Photograph of Firefighter Albert Killer behind the wheel of the second fire truck in North Burnaby. It was a 4 cylinder Dodge combination hose and chemical truck.
Photograph of Firefighter Albert Killer behind the wheel of the second fire truck in North Burnaby. It was a 4 cylinder Dodge combination hose and chemical truck.
Photograph of Thomas, Susie and Fred Blake standing together behind a large tree trunk on the road allowance in front of 4456 Pandora Street. Fred Blake is wearing glasses.
Photograph of Thomas, Susie and Fred Blake standing together behind a large tree trunk on the road allowance in front of 4456 Pandora Street. Fred Blake is wearing glasses.
Typed sticker on verso of photograph reads: "(L to R)/ Thomas, Susie, Fred Blake/ on the road allowance in/ front of 4456 Pandora St./ [written over in black pen] (1921)"
Address sticker on verso of photograph reads: "MR & MRS F BLAKE 4165 PANDORA ST BURNABY BC V5C 2B2"
This portion of the interview is about the equipment used by the fire department over the years, in particular about the pump and ladder trucks, and about Chief Waddell's wise choice of locations for the fire halls.
This portion of the interview is about the equipment used by the fire department over the years, in particular about the pump and ladder trucks, and about Chief Waddell's wise choice of locations for the fire halls.
Recording is of an interview with Al Nixon, conducted by Rod Fowler. Al Nixon was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is mainly about the history and operations of the Burnaby Fire Department from its beginning in 1911 to 1990, and Al Nixon’s stories about the various ways photographs, records and artifacts about the department were collected and saved. The interview takes place while looking at photographs, but the information is clear nonetheless (His photographs have been deposited in the Burnaby Archives). Al Nixon also talks about his father's career as a firefighter, and about his Douglas grandparents and their home “The Gables” [Seven Gables] and neighbourhood in Burquitlam. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
Biographical Notes
Al Nixon was born in New Westminster Feb. 8, 1936, the son of Provincial Fire Marshal Basil Nixon (1904-1975) and Agnes Douglas (1909-?). His mother’s family immigrated to Canada from Scotland in 1922 and lived in a large ca. 1900 home in Burquitlam at 9957 Sullivan Road called “Seven Gables” (recently demolished). His grandfather Thomas Douglas, a Coquitlam Councillor and Socialist, was murdered in 1934 in his North Road service station. Al Nixon began his career as a firefighter with the Burnaby Fire Department in 1957, eventually becoming Deputy Fire Chief Operations in 1987 and Fire Chief in 1991, before retiring in 1993. In the mid 1980's Al Nixon became interested in the department’s history after finding a photograph scrapbook at one of the firehalls. It was in very bad condition but he recognized its value and began a project to collect and save photographs, artifacts and stories about the Burnaby Fire Department, a 6 month project that turned into years. The photographs and information gathered by Al Nixon became part of Douglas Penn’s book “Follow that Fire: the history of the Burnaby Fire Department”.
Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.
Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.
Photograph of W. M. (Bill) Banks standing in coveralls in front of his garage at Britton and Kingsway. Bill Banks was a mechanic with whom the Burnaby Fire Department had an agreement to maintain the fire truck and drive it to emergencies on an on-call basis. An unidentified man in a suit is standi…
Photograph was likely taken out of an album as there is black paper residue on its recto
Scope and Content
Photograph of W. M. (Bill) Banks standing in coveralls in front of his garage at Britton and Kingsway. Bill Banks was a mechanic with whom the Burnaby Fire Department had an agreement to maintain the fire truck and drive it to emergencies on an on-call basis. An unidentified man in a suit is standing on the left, smoking.
Photograph of Bill Banks' garage at Britton and Kingsway, with a sign at the edge of the driveway (to the left) which reads, "BURNABY GARAGE." Bill Banks was a mechanic with whom the Burnaby Fire Department had an agreement to maintain the fire truck and drive it to emergencies on an on-call basis.
Photograph of Bill Banks' garage at Britton and Kingsway, with a sign at the edge of the driveway (to the left) which reads, "BURNABY GARAGE." Bill Banks was a mechanic with whom the Burnaby Fire Department had an agreement to maintain the fire truck and drive it to emergencies on an on-call basis.
Photograph of a Packard 12-cylinder limousine converted by Bill Banks (Burnaby Fire Department District Chief) into a fire vehicle for Burnaby Fire Department. The limousine was rumoured to have been owned by wealthy Vancouver bootlegger, Joe Martin.
Photograph of a Packard 12-cylinder limousine converted by Bill Banks (Burnaby Fire Department District Chief) into a fire vehicle for Burnaby Fire Department. The limousine was rumoured to have been owned by wealthy Vancouver bootlegger, Joe Martin.
Photograph of the Royal Oak Garage taken from a distance with a tow truck parked out front. There is a man (the driver) standing on the outside of the tow truck with one foot on the running board (another man is partially visible on the far side). Two mechanics (in overalls) are standing near the d…
Photograph of the Royal Oak Garage taken from a distance with a tow truck parked out front. There is a man (the driver) standing on the outside of the tow truck with one foot on the running board (another man is partially visible on the far side). Two mechanics (in overalls) are standing near the door of the garage. Three other cars are on site, including one which looks to be a 1925 Ford Runabout. Advertisements for "IMPERIAL PREMIER GASOLINE" and "SHELL GASOLINE" are visible. The Royal Oak Garage was located at 3439 Kingsway (later renumbered 5103 Kingsway).
Photograph of the kitchen crew sitting and standing in three rows in front of Paradise Inn at Rainier National Park, Washington. The group of eighteen men and one woman are mostly dressed in white, wearing aprons and hats with scarves around their necks and side towels by their waists for wiping th…
Photograph pierced (most likely by tacks) on all four corners and has a large tear on the right side
Scope and Content
Photograph of the kitchen crew sitting and standing in three rows in front of Paradise Inn at Rainier National Park, Washington. The group of eighteen men and one woman are mostly dressed in white, wearing aprons and hats with scarves around their necks and side towels by their waists for wiping their hands. The man seated second to the right in the front row, wearing a baker's uniform is Charles J. Caunt. All other individuals are unidentified.
Photograph of cooks, pantrymen, bakers and fellow kitchen staff standing in a row in front of Paradise Inn at Rainier National Park, Washington. The group of men are dressed in white, wearing aprons and hats with scarves around their necks and side towels by their waists for wiping their hands. Bak…
Photograph of cooks, pantrymen, bakers and fellow kitchen staff standing in a row in front of Paradise Inn at Rainier National Park, Washington. The group of men are dressed in white, wearing aprons and hats with scarves around their necks and side towels by their waists for wiping their hands. Baker, Charles J. Caunt is standing on the far right. All other men are unidentified.
Photograph of two trucks parked outside of the Canadian National Railway station in Vancouver (Main Street and Terminal Avenue). There are four unidentified men standing by the trucks. The trucks are loaded with boxes, and have banner signs which advertise Goodyear Wingfoot Rubber Heels for Denby…
Photograph of two trucks parked outside of the Canadian National Railway station in Vancouver (Main Street and Terminal Avenue). There are four unidentified men standing by the trucks. The trucks are loaded with boxes, and have banner signs which advertise Goodyear Wingfoot Rubber Heels for Denby Brothers and Company, located 168 Pender St. W. The signs read: "16 Tons of Goodyear Wingfoot Rubber Heels" and "Ask for them by Name / Wingfoot." The trucks have signs that read "Johnston Storage Co. Ltd."