parks and Recreation Commission.
History
The Parks and Recreation Department changed its name to the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department in 1997 to better reflect the department's mandate to operate a major arts centre and heritage facility, and to provide extensive cultural services and support to organizations in addition to parks and recreation services. On January 1, 2023, the City renamed the department to Parks, Recreation and Culture to be consistent with other departments, grammatically correct, and reflective of the department "moving forward" to a better Burnaby. Mary Morrison-Clark has served as General Manager of the department since November 2022.
Media Type
Textual Record
Photograph
Creator
City of Burnaby
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds.
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Eagles family fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97217
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1919-1995
Collection/Fonds
Eagles family fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
40 files of textual records and 1489 photographs (6 col. prints, 10 x 15 cm; 1,444 col. slides, 35 mm).
Scope and Content
Collection consists of records, correspondence, and photographs created by Drs. Blythe and Violet Eagles related to their home and garden in the Deer Lake area of Burnaby. Also included in the collection are records pertaining the Burnaby Historical Society, the book "The Fraser's History from Glac…
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1919-1995
Collection/Fonds
Eagles family fonds
Physical Description
40 files of textual records and 1489 photographs (6 col. prints, 10 x 15 cm; 1,444 col. slides, 35 mm).
Description Level
Fonds
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Accession Number
2008-10
Scope and Content
Collection consists of records, correspondence, and photographs created by Drs. Blythe and Violet Eagles related to their home and garden in the Deer Lake area of Burnaby. Also included in the collection are records pertaining the Burnaby Historical Society, the book "The Fraser's History from Glaciers to Early Settlements" and the Eagles' visit to Robert Burnaby's grave.
History
Blythe Eagles's paternal grandparents, Charles and Maude Eagles, immigrated to New Westminster in 1887. Their son Jack married Amelia Jane Johnston, and Blythe Eagles was born in New Westminster in 1902. In 1918, Blythe enrolled at the University of British Columbia and took a Physiology class with eight other top students. His future wife, Violet Dunbar, was the lone woman in the class. Blythe graduated in 1922, winning the Governor General's Gold Medal as top student. He received his MA in 1924 and his PhD in 1926 from the University of Toronto. He then completed his post-doctoral study at the National Institute for Medical Research in London, England. In 1933, Dr. Eagles became head of the Department of Dairying (1936-1955), Chairman of the Division of Animal Science (1955-1967), and Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture (in 1949 until his retirement in 1967). In 1968, he received an Honorary Doctor of Science Award from UBC. Blythe was also one of the first appointments to the Burnaby Town Planning Commission. Violet Evelyn Dunbar was born September 29, 1899, in Ontario, the eldest child of John and Mary (Tompson) Dunbar. Violet obtained her BA in 1921 and MA in 1922 from the University of British Columbia. In 1922, she attended the Provincial Normal School and, within six months, had a teaching certificate and taught at Lord Hudson School in 1923. In September 1923, she was awarded a two-year scholarship to the University of Toronto, where she joined Blythe in the Bio-Chemistry Department. She received a second MA and a PhD in 1929. Her graduate studies entailed research in pure proteins and enzymes related to the commercial production of cheese. Through this work, she was recognized as one of the leading enzyme chemists in the country, being a senior lab instructor of biochemistry. Violet was one of the founders of the Burnaby Council of Women and active member of the International Council of Women. Blythe and Violet Eagles purchased property at Deer Lake in 1929 and began construction of their home shortly before their marriage on June 25, 1930. The Drs. Blythe and Violet Eagles Estate is a unique expression of the talents and tastes of both the Eagles and Frank Ebenezer Buck (1875-1970), who was head of the Horticultural Department and the Campus Landscape Architect at U.B.C. and established the plan for the Eagles garden while Blythe selected many of the plantings. The Eagles themselves designed the house as a romantic cottage inspired by the British Arts and Crafts style. Violet was an enthusiastic amateur gardener, maintaining and continually developing the garden. The Eagles were active volunteers in the local community as well as at UBC. When Simon Fraser University opened in Burnaby, they became well-known for entertaining dignitaries and special guests of the university in their lavish garden. After Violet's death in 1993, the estate was sold to the City of Burnaby. The funds were used to establish a Chair in Agriculture at the University of British Columbia in their memory.
Media Type
Textual Record
Photograph
Other Title Information
Title was changed from Eagles family collection to Eagles family fonds to better reflect the nature of the materials.
Notes
Title based on contents of collection
BHS245, BHS331, BHS404, MSS032, BHS314, BHS482, MSS055
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Yanko family fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription74502
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1917-2010
Collection/Fonds
Yanko family fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
4 albums (1272 photographs : b&w and col.) and other material
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of four photographic albums, two scrapbooks, one guestbook, one recipe notebook, 19 loose photographs, and 1 cm of other textual records pertaining to the Yanko family. Included are photographs depicting the building of the Yanko family home at 7391 Broadway, Burnaby.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1917-2010
Collection/Fonds
Yanko family fonds
Physical Description
4 albums (1272 photographs : b&w and col.) and other material
Description Level
Fonds
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
May be restricted by third party rights
Accession Number
2012-09
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of four photographic albums, two scrapbooks, one guestbook, one recipe notebook, 19 loose photographs, and 1 cm of other textual records pertaining to the Yanko family. Included are photographs depicting the building of the Yanko family home at 7391 Broadway, Burnaby.
History
Annie D. Basiuk (later Yanko) was born on February 25, 1902, in Sheho, Saskatchewan (formerly Sheho, North West Territories). Daniel "Dan" Yanko was born in Kobyl'nya, Ukraine, in 1887, and immigrated to Canada in May or June of 1905. Dan married Annie D. Basiuk and they had 13 children together. Their son, John Ivan Yanko, was born on the family farm, near Kelliher, Saskatchewan, on June 27, 1923. In grade six, John was pulled out of school to help support the family. Eugenia “Jenny” Haresomovych (later Carman) was born August 8, 1904, in Galecia, Austria. She came to Canada in 1928, when her parents sent her to live with the Austrian consular in Halifax. A year later, she was in The Pas with Albert Edward Carman, with whom she would have three children. Their daughter, Leida Doria "Lillian Doris" Carman, was born in The Pas, Manitoba, on March 24, 1929. Jenny later re-married Joseph Nagy who was born in Hungary in October 3, 1900. Jenny, Joseph, and the children moved to Nelson, British Columbia, where Joseph worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway. At the age of 20, John Ivan Yanko met his future wife, Lillian Doris, while visiting relatives in Burnaby. Lillian received a rail pass because of her dad’s employment with the CPR and, at 14, had gone to visit her godmother in Burnaby. John and Lillian Doris were married on October 16, 1948, in Nelson, British Columbia, and moved into the basement of John’s sister’s house on Union Street. Lillian began working at the downtown Woodward’s store as a cashier in 1948. In 1950, the young couple bought property at 7385 (later renumbered 7391) Broadway in Burnaby and began constructing a house as they could afford it. Knowing she’d be let go if she was pregnant, when Lillian was expecting her first child, Jenny sewed her several versions of the same outfit; they all used the same material, but each was a little bit larger than the last to accommodate her expanding girth. Rhonda, born in 1953, and Charmaine, born in 1955, grew up in the Broadway home. They attended school at Sperling Elementary, and later at Burnaby North High School. Lillian left her job to be a stay-at-home mom when Rhonda was born, but that changed in 1963 when John and Charmaine were in a car accident that left John temporarily unable to work. Joseph Nagy died on April 20, 1962; his wife Jenny passed away on August 14, 1985. Dan died in 1976; his wife Annie died in 1997. John later returned to work, establishing his own tile-setting business and working until age 82. John and Lillian lived out the rest of their married lives on the Broadway property. John passed away in 2010; his wife Lillian Doris passed away in 2011.
Media Type
Textual Record
Photograph
Creator
Yanko family
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds
MSS170, photo catalogue 545
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John Shaw fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription55327
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1917-1980
Collection/Fonds
John Shaw fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
10 cm. of textual records and 80 b&w prints.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records created and collected by Jack Shaw regarding his military service, civil service, and his family.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1917-1980
Collection/Fonds
John Shaw fonds
Physical Description
10 cm. of textual records and 80 b&w prints.
Description Level
Fonds
Accession Number
2005-15
2006-01
2007-18
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records created and collected by Jack Shaw regarding his military service, civil service, and his family.
History
John "Jack" Horace Shaw was born in New Westminster on November 27, 1917, to Cecil Alfred Shaw and Margaret Grace Shaw (nee Baker). In 1934, at the age of 16, Jack began what would turn out to be an almost 40-year career with the City of Burnaby. Initially employed as an office boy, by 1938, Jack was made a stenographer and Deputy Clerk. His civil service career was interrupted in 1941 when Jack volunteered to join the Royal Canadian Air Force. He served at the rank of Sergeant until he was hounourably released from duty at the end of the war in 1945. While serving in the RCAF, Jack married Lois Eulalia Gilbert. The couple would go on to have three daughters, Judith Annette (Judy), Maureen Daphne (later Maureen Ayers) and Beverley (later Beverley Santo). After resuming his career with Burnaby in 1945, Jack was made Municipal Clerk in 1959, a position he would hold until he retired in 1973. Jack Shaw died on June 14, 1980.
Names
Shaw, John Horace "Jack"
Media Type
Photograph
Textual Record
Creator
Shaw, John Horace "Jack"
Notes
BHS485
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Field family fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription65767
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1915] - [1969]
Collection/Fonds
Field family fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
31 photographs : tiffs ; 600 ppi + 0.5 cm of textual records
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of photographs of the Field family and their relatives, including the Sandersons, as well as notes used by Thomas Sanderson in preparation of an address he gave in 1934 titled "The Early Development of Our Lumber Industry with Historical Sketches."
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
[1915] - [1969]
Collection/Fonds
Field family fonds
Physical Description
31 photographs : tiffs ; 600 ppi + 0.5 cm of textual records
Description Level
Fonds
Accession Number
2010-14
2012-24
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of photographs of the Field family and their relatives, including the Sandersons, as well as notes used by Thomas Sanderson in preparation of an address he gave in 1934 titled "The Early Development of Our Lumber Industry with Historical Sketches."
History
William “Willie“ James Field was born to William and Rebecca (Chambers) December of 1881 in England. Laura Tonkin was born to John Charles and Amelia (Johns) February of 1887 in Wales. Her brother, Charles Henry “Harry” was born in 1888. In 1907, Laura Tonkin married Willie James Field. Their first child, Phyllis Laura, was born in 1910. In 1912, the young family of three immigrated to Canada, arriving firstly in Hamilton, Ontario, where Willie James ran a welding business. Both Willie’s youngest brother, Arthur Pearcy, and Laura’s only brother, Charles Henry “Harry”, joined them soon after. The extended family of five then moved west to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. But Arthur Percy soon returned to Hamilton, married Sara Umbach, and had their two children, Arthur and June. Laura and Willie returned to Wales with Phyllis to have their second child, William John “John”, in 1914. War broke out and they were stranded until 1919. Within that time, Harry also returned to England with his bride, Ethyl “Em.” In 1919, the Field and Tonkin families returned to Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, before heading out west. Willie James Field or Harry Tonkin owned the Model T-Ford convertible that the extended family travelled west in, arriving in Central Park, Burnaby, around 1921. Amelia and John Charles Tonkin purchased a home on Wilson Avenue where they lived out the rest of their lives. Amelia died on March 6, 1944, at the age of 82. Harry and Em Tonkin bought property on Nelson Avenue and began their family with a son, Roy, who unfortunately, did not survive infancy. He had a sister, Marjorie, born 1927. Willie James and Laura bought property on Patterson Avenue and had two more children: Dorothy, born October 10, 1925, and Robert George, born September 6, 1927. In 1929, June Field was brought out from Ontario as tuberculosis had claimed both her parents. The Mackenzies of Central Park adopted her and she became June Mackenzie at the age of three. Her older brother Arthur stayed in a foster home in Ontario. When June lost both her adoptive parents, Arthur came to Burnaby and he and his sister became a members of the Patterson Avenue Field family. In 1937, Phyllis Field married Gordon John Sanderson, the son of Ellen Jane Garvin and former Burnaby Reeve Thomas Sanderson. William James Field died March 17, 1965, at the age of 83, his wife Laura died in 1968 at the age of 81. William John “John” and Margaret (Begg) Field had their daughter Lorraine in 1941 and Joyce shortly after. Robert George married Edna Schilthelm of Mandy Avenue in Burnaby, and had William George “Bill”, Elizabeth “Betty” Gorrie, Joan Katherine Nash and Susan Carol Hanniford. All live locally, except Joan who lives in Royston.
Media Type
Photograph
Creator
Field family
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds
Photo catalogue 521, MSS168
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Gillis family fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription66689
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1914-1940 (date of originals), copied 2011
Collection/Fonds
Gillis family fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
4 photographs (jpeg)
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of scanned photographs of the members of the Gillis family.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1914-1940 (date of originals), copied 2011
Collection/Fonds
Gillis family fonds
Physical Description
4 photographs (jpeg)
Material Details
Records exist only in electronic format
Description Level
Fonds
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Accession Number
2011-10
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of scanned photographs of the members of the Gillis family.
History
Duncan Gillis was born on March 25, 1892, in Vancouver, B.C., to James Gillis and Isabelle (Adams) Gillis. He had four older siblings: Isabel, Allan, James, and Marion. Duncan died on April 2, 1985, in Kamloops, B.C. James and Isabelle were from New Brunswick and lived in Minnesota for a time, which is where the three oldest children were born, and then came to British Columbia and pioneered in Yennadon (Maple Ridge) in 1890. Florence Ethel Denton was born on December 9, 1894, in Vancouver, B.C. to Edwin Denton and Elizabeth Anne (Zinn) Denton. She had three siblings: John, Edwin, and Beatrice. Florence died on February 28, 1962, in Kamloops, B.C. Edwin Denton was born in England and met Elizabeth in Ohio were she was born. They were married in 1890 in Vancouver. Florence’s older brother, John Montague Denton, was born on August 7, 1892. He enlisted on October 6, 1915, as part of the Canadian Infantry (British Columbia Regiment) 72nd Batalion and was killed in France on November 1, 1916, at the age of 24. He is buried in St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France. Duncan married Florence on June 27, 1914, in Eburne, B.C. Florence was the first schoolteacher at the newly built school in Yennadon (Maple Ridge), which was built by Duncan’s father James in 1913. This is how they met. Duncan was working as a carpenter and saw filer before enlisting on January 8, 1916, at the age of 23. He served overseas and was captured as a prisoner of war (POW) for a time. When Duncan returned to Canada, he and Florence had three sons: Boyd Leslie “Bud” born on January 7, 1920; Norman Montague born on August 20, 1921; and Donald Allan Gillis born on February 23, 1923. They raised their family in Burnaby, B.C., and lived there until 1960, then moving to Kamloops, B.C. Bud served overseas as a Flying Officer (Wireless Gunner) during World War II for the 428 (RCAF) Squadron. He was on his fifteenth operation and took part in the raid on Aachem on the night of July 13 (14), 1943, when the plane was shot down over Holland. It was later determined that he had been captured as a POW at Stalag 6 and wasn’t released until May 14, 1945, returning home in August of 1945. He married Mary Irene Thoen and had five children: James, Steven, Donna, Gregory, and Pamela. Boyd was also a carpenter and saw filer and had a saw shop in Kamloops where he raised his family. He also enjoyed woodworking in his spare time and built three airplanes. Boyd died in 1979 in Edmonton, Alberta. Norman Montague served overseas as a Flight Engineer Sergeant during World War II for the 138 RCAF Squadron. His plane crashed in the woods while attempting to land at RAF Woodridge, England, returning from an operational flight. He was pronounced dead on admission to hospital, December 17, 1943, at the age of 22. He is buried in Rushden Cemetery, Northamptonshire, England. Donald served in the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve during World War II. He enlisted on May 9, 1942, and was a Signalman on a Corvette in the Atlantic. In 1944, after hearing of the loss of his two older brothers, the RCNR moved him to the Pacific, where he was until November 9, 1945. He married May Yule Ferrier and had two children, Robert and Barbara. Donald graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1951 with a Bachelor's of Science in Civil Engineering. He worked for the City of Burnaby for five years and for the Greater Vancouver Regional District for 32 years, while living in Burnaby, B.C. and raising his family. He retired to the Sunshine Coast, Halfmoon Bay, B.C. in 1988, where he still lives today.
Media Type
Photograph
Creator
Gillis family
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds
Photo catalogue 524
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Alfred Bingham fonds

https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription97219
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1913-1971
Collection/Fonds
Alfred Bingham fonds
Description Level
Fonds
Physical Description
4 cm. of textual records and 1 audio reel.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of correspondence and literature pertaining to Alfred Bingham as well as an oral history tape provided by Alfred and his wife, M.J. "Ada" Bingham.
Repository
City of Burnaby Archives
Date
1913-1971
Collection/Fonds
Alfred Bingham fonds
Physical Description
4 cm. of textual records and 1 audio reel.
Description Level
Fonds
Record No.
MSS142
Accession Number
2010-09
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of correspondence and literature pertaining to Alfred Bingham as well as an oral history tape provided by Alfred and his wife, M.J. "Ada" Bingham.
History
Alfred "Alf" Bingham was born in England in 1892 and moved to Canada in 1912. His first job in Canada was laying track for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) from Edmonton to McBride in 1912. His second was in Vancouver at the Rat Portage Mill on False Creek, working on the Resaw machine. He quit after one week due to poor working conditions. After taking part in the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike as a delegate of the Retail and Mailorder Union (A.F.L.) on the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council, Alfred moved to Burnaby where he and fellow Burnaby residents Angus McLean and Percy Little worked ten-hour days to build a shingle mill on the edge of Burnaby Lake for Simpson & Giberson. George Green, a carpenter and millwright (and author of “The History of Burnaby”), also helped in the construction of the mill. Alfred built his own home from lumber cut from the mill in the Lockdale area on Sherlock Street between Curtis Street and Kitchener Street. On April 10, 1920, Alfred married Mary Jane "Ada" Reynolds. Alfred and Mary Jane often took in foster children during their marriage. Due to her nursing experience, Ada was often called upon to deliver babies in the Burnaby area. The couple also had a dog named Bess. The Binghams were instrumental members of the Army of the Common Good, collecting vegetables and grains from growers in the area and even producing over 125 tons of vegetables from its own gardens to feed children and youth who were suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression. The Army was in operation for ten years and during that time, the members organised the credit union movement of British Columbia and drew up the Credit Union Act through the Vancouver Co-operative Council. They also started co-op stores and the Co-Op Wholesale Society. Alfred was also the Secretary of the Burnaby Housing Committee. In 1946, he became the Secretary of the North Burnaby Labour Progressive Party (LPP). Mary Jane died on August 9, 1969. Alfred died on April 29, 1979.
Media Type
Textual Record
Sound Recording
Creator
Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds MSS142
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