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E.W. Bateman family fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/museumdescription15157
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1857]-[195-]
- Collection/Fonds
- E.W. Bateman family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 63 photographs + 6 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs of the family of Edwin Wettenhall Bateman and residences including Elworth house, along with letters written by Colin Rhodes Fox during World War II. Fonds is arranged into the following series: 1) Bateman family photographs series 2) Bateman family World War II lette…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- E.W. Bateman family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 63 photographs + 6 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs of the family of Edwin Wettenhall Bateman and residences including Elworth house, along with letters written by Colin Rhodes Fox during World War II. Fonds is arranged into the following series: 1) Bateman family photographs series 2) Bateman family World War II letters series
- History
- Edwin Wettenhall "E.W." Bateman was born in 1859 in Sandbach, Cheshire, to James and Caroline Mary Wettenhall Bateman (their home in Sandbach was called Elworth Cottage). When he was twenty-one, E.W. Bateman immigrated to Manitoba, Canada where he met Catherine “Cassie” Dale, daughter of George and Sarah Gillon Dale. They were married in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba on November 9, 1886. Edwin and Cassie had seven children, the eldest Edna Caroline Annie (Corner) (1889-1969); George Edwin (1890-? ); Mamie (McWilliams) (1892-1979); Marianne “May” Bateman (1894-1990); Warren Stafford (1896-1954); Jessie (Fox Kemp) (1899-1978) and John Carey (1901-1945). Catherine “Cassie” (Dale) Bateman died in Portage La Prairie in 1909. After Cassie's death, Edwin was transferred to Vancouver by the Canadian Pacific Railway where he married Cassie’s younger sister Mary Dale (1896-1935). Edwin moved his six of his seven children to Vancouver (not including George). Edwin and Mary (Dale) Bateman first lived at 7th and Balsam Street in Vancouver and in 1920, they decided to move to the quieter atmosphere of the Burnaby Lake- Deer Lake area. By this time Edwin Wettenhall Bateman was a retired CPR executive. He moved his wife and daughter Marianne “May” Bateman to Deer Lake and commissioned architect, Enoch Evans to build 'Elworth' house (named after Edwin’s family home in Sandbach, Chesire). The house was completed by contractor William Dodson in 1922 and located at the site of what would become Heritage Village and later, Burnaby Village Museum, 6501 Deer Lake Avenue. The Batemans lived at this location for thirteen years before moving back to Vancouver in May of 1935. Mary Dale Bateman died in July 1935 and sometime after, Edwin W. Bateman married Dora Coulton. Edwin W. Bateman died in 1957 at the age of 98. Edna Caroline Bateman married Raymond Westley Corner in 1920 and had a daughter named Catherine Mary (Levins). Edna and Raymond lived in Kelowna. George Bateman married Louise Agness Birss in January 1910 and continued to live in Manitoba. Mamie Dale Bateman married George Lloyd McWilliams in 1915. The couple had two children, Warren Finley McWilliams and Bruce McWilliams. Mamie and George McWilliams lived with their family on Douglas Road across the road from Elworth house in Burnaby. Warren McWilliams was on North Atlantic convoy duty during World War I from 1942 to 1944. Warren McWilliams died in 2004. Warren Stafford Bateman married Norah Withington in Burnaby in 1924; Winifred Dare Webster in Burnaby in 1932 and Dorothy Margaret Buchanan in New Westminster in 1949. Warren and Winnifred “Winnie” Webster celebrated their marriage at Elworth house in 1932. Warren served in World War I. Jessie Madeline Bateman married Ernest Denby Fox (1900-1945) in 1921. Jessie and Ernest Fox had three children, Colin Rhodes Fox (1921-2005); Mary “Betty” (Gludo) and Allan Fox. Jessie and Ernest Fox operated a small logging company near Powell River, B.C. Sometime after the death of her first husband, Ernest Denby Fox, Jessie married James Kemp. The youngest child of Edwin and Cassie, John “Carey” Bateman married Sophia Spak (1899-1977) in 1925. On September 10, 1939, the day that Canada declared war on Germany, Colin Rhodes Fox (eldest son of Jessie and Ernest Fox) enlisted in the army at the age of 18 years. Colin initially served in an anti-aircraft unit, but was soon transferred to the Field Artillery. During his service overseas, Colin wrote letters to family members including his aunt May Bateman who was living in Burnaby. Colin went through basic artillery training in Edmonton before heading overseas to the United Kingdom with his unit, the 13th Field Regiment , 44th Canadian Field Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery and later the 78th Canadian Field Battery in Germany and Holland . Colin was wounded on June 8, 1944 (two days after D-Day) but returned to serve in Holland and Germany until the war ended. Colin suffered bullet and shrapnel wounds while laying communication cable from the Normandy beachhead. In 1946, Colin married Susan Streika (Striha) of Pitt Meadows and he began a thirty five year career in the B.C. Telephone Company on Vancouver Island. Colin and Susan had three children; Gary, Elaine and Irene. Colin Rhodes Fox died in 2005. The E.W. Bateman house, "Elworth" is a heritage building on the site of the Burnaby Village Museum. The site is an important cultural feature for the interpretation of Burnaby’s heritage to the public. The E.W. Bateman House was purchased by Burnaby in 1970 and became the focal point for the development of the Museum. Both the interior and exterior of the house have been restored and interpreted to the date of original construction, including recreated room interiors and period furnishings.
- Accession Code
- HV974.22
- HV974.90
- HV975.120
- HV976.37
- HV979.32
- BV985.1003
- BV986.21
- BV992.29
- BV994.22
- BV004.28
- BV004.84
- BV020.27
- Date
- [1857]-[195-]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Textual Record
- Related Material
- See also: Interview with Marianne May Bateman February 22, 1978 - Tracks 1-4. City of Burnaby Archives Item No. MSS137-014-1
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
Digney Family fonds
https://search.heritageburnaby.ca/link/archivedescription85415
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1936-19[61]
- Collection/Fonds
- Digney Family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w + 1 film reel : col. ; 16mm + 7 optical discs (DVDs) + 1 portable drive
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of a reel of film (digitized into four segments) created by Andy Digney; a panorama photograph of the Digney Pee-Wee Bowling League from 1958 or 1959; and 18 film segments on DVD that were originally created by Andy Digney between 1934 and 1961 and digitized by his grandson Paul Dign…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1936-19[61]
- Collection/Fonds
- Digney Family fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w + 1 film reel : col. ; 16mm + 7 optical discs (DVDs) + 1 portable drive
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of a reel of film (digitized into four segments) created by Andy Digney; a panorama photograph of the Digney Pee-Wee Bowling League from 1958 or 1959; and 18 film segments on DVD that were originally created by Andy Digney between 1934 and 1961 and digitized by his grandson Paul Digney in 2012. The 16mm film is divided into the following segments: the Oak Theatre in 1936 (construction and opening); the Royal Visit (from the King and Queen) in 1939; Burnaby Sports and May Day events (ca. 1937); and the Labour parade (ca. 1935). The 18 film segments contain footage of the Digney family at their home in Brandon, Manitoba, and Burnaby; views of the Oak Theatre and Digney Speedway in operation; and their travels throughout British Columbia and abroad. The 18 film segments are described at the item level and titled: Andy's first film; Brandon, Manitoba; Burnaby and Digney recreational events; Trip to Kamloops; Burnaby; Burnaby, Vancouver and the north shore; Galiano Island, Oak Theatre and Calgary; Travels to Ontario, Quebec and England; Travels to England #2; Travels to England #3; Parades; Digney family in Burnaby; Paul Digney and family; Digney family and the Oak Theatre gardens; Digney family at Bonsor Avenue and family outings; Building and opening the Digney Speedway; Digney family travel the praries; and San Francisco Trip.
- History
- Andy Digney was born in London, England, on July 27, 1886. His given names were Andrew Charles. In 1905, he immigrated with his elder brother to Raymore, Saskatchewan, and worked on a farm. In 1914, he met and married Alice Swan and in 1920 they had their one and only child, Ernest ('Dig'). The young family lived in Beatty, Saskatchewan, where they ran a small general store with a pool hall over the top. Andy sold the store and they moved to Carberry, Manitoba, where Andy worked selling lightning rods and hanging wallpaper. At this time, he met and formed a partnership with someone who owned a hand cranked move projector and in the evenings, he and his wife traveled to church halls in neighbouring towns, showing movies. Eventually, Digney purchased his own movie projector and opened a small theatre in Carberry. He worked odd jobs during the daytime and projected movies in his small theatre at night. Eventually he made enough money to move to Brandon, Manitoba, where he purchased a restaurant, which he turned into a theatre with living quarters above. Andy called the theatre 'The Oak' since the mighty oak was strong and stood forever. After starting the first Oak Theatre in Brandon, Manitoba, when talking pictures came along, Andy Digney, his wife Alice and son Ernest ('Dig') moved to Burnaby in 1935 and chose the site of their new theatre and home at the corner of Kingsway and Marlborough. The Oak Theatre - which opened on August 4, 1937 - was hailed as an artistic masterpiece for its ultra modern white stucco exterior, floodlights and pink-and-green neon marquee. The interior featured a mirrored ceiling, fireplace, and aquarium and had a colour scheme of orchid, royal blue, silver and black. Andy was a very involved member of the Burnaby community, becoming the founding president of the Lion's club and the chairman of the committee raising money for war bonds during World War II. In 1944, Andy suffered a severe heart attack, forcing him to retire, so in 1945, he sold the theatre to Odeon Theatres of Canada who continued to operate at this location until 1968 when competition forced its closure and demolition. Andy and his family relocated to a home on Bonsor Avenue on 3/4 acres where he spent much of his time cultivating a lovely garden. In about 1946, Andy was approached by the B.C. Midget Auto Racing Association [original name retained for historical accuracy], who were looking for a good location to race the smaller racing cars popular at the time. Andy was interested and purchased 10 acres of property located near the corner of Irmin Street and MacPherson Avenue and built a race track. The Digney Speedway opened on July 8, 1948, with stands that had capacity of holding 4500 people. In 1949, when the popularity of this kind of racing declined, Digney started racing roadsters. However, he struggled to find local drivers, and it was expensive to bring in drivers from elsewhere. In 1951, Digney found a winner: jalopy racing. Local men would buy 1930s cars and strip them down, remove the glass, and weld the doors shut. By early 1952 over 40 cars were showing up for jalopy races. By the early 1950s, the Speedway was well established, with coverage in the sports pages and on radio. Andy's son Dig worked at the race track but moved away with his wife in 1951 to work in Seattle. Dig and his wife Joyce, along with their two young sons, Paul and Bruce, returned to Burnaby in 1953, moving into a 550-square-foot apartment located above the Digney Speedway restrooms. In 1954, Simpson Sears built a large store on Kingsway and their parking lot came up to the back garden of the family home on Bonsor Avenue. Andy thought of building small stores on his property but in the end decided to build a bowling alley, clearing out his beautiful garden. The Digney Bowl opened on August 19, 1955, and Andy, Alice, Dig, and Joyce all worked at both the Speedway and the bowling alley. In 1956, Andy decided to finally retire and sold the bowling alley and home to his son Dig, which he paid for over time. Dig and his family moved into the house on Bonsor Avenue and ran the bowling alley until their son Bruce took over in 1980. Andy Digney died in 1964 while travelling with his wife in England. Alice died on June 3, 1982, and Dig died on November 27, 2009.
- Media Type
- Moving Images
- Photographer
- Digney, Andy
- Creator
- Digney family
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
- Photo/MI catalogue 562