Photograph of seven men standing in front of a fire truck, dressed in what has been described as the Burnaby Fire Department's new uniforms. The fire truck is parked in front of the Burnaby Public Hall, Burnaby's first municipal hall.
Photograph of seven men standing in front of a fire truck, dressed in what has been described as the Burnaby Fire Department's new uniforms. The fire truck is parked in front of the Burnaby Public Hall, Burnaby's first municipal hall.
Photograph of fireman Abe Killer sitting behind the wheel of Burnaby's second fire truck, a 1927 Packard. Albert "Abe" Killer was a fireman from 1936 to 1952.
Photograph of fireman Abe Killer sitting behind the wheel of Burnaby's second fire truck, a 1927 Packard. Albert "Abe" Killer was a fireman from 1936 to 1952.
Photograph of Bill Banks, Officer in Charge of Fire Area no. 1 in South Burnaby, sitting behind the steering wheel of Burnaby Fire Department fire truck no. 2. Bill Banks was the owner of Burnaby Garage where he built and serviced fire trucks for the municipality.
Photograph of Bill Banks, Officer in Charge of Fire Area no. 1 in South Burnaby, sitting behind the steering wheel of Burnaby Fire Department fire truck no. 2. Bill Banks was the owner of Burnaby Garage where he built and serviced fire trucks for the municipality.
Photograph of Firefighter Fred Blake leaning on the side of Burnaby Fire Department's twelve cylinder Packard combination hose and chemical fire truck. This was the third fire truck in the fleet. Fred was hired as a Burnaby firefighter in April 1939.
Photograph of Firefighter Fred Blake leaning on the side of Burnaby Fire Department's twelve cylinder Packard combination hose and chemical fire truck. This was the third fire truck in the fleet. Fred was hired as a Burnaby firefighter in April 1939.
Photograph of Fireman Lewis Auvache (left) and Ernie Ledger, Burnaby Fire Department Captain. This photograph was taken in front of No. 2 fire hall on Kingsway in South Burnaby. Lewis Auvache would later go on to marry Sylvia Murley and would become Fire Chief in Burnaby between 1964 and 1972.
Photograph of Fireman Lewis Auvache (left) and Ernie Ledger, Burnaby Fire Department Captain. This photograph was taken in front of No. 2 fire hall on Kingsway in South Burnaby. Lewis Auvache would later go on to marry Sylvia Murley and would become Fire Chief in Burnaby between 1964 and 1972.
Photograph of an unidentified fireman sitting on the tailgate of (what appears to be) a 1939 Ford fire truck, parked in front of a fire hall. Note the neatly folded fire hose stored at the back of the truck.
Photograph was likely taken out of an album as there is black paper residue on its recto
Scope and Content
Photograph of an unidentified fireman sitting on the tailgate of (what appears to be) a 1939 Ford fire truck, parked in front of a fire hall. Note the neatly folded fire hose stored at the back of the truck.
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 a fire truck with "L. V. F. D." (Lynden Volunteer Fire Department) written on the side of the hood, and "LYNDEN" on top of rear fender. Located in Lynden, Washington.
Photograph of a fire truck with "L. V. F. D." (Lynden Volunteer Fire Department) written on the side of the hood, and "LYNDEN" on top of rear fender. Located in Lynden, Washington.
Photograph of a fire truck parked on the side of a road, with "SMITH FALLS" written on the side. There is a small sign on the ground below the running board that reads, "BICKLE SEAGRAVE" (fire fighting apparatus manufacturer). This looks to be the factory photograph of a 1939 Ford truck built for t…
Photograph of a fire truck parked on the side of a road, with "SMITH FALLS" written on the side. There is a small sign on the ground below the running board that reads, "BICKLE SEAGRAVE" (fire fighting apparatus manufacturer). This looks to be the factory photograph of a 1939 Ford truck built for the Smith Falls Fire Department in Ontario.