During the height of the real estate boom between 1909 and 1913, Vancouver developer Frederick Munson plotted the subdivision of more than 150 acres of land on Curtis Street east of Sperling Avenue, on the newly logged slopes of remote Burnaby Mountain. Burnaby opened up Curtis Street to facilitate access to Hastings Grove and Munson agreed to pay one-third of the cost but never did. He also paid only $1000.00 down on the agreed price of the land. When he failed to make further payments, the mortgage holders foreclosed and re-sold the properties. People who had bought lots from Munson lost not only the land they though they owned, but also the money they had paid for it. Hastings Grove was a disaster. The converted automobile - which served as the bus - stopped running. The few houses and most of the lots reverted to the Municipality because of non-payment of taxes and are now part of Burnaby Mountain Park. The only remaining building is the old Hastings Grove Store which still stands as an apartment building.
In the 1931 "Burnaby Year Book" the Lochdale neighbourhood is described as follows: "Lochdale…is situated at the intersection of the Hastings-Barnet road at the point where Sperling Avenue crosses…Situated at the intersection…there are an up to date service station and a general store, at which the Lochdale Post Office is situated. Immediately north of this is the seventy acres on which the Shell Oil Co. are to build an up-to-date refinery...On going south on Sperling Avenue can be found some lovely homes of the residents, all of which possess the most beautiful flower gardens, some of which are hobbies, and some being in the nature of a business. Others are engaged in chicken farming...while others find employment at the Barnet Mill about two miles east on the Hastings-Barnet Road."
"Picturesquely situated on the south-westerly slope of the highest hill on the Burrard Peninsula is a district that in many ways resembles the early pioneer settlements…its centre is at the intersection of east Hastings Street and Sperling Avenue. Only a few years ago a dense forest covered this area and the settlers were few and some distance apart. After the war working men began to enter the Lochdale woods in quest of cheap home-sites. Today there are more than 400 residents in the district who combine to make a happy contented industrious community living on the edge of a big city yet enjoying the life offered by the country...The Community Hall is the centre of all social activities. Dances, concerts and other forms of entertainment are all there...Curtis Street runs from Sperling Avenue up to the hill, locally known as Hastings Grove. From the top on a clear day there is a view for miles around." ~ From the Sunday Province, March 8, 1925.
After considering several sites in the Greater Vancouver area, the Shell Oil Company chose 70 acres in North Burnaby with frontage of one third of a mile on Burrard Inlet. Shell proposed to build a four-million dollar plant that would employ up to 2000 - providing some relief in the middle of Burnaby's economic crisis of the Depression years. The site became known as the Shellburn Refinery and was in operation until 1993.
The Westridge Neighbourhood of Burnaby was created as a new subdivision during the post-World War Two housing boom in Burnaby. Developed by the C.B. Riley Company, it was laid out in a plan contoured to the shapes of the land and was situated to allow residents easy access to main transportation routes.
This portion of the recording includes Alfred Bingham's memories of constructing a mill for Simpson & Giberson and of working on homes for himself, Angus McLean and Percy Little in the Lochdale area. He discusses the strike at Barnet mill and reads an essay written by Grace E. Carpenter. Land clear…
This portion of the recording includes Alfred Bingham's memories of constructing a mill for Simpson & Giberson and of working on homes for himself, Angus McLean and Percy Little in the Lochdale area. He discusses the strike at Barnet mill and reads an essay written by Grace E. Carpenter. Land clearing is described in detail. Alfred also relates a story from 1920 involving early settlers E. Powell and J. Amos.
Recording is of Alfred Bingham's writings, as read by Alfred Bingham. Major themes discussed are: Pioneers, early days in Burnaby and the Co-op Movement. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".
Biographical Notes
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 Aungus McLean and Percy Little worked ten hour days to build a Shingle Mill on the edge of Burnaby Lake for Simpson & Giberson. George Green, carpenter and millwright (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 Lochdale area on Sherlock Street between Curtis Street and Kitchener Street.
On April 10, 1920 Alfred married Mary Jane “Ada” Reynolds. Alfred and Ada 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.
Alfred and Ada Bingham 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 suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression years. 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 thorough the Vancouver Co-operative Council. They also started Co-Op stores and the Co-Op Wholesale Society.
Alfred was also Secretary of the Burnaby Housing committee and in 1946 he became the Secretary of the North Burnaby Labour Progressive Party (LPP).
Mary Jane “Ada” (Reynolds) Bingham died on August 9, 1969. Her husband Alfred died on April 29, 1979.
Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track two of recording of Alfred Bingham's writings
Track two of recording of Alfred Bingham's writings
Photograph of a man bulldozing the property at 6650 Winch Street to make way for the building of a duplex. Other houses are visible in the background and a white shed is visible in the foreground of the photograph.
Photograph of a man bulldozing the property at 6650 Winch Street to make way for the building of a duplex. Other houses are visible in the background and a white shed is visible in the foreground of the photograph.
1 photograph : b&w hand-tinted to col. ; 17.5 x 24.5 cm, mounted on card 28 x 35.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of John Matheson, Dave Fleming, Sid Playfoot, unidentified and Harold Keys in suits and hats, standing in front of a red bus with a sign over the windshield that reads, "LOCHDALE". These men made up the organizing committee for the first bus service that was to run beyond the route of th…
1 photograph : b&w hand-tinted to col. ; 17.5 x 24.5 cm, mounted on card 28 x 35.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of John Matheson, Dave Fleming, Sid Playfoot, unidentified and Harold Keys in suits and hats, standing in front of a red bus with a sign over the windshield that reads, "LOCHDALE". These men made up the organizing committee for the first bus service that was to run beyond the route of the Hastings East Street cars (the Lochdale bus was built by Ed Collins and owned and operated by Ed Neville).
Note in blue ink on recto of card mount reads: "John Matheson Dave Fleming Sid Playfoot HAROLD Keys/ ORGANIZING COMMITTEE FOR FIRST BUS SERVICE BEYOND/ HASTINGS EAST STREET CARS AUGUST 1941/ BUS - OWNER ED. NEVILLE/ BODY BUILT BY ED COLLINS VANCOUVER B.C."
Note in pencil on recto of card mount reads: "PINKERTON"
Photograph of a basketball court in Montecito Park with coloured chalk drawings with hearts and the words "Thank you!!" and "Stay Safe!". These messages were created in support of public health workers during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia. The basketball court was close…
Photograph of a basketball court in Montecito Park with coloured chalk drawings with hearts and the words "Thank you!!" and "Stay Safe!". These messages were created in support of public health workers during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in British Columbia. The basketball court was closed down along with other parks by the City of Burnaby in the spring of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and public health orders. The shadow of the photographer is visible in the foreground.
History
Tristan Johnson took photos around Burnaby because as a parent of two elementary school aged children during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most notable things about COVID-19 during Spring 2020 was the closure of playgrounds and the playgrounds being taped up.
Photograph of Elmer Wilson Martin (right) standing with an unidentified man outside of Martin's Auto Villa which is under construction at 6604 Hastings Street, Burnaby (after 1950 - 6574 Hastings Street).
Photograph of Elmer Wilson Martin (right) standing with an unidentified man outside of Martin's Auto Villa which is under construction at 6604 Hastings Street, Burnaby (after 1950 - 6574 Hastings Street).
Photograph of COVID-19 signage inside the Greystone Super Valu grocery store located on Burnwood Drive in Burnaby. The sign on pink paper between store aisles reads: "This Walkway Closed for Physical distancing".
Photograph of COVID-19 signage inside the Greystone Super Valu grocery store located on Burnwood Drive in Burnaby. The sign on pink paper between store aisles reads: "This Walkway Closed for Physical distancing".
Photograph of COVID-19 signage outside of the Burnaby Mountain Golf Course and Driving Range. Sandwhich board sign reads: "Check In / Attention Golfers / We request that all golfers / stay in the parking lot area / until 15 minutes prior to their tea time".
Photograph of COVID-19 signage outside of the Burnaby Mountain Golf Course and Driving Range. Sandwhich board sign reads: "Check In / Attention Golfers / We request that all golfers / stay in the parking lot area / until 15 minutes prior to their tea time".
Photograph of COVID-19 signage outside of the Burnaby Mountain Golf Course and Driving Range. Sign located in front garden at entrance road to the golf course reads: "Do Your Part / Stay Apart..." and includes an illustration of two figures standing two metres apart.
Photograph of COVID-19 signage outside of the Burnaby Mountain Golf Course and Driving Range. Sign located in front garden at entrance road to the golf course reads: "Do Your Part / Stay Apart..." and includes an illustration of two figures standing two metres apart.
Photograph of COVID-19 signage at the Burnaby Mountain Golf Course and Driving Range. Signage is hanging on roped off area outside of putting greens near the clubhouse. Signs read "Practice Greens / Closed".
Photograph of COVID-19 signage at the Burnaby Mountain Golf Course and Driving Range. Signage is hanging on roped off area outside of putting greens near the clubhouse. Signs read "Practice Greens / Closed".
Photograph of the dining room in the Easthope family home at 6671 Halifax Street. A dining table with a floral centrepiece is set in the southwest corner of the room.
Photograph of the dining room in the Easthope family home at 6671 Halifax Street. A dining table with a floral centrepiece is set in the southwest corner of the room.
Photograph of the dining room at the Easthope family's home at 6671 Halifax Street. Photograph is taken from the archway between the living room and dining room, facing southwest.
Photograph of the dining room at the Easthope family's home at 6671 Halifax Street. Photograph is taken from the archway between the living room and dining room, facing southwest.