Harold Edward Winch collection
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1914]-2003
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- approx. 23 cm of textual records + approx. 600 photographs (b&w + col.)
- Scope and Content
- Collection consists of records relating to Harold Edward Winch's family life and political career. It includes photographs of Winch's parents, family, and wife Jessie, as well as photographs, correspondence and other textual records from Harold's political work and experiences, a travel diary, gues…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- approx. 23 cm of textual records + approx. 600 photographs (b&w + col.)
- Scope and Content
- Collection consists of records relating to Harold Edward Winch's family life and political career. It includes photographs of Winch's parents, family, and wife Jessie, as well as photographs, correspondence and other textual records from Harold's political work and experiences, a travel diary, guest books, and certificates. The collection includes a number of Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and New Democratic Party newspapers. The collection also includes records relating to Winch's death, such as obituaries, memorials, articles, and a guest book. Finally, the collection includes a small number of records relating to Winch's father, Ernie Winch, and his own political career.
The collection has been arranged into five series:
1) Harold E. Winch biographical records (1933-2003)
2) Harold E. Winch photographs series (1914-[ca. 1990])
3) Harold E. Winch political photograph album and records series ([1937]-1993)
4) Harold E. Winch personal records series (1949-1993)
5) Harold E. Winch newspaper collection series (1936-1986)
- History
- Harold Edward Winch (June 18, 1907-February 1, 1993) was born in Loughton, Essex, England to Ernest “Ernie” Edward Winch (March 22, 1879-January 11, 1957) and his wife Linda Marian (nee Hendy). Harold was the eldest of six children; the others were Eileen, Charlie, Grace, Alan, and Eric. Ernest moved to BC in 1909, followed by Linda, Harold, and Eileen in 1910. The remaining children were born in BC. Ernie, a brick mason, built the family a series of homes in the Lower Mainland as the family moved around for a number of years, living in Burnaby, White Rock, Mission, and Vancouver before finally settling back in Burnaby.
Ernie Winch joined the Social Democratic Party of Canada in 1911 and became secretary of the party in 1913, and was heavily involved in trade unions and the labour and socialist movements. He helped re-establish the Socialist Party of Canada (BC) in 1932, which soon merged with the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF). Ernie was a CCF MLA in Burnaby from 1933 until his death in 1957, following which his son-in-law Cedric Cox (husband of Eileen) won the seat in a byelection. Ernie was particularly interested in institutions, including jails, mental hospitals, and industrial schools, and founded the New Vista Society in 1943 to provide a live-in rehabilitation program to women with psychiatric problems. The organization later expanded to focus on low-cost housing for seniors, and an apartment complex was built for this purpose in Burnaby. Both Ernie and Harold were lifelong members of the New Vista Society board of trustees.
Harold Winch trained as an electrician, but also followed his father into politics, serving as a CCF MLA in Vancouver East from 1933 to 1953 – Ernie and Harold were two of the first seven CCF MLAs. The Winches set a Guinness world record for the longest father-and-son parliamentary tenure. Like his father, Harold was also highly involved in the labour movement, and acted as a liaison between workers and government during the Depression, particularly during the relief camp strike in Vancouver in 1935 which precipitated the On to Ottawa trek. He was the leader of the BC CCF from 1938 to 1953, and Leader of the Opposition from 1941 to 1953.
In 1953, Harold stepped down from provincial politics to enter the federal arena, and served as a CCF MP for Vancouver East from 1953 to 1961, when the CCF became the New Democratic Party (NDP); Harold continued to serve as an NDP MP from 1961 to 1972, when he retired for health reasons. In federal office, Harold remained dedicated to the working class and humanitarian causes, issuing reports on subject such as unemployment, veterans’ rights, low-cost housing for seniors, animal welfare, drug addiction, and mental health concerns.
Harold earned honorary law degrees from both UBC (1973) and SFU (1974). He was involved in numerous humanitarian and other organizations and his roles included president and treasurer of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association; co-founder of the Immigrant Services Society of Vancouver; director of the Boag Foundation; and lifelong member of the Association for Protection of Fur Bearing Animals.
Harold married Dorothy Ada Hutchinson (December 1, 1907-October 24, 1974) on May 11, 1929. They had three children: Donald, Gerald ("Jerry"), and Shirley.
Following Dorothy’s death, Harold married Jessie Margaret Mendels (nee Sweezey) (June 29, 1913-May 9, 2006) on May 19, 1981. Jessie grew up in Grand Forks, BC, and her family moved to Vancouver when she was in high school. Her first husband was George Edward Mendels (November 2, 1905-September 2, 1978). She had no children. Jessie served as a St. John’s ambulance driver during World War II. She was also active in the CCF and NDP parties in BC, having been Provincial Secretary for the CCF in the 1940s, a vice-president of the party in the 1950s, and Provincial Secretary for the NDP in the 1960s. Like Harold, she later served as a director of the Boag Foundation. Jessie traveled widely throughout her life. The collection contains a small number of Jessie’s photographs.
Harold Winch died in White Rock, where he and Jessie had retired, on February 1, 1993.
- Responsibility
- Winch, Harold Edward
- Accession Code
- BV013.12
- Date
- [1914]-2003
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Arrangement
- Records within fonds have been arranged by subject and format.
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
Less detail
25th Anniversary as an elected Member
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1958
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 22.9 x 18.1 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of Harold Winch holding letters congratulating him on his twenty-fifth anniversary of holding elected office, first as an MLA in BC and then as an MP in the federal government. Winch served in both positions as a member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and then…
Association for Protection of Fur Bearing Animals lifetime membership certificate
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1973
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 p. of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Item is a certificate presented to Harold Winch by the Assocition for Protection of Fur Bearing Animals conferring lifetime membership.
B.C. Legislature
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1952
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.7 x 25.3 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of members of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly in front of the British Columbia Parliament buildings in Victoria. Harold Winch is pictured fifth from right in the front row; Ernest "Ernie" Winch is third from left in the second row.
Biography- HEW - Bernie Simpson
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1933-1995
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of records relating to the development of a biography of Harold Winch, including notes on sources of information, correspondence, and financial reference material. Bernie Simpson was an NDP MLA in Vancouver-Fraserview (1990-1995) and a friend of Jessie Winch's.
Canadian High Commissioner's reception in Djkarta [Jakarta] Indonesia
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1959]
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 11.8 x 17 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of Harold Winch and other guests at a reception during a political visit to Djakarta (now Jakarta), Indonesia.
C.C.F. Convention 1956
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1956
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.2 x 53.2 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of attendees at the 1956 Co-Operative Commonwealth Federation convention in Vancouver. Photograph is inscribed "Vancouver, B.C. Mr. Strachan elected Parl. Leader. Sunday's Photos, Vancouver - Canada."
CCF MLA's in their seats in the B.C. Legislature
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [between 1949 and 1956]
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 20 x 25 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) Members of the Legislative Assembly at their seats inside of the British Columbia Parliament buildings in Victoria. Photograph is taken inside the legislature. Members are identified as; Frank Calder, Rupert Haggen, Leo Nimsick, Frank Mitchel…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Series
- Harold E. Winch photographs series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 20 x 25 cm
- Scope and Content
- Photograph of Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) Members of the Legislative Assembly at their seats inside of the British Columbia Parliament buildings in Victoria. Photograph is taken inside the legislature. Members are identified as; Frank Calder, Rupert Haggen, Leo Nimsick, Frank Mitchell, Arthur Turner, Harold Winch, Ernest Winch, and Ran Harding.
- Subjects
- Government - Provincial Government
- Officials - Elected Officials
- Organizations - Political Parties
- Names
- Winch, Ernest "Ernie"
- Winch, Harold Edward
- Calder, Frank
- Haggen, Rupert
- Nimsick, Leo
- Mitchell, Frank
- Turner, Arthur
- Harding, Ran
- Co-operative Commonwealth Federation "CCF"
- Accession Code
- BV013.12.56
- Access Restriction
- No restrictions
- Reproduction Restriction
- May be restricted by third party rights
- Date
- [between 1949 and 1956]
- Media Type
- Photograph
- Photographer
- Portley, John S.
- Notes
- Title based on contents of photograph
- Handwritten annotations on recto of photograph provide identification and read from left to right: "Frank Calder_Rupert Hagen_Leo Nimsick_Frank Mitchell / Arthur Turner_Harold Winch_Ernest Winch_Ran Harding / CCF MLA's / in their seats in the B.C. Legislature"
- Photograph is a part of original scrapbook Item BV013.12.11
- Note on verso of photograph reads: "Our fighting '8' in the BC Legislature : / Were we downhearted? / Yes & No / HW"
- Stamp in blue ink on verso of photograph reads: "John S. Portley [sic]"
Less detail
CCF M.L.A.'s [sic] & wives
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [1952]
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.6 x 27.7 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) MLAs for BC with their wives, at an unidentified event. Identified in the photograph are William Moore (Comox), Rae Eddie (New Westminster), Stanley Squire (Alberni), and Harold Winch (Vancouver East).
CCF News
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1946-1947, 1954
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of extracts from 28 issues of the CCF News, a Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) newspaper, collected by Winch. In most cases pages 3 and 4 are present; in some cases pages 3 through 6 are present. It is possible these were kept for the serial article "Knowledge is Power" on p…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Series
- Harold E. Winch newspaper collection series
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of extracts from 28 issues of the CCF News, a Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) newspaper, collected by Winch. In most cases pages 3 and 4 are present; in some cases pages 3 through 6 are present. It is possible these were kept for the serial article "Knowledge is Power" on page 3 of each issue, which provides an ongoing course of study for political groups. Issue from July 21, 1954 is four pages in length but appears to be missing a front page.
- Names
- Winch, Harold Edward
- Accession Code
- BV013.12.31
- Date
- 1946-1947, 1954
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Title based on contents of file
Less detail
CCF News - for BC and Yukon
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1954
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of one issue (Vol. 18, No. 26, December 22, 1954) of the CCF News - For BC and Yukon, a Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) newspaper, collected by Winch.
C.C.F. Provincial Convention 1955
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1955
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.3 x 50.3 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of attendees at the 1955 Co-Operative Commonwealth Federation convention in Vancouver. Photograph is inscribed "Visited by Rt. Hon. Clement Atlee. Vancouver, B.C. Apr. 1955. Sunday's Photos, Vancouver - Canada."
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage: Wonderings of a Wandering Winch or is it Wanderings of a Wondering Winch? [travel diary]
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1949
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 v. of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Item is a travel diary kept by Harold Winch during travels across Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe (including Denmark, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Israel). Diary entries include personal impressions as well as accounts of political meetings and individuals. There is a focus on e…
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Series
- Harold E. Winch personal records series
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 v. of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Item is a travel diary kept by Harold Winch during travels across Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe (including Denmark, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Israel). Diary entries include personal impressions as well as accounts of political meetings and individuals. There is a focus on each country's social programs, such as child care, co-operative housing, and insurance. Margin notes provide an index of subjects and locations.
- Names
- Winch, Harold Edward
- Accession Code
- BV013.12.23
- Date
- 1949
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
Less detail
Coal mine South Wales
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1949
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 17.6 x 12.8 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of Harold Winch with four other men at a coal mine in South Wales, United Kingdom. One man is identified as "Col. Smith, B.C. House, Eng." The photograph is quite blurry.
Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Canberra, Australia
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1970
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 16.5 x 22 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of Canadian delegates at the Sixteenth Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, a meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), held in Canberra, Australia. Identified in the photograph are Harold Winch, John Turner, and Alan Macnaughton.
Conference in Australia
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1959
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 16.6 x 21.8 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of a group of delegates, likely at the Sixth Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, held in Canberra, Australia. Harold Winch, fourth from left, was a representative of Canada in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).
Co-operative Commonwealth Federation party members
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- [194-?]
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 12.7 x 18 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of Ernest "Ernie" Winch, Grace MacInnis, and Grant MacNeil, all of whom served as Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) MLAs in the 1940s.
CPA Conference - Australia
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1970
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 16.5 x 22 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of Harold Winch with provincial representatives at the Sixteenth Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conference in Canberra, Australia.
C.P.A. Conference - Canberra, Australia
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1959
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 20.4 x 25.6 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of delegates at the Sixth Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, held in Canberra, Australia. Harold Winch was a representative of Canada in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA).
CPA Conference delegates in front of House of Commons - Ottawa
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Date
- 1977
- Collection/Fonds
- Harold Edward Winch collection
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : col. ; 20.4 x 25.4 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of delegates to the Twenty-third Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Conference, pictured in front of the House of Commons in Ottawa.