This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon describing the importance of good record keeping, using an example of an 1936 fire record used in a civic law suit. He expressed concerned about the lack of museum and archives facilities in Burnaby.
This portion of the interview is about Al Nixon describing the importance of good record keeping, using an example of an 1936 fire record used in a civic law suit. He expressed concerned about the lack of museum and archives facilities in Burnaby.
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.
1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a view of the main street of Heritage Village, with the Chinese Herbalist store on the left, the Printing Shop ahead and the Village Blacksmith on the right.
1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard
Description Level
Item
Record No.
556-428
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
2013-13
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a view of the main street of Heritage Village, with the Chinese Herbalist store on the left, the Printing Shop ahead and the Village Blacksmith on the right.
Photograph of the exterior of the James Cowan Centre (now the James Cowan Theatre at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts) and the nearby parking lot and gardens. The photograph is taken looking down from a high point, facing east.
Photograph of the exterior of the James Cowan Centre (now the James Cowan Theatre at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts) and the nearby parking lot and gardens. The photograph is taken looking down from a high point, facing east.
Photograph of the rear exterior of Mathers House (Altnadene), which was purchased by Burnaby in 1971 for use as part of the James Cowan Centre, now the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. The photograph is taken facing southeast.
Photograph of the rear exterior of Mathers House (Altnadene), which was purchased by Burnaby in 1971 for use as part of the James Cowan Centre, now the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts. The photograph is taken facing southeast.
Photograph of the exterior of the Burnaby Public Library administration office and storage warehouse, located at 4455 Alaska Street, off Willlingdon Avenue. The photograph is taken from across the street, facing east.
Photograph of the exterior of the Burnaby Public Library administration office and storage warehouse, located at 4455 Alaska Street, off Willlingdon Avenue. The photograph is taken from across the street, facing east.
Photograph of the exterior of the Burnaby Public Library administration office and storage warehouse, located at 4455 Alaska Street, off Willlingdon Avenue. The photograph is taken from across the street, facing north.
Photograph of the exterior of the Burnaby Public Library administration office and storage warehouse, located at 4455 Alaska Street, off Willlingdon Avenue. The photograph is taken from across the street, facing north.
Photograph of the exterior of the Burnaby Public Library Administration Office and storage, located at 4455 Alaska Street, off Willingdon Avenue. Signs for Brakedrome and other warehouses are also visible. The photograph is taken facing north, across the railway tracks.
Photograph of the exterior of the Burnaby Public Library Administration Office and storage, located at 4455 Alaska Street, off Willingdon Avenue. Signs for Brakedrome and other warehouses are also visible. The photograph is taken facing north, across the railway tracks.