Photograph of the Farrington brothers; Richard and Thomas. Thomas and Richard Farrington founded Wheat Sheaf Poultry Ranch in 1919. It was located at 3907 Chesham Avenue (later renumbered 5384 Chesham Avenue).
Photograph of the Farrington brothers; Richard and Thomas. Thomas and Richard Farrington founded Wheat Sheaf Poultry Ranch in 1919. It was located at 3907 Chesham Avenue (later renumbered 5384 Chesham Avenue).
This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about her father’s chicken farm. She describes the farm buildings, other animals on the farm, and how her father operated the chicken farm, especially his approach to keeping the chickens disease free. She also talks about cutting down the …
This portion of the interview is about Reidun Seim talking about her father’s chicken farm. She describes the farm buildings, other animals on the farm, and how her father operated the chicken farm, especially his approach to keeping the chickens disease free. She also talks about cutting down the alder at the back of the property for the chicken run, and building rock walls and a driveway with rocks taken off the property. She also describes how the property was subdivided in the 1980s.
Recording is of an interview with Reidun Seim conducted by Kathy Bossort. Reidun Seim was one of 23 participants interviewed as part of the Community Heritage Commission’s Burnaby Mountain Oral History Project. The interview is mainly about Reidun Seim’s memories about her parent’s farm on Curtis Street, events in her childhood, and the people who lived in or visited her neighborhood. She takes us on a tour of her neighborhood in the 1940s, telling us stories about families who lived on Curtis Street on and east of 7300 block, including people who lived on Burnaby Mountain in the old Hastings Grove subdivision above the end of municipal water service at Philips Avenue. She describes changes to Curtis Street, particularly after it provided access to Simon Fraser University in 1965. She also talks about her teaching career, and about how she values the green space and conservation area on Burnaby Mountain.
Biographical Notes
Reidun Seim was born in 1931 in Vancouver B.C. to Sjur and Martine Seim. Sjur and Martine Seim emigrated to Canada from Norway in 1930, and after settling in Vancouver, moved to an acre of land and a new home at the base of Burnaby Mountain in 1932. Sjur attended UBC to learn about poultry farming and began his own chicken and egg business in 1935. The farm animals and large garden also contributed to the family’s livelihood and self-sufficiency. The Curtis Street neighborhood was a lively place and extended well up Curtis Street on the west slope of Burnaby Mountain, where Reidun would babysit for families. Reidun attended Sperling Avenue Elementary School (Gr. 1-8), Burnaby North High School, and Vancouver Normal School for teacher training in 1950-1951. She began teaching primary grades in Port Coquitlam at James Park School. Most of her career was spent in North Delta, teaching at Kennedy and Annieville schools from 1954-1958, appointed Primary Consultant (1958-1960) and Primary Supervisor (1960-1985), before retiring in 1986. Reidun lived at home with her parents on Curtis Street, commuting to Delta, and continues to live in the original farmhouse.
Kathy Bossort is a retired archivist living in Ladner, BC. She worked at the Delta Museum and Archives after graduating from SLAIS (UBC) in 2001 with Masters degrees in library science and archival studies. Kathy grew up in Calgary, Alberta, and, prior to this career change, she lived in the West Kootenays, earning her living as a cook for BC tourist lodges and work camps. She continues to be interested in oral histories as a way to fill the gaps in the written record and bring richer meaning to history.
Photograph of the Farrington brothers' chicken ranch near Central Park at 3907 Chesham Avenue (later renumbered 5384 Chesham Avenue). Brothers Thomas Farrington and Richard Farrington founded Wheat Sheaf Poultry Ranch in 1919. The laying house is at the left, and the family home is at the right.
Photograph of the Farrington brothers' chicken ranch near Central Park at 3907 Chesham Avenue (later renumbered 5384 Chesham Avenue). Brothers Thomas Farrington and Richard Farrington founded Wheat Sheaf Poultry Ranch in 1919. The laying house is at the left, and the family home is at the right.
Photograph of Farrington brothers' chicken laying house. Brothers Thomas Farrington and Richard Farrington founded Wheat Sheaf Poultry Ranch in 1919. It was located at 3907 Chesham Avenue (later renumbered 5384 Chesham Avenue).
Photograph of Farrington brothers' chicken laying house. Brothers Thomas Farrington and Richard Farrington founded Wheat Sheaf Poultry Ranch in 1919. It was located at 3907 Chesham Avenue (later renumbered 5384 Chesham Avenue).
Photograph of Olive Farrington Barber in front of the Farrington brothers' chicken shed. Brothers Thomas Farrington and Richard Farrington founded Wheat Sheaf Poultry Ranch in 1919. It was located at 3907 Chesham Avenue (later renumbered 5384 Chesham Avenue).
Photograph of Olive Farrington Barber in front of the Farrington brothers' chicken shed. Brothers Thomas Farrington and Richard Farrington founded Wheat Sheaf Poultry Ranch in 1919. It was located at 3907 Chesham Avenue (later renumbered 5384 Chesham Avenue).
Photograph of the Urquhart menagerie: dog, Fluff; goats Patsy (black) and Corey (white); goose, Mollie, and her goslings, Goosey and Gander; and, miscellaneous ducks and chickens. This photograph was taken at the Urquhart family home, "Rowanlea," located at Griffiths Avenue and Burford Street. Th…
Photograph of the Urquhart menagerie: dog, Fluff; goats Patsy (black) and Corey (white); goose, Mollie, and her goslings, Goosey and Gander; and, miscellaneous ducks and chickens. This photograph was taken at the Urquhart family home, "Rowanlea," located at Griffiths Avenue and Burford Street. The house was previously numbered 2674, then changed to 6625, and later 6637 Griffiths Avenue.
Photograph of sisters; Trudi and Aili Rintanen with pets in their arms. Trudi is holding their bantam rooster, and Aili is holding a cat. The Rintanen family lived on the Burrard Inlet squatters' site known as Crabtown.
Photograph of sisters; Trudi and Aili Rintanen with pets in their arms. Trudi is holding their bantam rooster, and Aili is holding a cat. The Rintanen family lived on the Burrard Inlet squatters' site known as Crabtown.
Photograph of three men and a woman sitting and standing on the front steps of George Turnbull's house in the Hastings Grove Subdivision. Three of the individuals have chickens in their hands. More chickens are on and around the stairs, and a dog is standing on the ground with one front paw on the …
Emulsion measures 11 x 15.5 cm on the glass; entire glass plate measures 12 x 16 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
487-021
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2008-18
Scope and Content
Photograph of three men and a woman sitting and standing on the front steps of George Turnbull's house in the Hastings Grove Subdivision. Three of the individuals have chickens in their hands. More chickens are on and around the stairs, and a dog is standing on the ground with one front paw on the second stair.
Photograph of three men and a woman sitting and standing on the front steps of of George Turnbull's house in the Hastings Grove Subdivision. The woman has a box of birdseed and is feeding the chickens that are on and around the stairs. A dog is sitting on the stairs next to the woman, with two of …
Emulsion measures 11 x 15.5 cm on the glass; entire glass plate measures 12 x 16 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
487-026
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2008-18
Scope and Content
Photograph of three men and a woman sitting and standing on the front steps of of George Turnbull's house in the Hastings Grove Subdivision. The woman has a box of birdseed and is feeding the chickens that are on and around the stairs. A dog is sitting on the stairs next to the woman, with two of his legs on the lower stair. The man on the left is also holding a small dog in his arms.
Photograph of goats, Patsy and Corey, by the duck pond in the back yard of "Rowanlea," the Urquhart family home built by William Urquhart at Griffiths Avenue and Burford Street. The house was previously numbered 2674, then changed to 6625, and later 6637 Griffiths Avenue.
Photograph of goats, Patsy and Corey, by the duck pond in the back yard of "Rowanlea," the Urquhart family home built by William Urquhart at Griffiths Avenue and Burford Street. The house was previously numbered 2674, then changed to 6625, and later 6637 Griffiths Avenue.
Photograph of the Brown family feeding chickens. From left: Alex Brown (brother, later to become MD), Janet Brown (sister), and Janet Mackintosh Macfarlane Maclean (grandmother). This photograph was taken in back of the Brown family home, 3846 Triumph, Vancouver Heights. The house was owned by t…
Photograph of the Brown family feeding chickens. From left: Alex Brown (brother, later to become MD), Janet Brown (sister), and Janet Mackintosh Macfarlane Maclean (grandmother). This photograph was taken in back of the Brown family home, 3846 Triumph, Vancouver Heights. The house was owned by the grandmother.
Photograph of Canada geese and goslings at the Fernhurst Game Farm. Fernhurst was operated by Charles R. Gillmore who later introduced Canada geese into New Zealand. This later became the site of Maywood Elementary School at 4567 Imperial Street.
Photograph of Canada geese and goslings at the Fernhurst Game Farm. Fernhurst was operated by Charles R. Gillmore who later introduced Canada geese into New Zealand. This later became the site of Maywood Elementary School at 4567 Imperial Street.
Photograph of a large pond for ducks and geese at Fernhurst Game Farm, operated by Charles R. Gillmore near Imperial Street and Dow Avenue. This later became the site of Maywood Elementary School at 4567 Imperial Street.
Photograph of a large pond for ducks and geese at Fernhurst Game Farm, operated by Charles R. Gillmore near Imperial Street and Dow Avenue. This later became the site of Maywood Elementary School at 4567 Imperial Street.
Photograph of Florence McMahon, daughter of Florence Bookey McMahon and James McMahon, wearing beach pyjamas, the fashion of the day. She is feeding pet ducks who were hatched by the hen in the background. She is on the McMahon property on Waltham Avenue, later numbered 6558 Waltham Avenue.
Photograph of Florence McMahon, daughter of Florence Bookey McMahon and James McMahon, wearing beach pyjamas, the fashion of the day. She is feeding pet ducks who were hatched by the hen in the background. She is on the McMahon property on Waltham Avenue, later numbered 6558 Waltham Avenue.