Fonds consists of photographs pertaining to the William Holmes family, family grave markers in cemetery in Ireland along with original correspondence, land title certificates and a newspaper clipping.
Fonds is arranged in series:
1) William Holmes family photographs series
2) William Holmes family…
Fonds consists of photographs pertaining to the William Holmes family, family grave markers in cemetery in Ireland along with original correspondence, land title certificates and a newspaper clipping.
Fonds is arranged in series:
1) William Holmes family photographs series
2) William Holmes family records series
3) Holmes family cemetery photographs series
History
William Holmes was the first non-Indigenous resident of Burnaby and was born in Kilkenny Ireland January 4, 1812. In 1833, at the age of 20 yrs, William Holmes immigrated to Canada from Ireland in with his parents, Joseph and Jane (McCullough) Holmes and ten other family members including two of his married brothers and their wives, two sisters with their husbands and two unmarried brothers. This was the first group of thirteen to leave Ireland and set up homesteads in Canada near the shores of Lake Huron. The family settled on land concessions in Huron County, Ontario about 14 km southeast of Goderich.
The area in Huron County was first founded in 1832 by John and Samuel Holmes and the community was known as Holmes Hill before becoming Holmesville [ca. 1850]. In 1837, William Holmes is noted as owning Lot 23, Concession IX, Goderich Twp. Much of the village of Holmesville grew up around the five road concession near the border of his brother’s farm so William decided to open a store. The Holmesville post office opened on March 1, 1855 and William was appointed the first post master which he operated until May 1857. William met and married Mary Richardson in 1841 and the couple had three daughters: Jane (1844-1926) (married Charles Studdert Finlaison in New Westminster in 1863); Anne Maria (Annie) (1846-192?) (married John Gunther Jennings in New Westminster in 1865 and married Robert Johnson in New Westminster in 1877) and Elizabeth (1848-1934) (married Thomas Carrington of Lakes District in 1867). William’s wife, Mary (Richardson) Holmes died in Holmesville sometime between 1848 and 1853.
Following the death of his first wife, Mary, William married Charlotte McCullough (McCulloch). The couple had four daughters; Arabella Charlotte Amelia (1854-1943) (married Arthur Robert Green in 1887); Laura (1855-1867); Arabella Henrietta (1857-1929) (married Clark Wesley Gillanders in 1880) and Mary (1863-1864). During the late 1850s, William became aware of the gold rush and opportunities opening up in British Columbia so left for the west coast in 1858 at the age of 46 yrs. In preparation for his move to the west coast of Canada, William obtained a letter of introduction from top government officials of Canada.
William Holmes arrived in British Columbia in 1859. Upon arriving, he first worked running pack trains from Harrison Mills to Lillooet. After earning some money, he decided to re-invest it in land. His first pre-emption of land occurred on January 21, 1860 for 160 acres situated on North Road from the Military Camp to Burrard Inlet and distancing 25 chains south of the Brunette River and 20 chains south of the river with the land extending in a westerly direction. On March 17, 1860, Holmes received a Crown Grant for this and other land in the immediate area totalling 415 acres of which was known as Lot No. 1, Group 1, Rural Land, New Westminster District. The balance of land was situated on the east side of the Brunette River – Lot 13, with 344 2/3 acres of which he made an application to purchase on June 26, 1860, and a Crown Grant dated March 16, 1861 covering 86 acres. Holmes also pre-empted land in Port Moody and Pitt Meadows in 1860 and 1861. The name of “Brunette River” is officially attributed to William Holmes who referred to the river as “Brunette” due to it’s dark colour originating from the peat lands above the lake.
Following his purchase of property, he sent for his wife Charlotte, their three daughters and her three step daughters (from William’s first marriage). Charlotte and the six children made the long trip to B.C. by ship and rail, crossing the Isthmus of Darien at Panama. They arrived in B.C. in October 1861 and moved into a one room log cabin built by William. The cabin stood on the North Road at the foot of Sapperton, on a bluff overlooking the Brunette River. Eventually the family moved to a larger dwelling but the original cabin remained on the site until the 1890s when it was burned after being used as a sick house.
Mr. Holmes was instrumental in organizing the first Orange Lodge in British Columbia. He was a prominent Orangeman who joined the order in 1840 and was the first master in the order of the City of New Westminster when the Lodge No. 1150 was established there. Charlotte Holmes died in New Westminster in 1893 at the age of 70 years and William Holmes died in New Westminster September 11, 1907 at the age of 95 years.
File consists of photocopied photographs, newspaper articles and correspondence pertaining to William J. "Bill" Devitt, who served as Burnaby Police Chief from 1921 to 1936. These pages were compiled by the Burnaby Village Museum when researching information for the writers of "Follow that Fire."
File consists of photocopied photographs, newspaper articles and correspondence pertaining to William J. "Bill" Devitt, who served as Burnaby Police Chief from 1921 to 1936. These pages were compiled by the Burnaby Village Museum when researching information for the writers of "Follow that Fire."
File consists of family history records related to the Beamishes, William Randolph Beamish's adopted family, including a letter certifying the birth and baptism of William John Beamish on December 13, 1860, and June 9, 1861, respectively; a certificate for William John Beamish for the Probationers'…
File consists of family history records related to the Beamishes, William Randolph Beamish's adopted family, including a letter certifying the birth and baptism of William John Beamish on December 13, 1860, and June 9, 1861, respectively; a certificate for William John Beamish for the Probationers' Course of Study of the Methodist Church of Canada; sermon notes written by W.J. Beamish, as well as "his life as he wrote it”; a financial statement of Newington Circuit; his ordination picture; and obituaries for W.J. Beamish.
History
William John Beamish was born in Prescott, Ontario, on December 30, 1860. He was brought up and confirmed in the Anglican Church. While in his teens, he was attending a Methodist Church, became converted, and entered the same church as a candidate for the ministry. His probationary years were spent in the Northern Ontario lumber camps, ministering to the men on Lake Tallon Mission and Nipissing Junction. Mr. Beamish attended McGill College and after ordination at Smiths Falls, Ontario, on June 2, 1896, was appointed to Locksley circuit near Pembroke, then followed pastorates at Hammon, Mille Roches, Moulinette, Morewood, and Berwick. In 1905, while at Morewood, he married Miss Agnes Crabbe, a nurse from Ottawa, formerly Pembroke. Together, they served Wakefield, Quebec, Newington, and Easton's Corners, Ontario.
Coming to British Columbia in 1911, they settled first at Kaslo, then Salmon Arm, Vancouver (Dundas), and Maple Ridge. In 1918, Mr. Beamish superannuated and bought a home in Burnaby where he resided until his death on July 26, 1942.
During his period of superannuation, Mr. Beamish served for about seven years as minister of East Burnaby Methodist Church and until his death, was a valued member of this congregation, now known as East Burnaby United.
He was ever a true friend of the minister and his presence in the congregation was an inspiration. While in good health, he gave his time freely to sick visitation and, in a word, "he went about doing good."
Funeral services were conducted by Rev. W.R. Walkinshaw, with Rev. H.E. Horton representing Westminster Presbyterian assisting. Four retired ministers and two laymen acted as pall bearers. His reamins lie in Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
He was survived by his wife; one son, Randolph; two daughters, Ethel (Mrs. Paul B. Derrick) and Ilma (Mrs. William Dunn). He was a good husband, a loving father, a dutiful son, and a faithful minister of the Gospel.
-- This text was composed and written by Rev. R.W. Walkinshaw and later published in The Observer, the United Church magazine. It has been lightly edited here for grammar and punctuation.
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
Photograph of William Parker digging with a shovel on the grounds of the Love farmhouse. There is a barn and tree behind him. In 1928 after Sarah Parker's father, Jesse Love died, William and Sarah (nee Love) Parker purchased the Love farmhouse located at 1390 Cumberland Road. They lived there unt…
Photograph of William Parker digging with a shovel on the grounds of the Love farmhouse. There is a barn and tree behind him. In 1928 after Sarah Parker's father, Jesse Love died, William and Sarah (nee Love) Parker purchased the Love farmhouse located at 1390 Cumberland Road. They lived there until 1961, with their three children; Albert, Bill and Elsie.
3.5 cm. of textual records; 17 small b&w prints; 10 med. prints; and 6 large b&w prints.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of materials related to both Ran's personal life and his professional life as Reeve of Burnaby. Included in the materials are records related to his biological family as well as his adopted family, including records related to his reunion with his birth mother. Notable among his prof…
3.5 cm. of textual records; 17 small b&w prints; 10 med. prints; and 6 large b&w prints.
Description Level
Fonds
Record No.
66671
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Accession Number
2018-08
2023-03
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of materials related to both Ran's personal life and his professional life as Reeve of Burnaby. Included in the materials are records related to his biological family as well as his adopted family, including records related to his reunion with his birth mother. Notable among his professional records are photographs and newspaper clippings documenting his meeting with Queen Elizabeth II during an official visit prior to her coronation.
History
William Randolph "Ran" Beamish was born in Warren, Ontario, on November 11, 1908. He was the child of Gertrude Applegate (nee Pearce) and Randolph Applegate, but when he was put in an orphanage at birth, he was adopted by William Beamish and Agnes Crabbe and raised as their only son. Agnes Crabbe was the daughter of James Crabbe and Emily Widger; Emily Widger was the daughter of Henry Widger and Agnes Oldridge. When Agnes Oldridge passed away, Henry Widger remarried Jessie (maiden name unknown) and had Gertrude, who later went on to give birth to Ran, meaning he was eventually adopted and raised by his first cousins. Ran married Marjorie Davies and had two children, Joanne Beamish and Donna Beamish.
Ran served as the Reeve of Burnaby from 1950 to 1953. He died on January 2, 1965, in New Westminster at the age of 56.
3.5 cm. of textual records; 17 small b&w prints; 10 med. prints; and 6 large b&w prints.
Scope and Content
Series consists of records that were compiled into a binder as a scrapbook by Ilma Beamish Dunn, the adopted sister of William Randolph Beamish. Scope and content notes at the file- and item-level have been drawn from the thorough recordkeeping Dunn employed in creating the scrapbook.
3.5 cm. of textual records; 17 small b&w prints; 10 med. prints; and 6 large b&w prints.
Description Level
Series
Record No.
66672
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Accession Number
2023-03
Scope and Content
Series consists of records that were compiled into a binder as a scrapbook by Ilma Beamish Dunn, the adopted sister of William Randolph Beamish. Scope and content notes at the file- and item-level have been drawn from the thorough recordkeeping Dunn employed in creating the scrapbook.
Photograph of the completed Williamson family home at 6965 Antrim Avenue. Pictured (left to right) Marjorie Williamson and Elsie Williamson, daughters of Mr. Williamson and Mrs. Minnie Williamson, who built the home.
Photograph of the completed Williamson family home at 6965 Antrim Avenue. Pictured (left to right) Marjorie Williamson and Elsie Williamson, daughters of Mr. Williamson and Mrs. Minnie Williamson, who built the home.
Photograph of Jack Knechtle standing together with a woman named Wilma on beach on Newcastle Island (traditionally known as Saysutshun by the Snuneymuxw people).
Photograph of Jack Knechtle standing together with a woman named Wilma on beach on Newcastle Island (traditionally known as Saysutshun by the Snuneymuxw people).
Photograph of Wilma and Kay standing on the lawn outside house located at 3508 Deer Lake (R.F. Anderson house - 6504 Deer Lake Avenue) in Burnaby. Mabel Hawkshaw was living in this house in 1937.
Photograph of Wilma and Kay standing on the lawn outside house located at 3508 Deer Lake (R.F. Anderson house - 6504 Deer Lake Avenue) in Burnaby. Mabel Hawkshaw was living in this house in 1937.
Photograph of Wilma, Colin, Kay and Crichton Hawkshaw standing on the lawn of Mabel Hawkshaw's home located at 3908 Deer Lake Avenue (R.F. Anderson house - 6504 Deer Lake Avenue). Tall trees are visible in the background.
Photograph of Wilma, Colin, Kay and Crichton Hawkshaw standing on the lawn of Mabel Hawkshaw's home located at 3908 Deer Lake Avenue (R.F. Anderson house - 6504 Deer Lake Avenue). Tall trees are visible in the background.
Photograph of students from Windsor Street School on the steps of the building. Some of the students have been identified as follows: First row (l to r): Norman Jebson, Ron Decker, Ross Hepburn, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, George Decker. Second row: unidentified, uniden…
Photograph of students from Windsor Street School on the steps of the building. Some of the students have been identified as follows: First row (l to r): Norman Jebson, Ron Decker, Ross Hepburn, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, George Decker. Second row: unidentified, unidentified, Ruth Weston, Bev Kidd, unidentified, A. Loftsgard, unidentified, B. Lockwood, unidentified. Third row: unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, D. Ettinger, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, J. Penzer, unidentified, M. Farband. Fourth row: M. Lewis, unidentified, unidentified, A. Stanley, R. Strawson, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified. Fifth row: (1st) J. Allen, N. Cain (the rest are unidentified).
Photograph of students from grades one and three at Windsor Street School sitting and standing in four rows in front of the school with their teacher, Miss L. M. Hazlett who stands at the back row on the far left. Also in the back row are; Edward Burl, Donald Hawkin, Ian Dunbar and Jim McClosky. S…
Photograph of students from grades one and three at Windsor Street School sitting and standing in four rows in front of the school with their teacher, Miss L. M. Hazlett who stands at the back row on the far left. Also in the back row are; Edward Burl, Donald Hawkin, Ian Dunbar and Jim McClosky. Standing in the second row are; Donald McDonald, Bruce Dean, Freddie Bond, Charles Farren, Charles Howes, Russel Millar, Harley Cash, David Penzer, Gordon Williams and Gordon Thornhill. Standing in the third row are; Arthur Sellars, Neil McKinnon, Billy Langford, Teddy Galbraith, Peggy Harrington, Birnie Reid, Elenor (last name unknown), Bessie McMurray, Rosanne Fraser, Marjorie (last name unknown and Betty (last name unknown). Sitting in the front row are; Flora Lawrie, Gwennie Owen, Sandra (last name unknown), Ella Beatty, unidentified, Elsie Williamson, Dagney (last name unknown), unidentified, unidentified and unidentified.
Note in black ink on verso of photograph reads: "Left to Right Gr 1+3/ 1st R. Miss L. M. Hazlett, Edward Burl, Donild [sic] Hawkin, Ian Dunbar, Jim McClosky / 2nd R. Donild [sic] McDonild [sic], Bruce Dean, Freddie Bond, Charels [sic] Faren [sic], Charels [sic] Howes, Russel Millar, Harley Cash, David Penzer (arm), Gordon Williams, Gordon Thornhill / 3rd R. Arthur Sellars, Neil McKinnon, Billy Langford, Teddy Galbraith / 4th Girls Peggy Harrington, Birnie Reid, Elenor [torn]/ Bessie McMurray, Rosanne Fraser, Marjorie [torn] Betty Per[torn] / 5 R. Flora Lawrie, Gwennie Owen, Sandra [torn]/ myself, [illegible name], Elsie Williamson, Dagney B[cut off]"
Note in black ink on recto of photograph reads: "WINDSOR ST. SCHOOL Gr. 1+3 1937?
Photograph of students from grades three and four at Windsor Street School sitting and standing in five rows in front of the school building. Sitting in the front row (from left) are; David Penzer (grade three), Clifford Spraule (grade three), Alex Decker, Wilfred Bjorvick (grade three), Mike Kozak…
Photograph of students from grades three and four at Windsor Street School sitting and standing in five rows in front of the school building. Sitting in the front row (from left) are; David Penzer (grade three), Clifford Spraule (grade three), Alex Decker, Wilfred Bjorvick (grade three), Mike Kozak, Arthur Sellars (grade three) and Charles Farren (grade three). Sitting in the second row are; Sheila Stockley (grade three), Gloria Frezen, Sandra MacKenzie (grade three), Merle Armstrong, Peggy Harrington, Elsie Williamson, Betty Cox (grade three), Dagney Bjorvick, Joyce Langford (grade three), Barbara Bagley (grade three) and Margaret McConnle (grade three). Standing in the third row are; Douglas Jackson (grade three), Charles Homes (grade three), Thelma Renas, Marjorie Bjorvick, Bessie McMurray, Ella Beatty, Rosanne Fraser, Rose Cox (grade three), Jessie Penzer (grade three), Trudie Bapp (grade three) and Betty Perdue. Standing in the fourth row are; Bill McDougal, Ronnie Kirkpatrick (grade three), Raymond Renas, Bill Stinson (grade three), Harley Cash (grade three), John Adams (grade three), Gordon Williams (grade three), Roy Donelly (grade three) and Jack Gray (grade three). Standing in the back row are; George Baker, Gordon Thornhill, Tom Dunbar, Neil McKinnon (grade three) and Maurice Baker (grade three).
Photograph of students from grades five and six at Windsor Street School sitting and standing in five rows in front of the school building with their teacher, Miss Padgett. Sitting in the front row (from left) are; Clifford Jones, Ole Stanley (grade five), Teddy Galbraith, David Penzer (grade five)…
Photograph of students from grades five and six at Windsor Street School sitting and standing in five rows in front of the school building with their teacher, Miss Padgett. Sitting in the front row (from left) are; Clifford Jones, Ole Stanley (grade five), Teddy Galbraith, David Penzer (grade five), John Adams (grade five), Gordon Thornhill, Neil McKinnon and Gene Lawrence. Sitting in the second row are; Dagney Bjorvick, Dora Ciccone, Peggy Harrington, Rosanne Fraser, Verna Irvine, Mollie Johnson, Dorothy Russle (grade five), Elsie Williamson and Sandra MacCarthy. Standing in the third row are; Jeanette Cruikshank, Betty Perdue, Leona Milne, Elleanor Thompson, Thelma Butler, Margaret (last name unknown), Phyllis (last name unknown), Daphne Northly, Flora Lawrie, Sheila Stockley (grade five) and Sandra McKenzie (grade five). Standing in the fourth row are; Miss Padgett (teacher), Ella Beatty, Bessie McMurray, May Tilke, Howard Kid, Walter Lee (grade five), Raymond Westley, Ian Dunbar and Wendell Boyce (grade five). Standing in the back row are; Stanley Pilkington, Donald McDonald (grade five), Donald Hockin (grade five), Bob Underhill, Alex Decker, Mike Kozak, Charles Farren (grade five), George Baker and Douglas (last name unknown) (grade five).
Note in black ink on recto of photograph reads: "WINDSOR ST. SCHOOL Gr. 6 1939-40?"
Numbers written in black ink on recto identify the students
Note in black ink on verso of photograph reads: "1. Clifford Jones 2 Ole Stanley* 3 Teddy Galbraith 4 David Penzer* 5 John Adams* 6 Gordon Thornhill 7 Neil McKinnon 8 Gene Lawrence 9 Dagney Bjorvick 10 Dora Ciccone 11 Peggy Harrington 12 Rosanne Fraser 13 Verna Irvine 14 Mollie Johnson 15 Dorothy Russle / 16 Elsie Williamson 17 Sandra McCarthy 18 Janette [sic] Cruikshank /19 Betty Perdue 20 Leone Milne 21 Elleanor Thompson 22 Thelma Butler 23 Margaret [illegible] 24 Phyllis [illegible] 25 Daphne Northly/ 26 Flora Lawrie 27 * Sheila Stockley 28 * Sandra McKenzie 29 Miss Padgett 30 Ella Beatty 31 Bessie McMurray 32 May Tilke / 33 Howard Kid 34 Walter Lee * 35 Raymond Westley 36 Ian Dunbar 37 Wendell Boyce * 38 Stanley Pilkington 39 Donald * McDonald 40 Donald Hockin * 41 Bob Underhill 42 Alex Decker 43 Mike Kozak 44 Charles Farren* 45 George Baker 46 Douglas [illegible]* / [written sideways] This picture was taken in grade 6 - Some are grade 5 Gr. 5 marked with * "