Recording is a taped interview with Charles B. Brown by SFU (Simon Fraser University) graduate student Bettina Bradbury May 21, 1975. Major themes discussed are: the Depression, the Commissioner and municipal politics in general. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".
Biographical Notes
Charles Boyer Brown was born on June 16, 1894 in the town of Ongar, Essex, England. He came to Canada as a young child with his parents Jean and Percy Brown. In 1903, the family settled in New Westminster and by 1911, Charles had joined the Burnaby municipal staff working as an office boy.
The outbreak of World War One interrupted Charlie’s career as he immediately enlisted with the Royal Engineers and served from 1915 to 1918. While overseas he met and married Lillian Bernice Bryan and they returned to Canada together after the war and Charles resumed his position in municipal administration.
For a short time, Charles was appointed as the Municipal Assessor, but in 1927 he became the Assistant Municipal Clerk. In 1933, Charles was made Municipal Clerk, a post he held until he retired in 1959. Charles has also been credited with playing a significant role in administering the city while it was under the rule of the provincial commission from 1932-1942.
Recognized for his expertise in civic affairs, Charles was appointed by the provincial government to a committee formed to review and revise the Municipal Act. He was also a member of the BC Municipal Officers’ Association from its formation in 1936 and was made its chair in 1953. While these civic duties occupied much of his time, Charles still managed to participate as a volunteer on many sport and youth clubs in the city and served as the secretary for the Kingsway Rotary Club.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to Burnaby, both paid and volunteer, Charles was presented with the Gold Key award in 1959, the same year he finally retired from municipal administration. During Charles’ lifetime, many changes took place in the Municipality that he loved. He saw Burnaby grow in population and progress and he could be proud of the significant part he played in that growth and development.
Charles Brown died on August 11, 1981.
Bettina Bradbury teaches history and women's studies at York University. She is the author of Wife to Widow. Lives, Laws and Politics in Nineteenth-century Montreal. (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, June 2011), 520p; Working Families. Age, Gender and Daily Survival in Industrializing Montreal. (Toronto: Canadian Social History Series, McClelland and Stewart, 1993); (Republished Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1996) (3rd edition, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007). These interviews were undertaken after she completed her MA at Simon Fraser University in 1975 with the support of an LIP grant.
Interview was digitized in 2010 allowing it to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council and the BC History Digitization Program of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre, University of British Columbia. It was recognized by the Heritage Society of BC with an award in 2012.
Photograph of members of Burnaby Centennial '71 committee, officials and volunteers seated at a long table. Alderman Warren Clark is wearing a yellow jacket and seated at the head of the table.
Photograph of members of Burnaby Centennial '71 committee, officials and volunteers seated at a long table. Alderman Warren Clark is wearing a yellow jacket and seated at the head of the table.
File contains photographs of Alpha Secondary School students during a walkout and rally in reaction to the labour dispute between teachers and the provincial government.
File contains photographs of Alpha Secondary School students during a walkout and rally in reaction to the labour dispute between teachers and the provincial government.
Collected by editorial for use in a January 2002 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata for 535-2933-1: "Students at Alpha Secondary endure wet snow and sleet as they protest in support of teachers."
Caption from metadata for 535-2933-2: "Students at Alpha Secondary try to catch the attention of motorists passing in front of the school. About 50 students walked out of their classes Thursday morning to rally in support of their teachers, who are embroiled in an ongoing labor dispute with the provincial government."
1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard
Scope and Content
Photograph shows two members of the BC Government Employees Union, holding a large sign protesting wage and price controls outside the gates of the Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre at 5700 Royal Oak Avenue (later 5220 Oakmount Crescent).
1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard
Description Level
Item
Record No.
556-329
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
2013-13
Scope and Content
Photograph shows two members of the BC Government Employees Union, holding a large sign protesting wage and price controls outside the gates of the Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre at 5700 Royal Oak Avenue (later 5220 Oakmount Crescent).
1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a group of BC Government Employees demonstrating against wage and price controls outside the fence of the Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre at 5700 Royal Oak Avenue (later 5220 Oakmount Crescent).
1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard
Description Level
Item
Record No.
556-330
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
2013-13
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a group of BC Government Employees demonstrating against wage and price controls outside the fence of the Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre at 5700 Royal Oak Avenue (later 5220 Oakmount Crescent).
Photograph of Bill Burgess speaking into a microphone. He was one of the eighteen that were charged in the demonstration at a picket line at Simon Fraser University.
Photograph of Bill Burgess speaking into a microphone. He was one of the eighteen that were charged in the demonstration at a picket line at Simon Fraser University.
Photograph of people in winter coats picketing inbetween cars in front of an unidentified building. A man holds a sign that reads, "BURNABY UNEMPLOYED ACTION ASSN."
Photograph of people in winter coats picketing inbetween cars in front of an unidentified building. A man holds a sign that reads, "BURNABY UNEMPLOYED ACTION ASSN."
Photograph of Pamela Williams standing on the balcony of her apartment beside a large protest sign which reads: "BUYERS BEWARE OF MOLD AND ROT!". She and her husband bought a suite in MacInnis Place, and after discovering the exessive build up of moisture, protested against the Housing Cooperation…
Photograph of Pamela Williams standing on the balcony of her apartment beside a large protest sign which reads: "BUYERS BEWARE OF MOLD AND ROT!". She and her husband bought a suite in MacInnis Place, and after discovering the exessive build up of moisture, protested against the Housing Cooperation of British Columbia (HSBC) and won; HSBC offered to buy back units from owners who were unhappy with their suites.
Photograph of striking Simon Fraser University staff members standing along the roadway, wearing placards. A car full of students drives though the picket lines, but a union bus driver has pulled over and forced students to walk. These non-teaching employees of Simon Fraser University who are strik…
Photograph of striking Simon Fraser University staff members standing along the roadway, wearing placards. A car full of students drives though the picket lines, but a union bus driver has pulled over and forced students to walk. These non-teaching employees of Simon Fraser University who are striking are members of the Association of University and College Employees (AUCE).
Newspaper clipping attached to verso of photograph reads: "SFU-bound students drive through AUCE picket lines while union bus driver pulls over, forcing students to walk."
Photograph of five unidentified Coast Mountain Bus Company drivers standing at the gates of the Burnaby Transit Centre on Kitchener Street during a wildcat walkout. Two of the drivers' buses are visible in the background.
Photograph of five unidentified Coast Mountain Bus Company drivers standing at the gates of the Burnaby Transit Centre on Kitchener Street during a wildcat walkout. Two of the drivers' buses are visible in the background.
Collected by editorial for use in a September 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Coast Mountain Bus Company drivers stand outside the gates of the Burnaby Transit Yard on Kitchener St., while their buses sit idle. Unionized employees staged the wildcat walkout to protest the awarding of a bus route contract in Burnaby Heights to Bonny's Taxi company."
Photograph of a demonstration outside of New Westminster City Hall by the Queen’s Park Residents Association. People are holding signs that read "Stop Narrow Lot Development".
Photograph of a demonstration outside of New Westminster City Hall by the Queen’s Park Residents Association. People are holding signs that read "Stop Narrow Lot Development".
Photograph of an unidentified demonstrator setting name plates that read "Bus Rider" on a conference table at a meeting of TransLink's Board of Directors regarding proposed cuts to bus service. A painted banner behind the protestor reads: "When is... Bus Month?"
Photograph of an unidentified demonstrator setting name plates that read "Bus Rider" on a conference table at a meeting of TransLink's Board of Directors regarding proposed cuts to bus service. A painted banner behind the protestor reads: "When is... Bus Month?"
Collected by editorial for use in a June 2001 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "A protestor demonstrates her desire for user representation on TransLink's Board of Directors at a raucous public meeting to discuss proposed cuts to bus service. Shortly thereafter, the Board walked out of the meeting, and the boardroom was taken over by frustrated users and striking bus drivers."
File contains photographs of unidentified individuals at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, protesting the City's report on the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Master Plan. Photographs depict an individual amongst felled trees and an individual holding a sign that reads "Corporate Spite!" in front of the gates.
File contains photographs of unidentified individuals at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, protesting the City's report on the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Master Plan. Photographs depict an individual amongst felled trees and an individual holding a sign that reads "Corporate Spite!" in front of the gates.