Alfred Bingham correspondence
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1943-1971
- Collection/Fonds
- Alfred Bingham fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 0.5 cm. of textual records.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence between Alfred Bingham and either members of the early Burnaby community, the Burnaby Historical Society or staff at the City of Vancouver Archives.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1943-1971
- Collection/Fonds
- Alfred Bingham fonds
- Physical Description
- 0.5 cm. of textual records.
- Description Level
- File
- Record No.
- MSS142-002
- Accession Number
- 2010-09
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence between Alfred Bingham and either members of the early Burnaby community, the Burnaby Historical Society or staff at the City of Vancouver Archives.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Title based on contents of file
Less detail
Alfred Bingham fonds
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1913-1971
- Collection/Fonds
- Alfred Bingham fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 4 cm. of textual records and 1 audio reel.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of correspondence and literature pertaining to Alfred Bingham as well as an oral history tape provided by Alfred and his wife, M.J. "Ada" Bingham.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1913-1971
- Collection/Fonds
- Alfred Bingham fonds
- Physical Description
- 4 cm. of textual records and 1 audio reel.
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Record No.
- MSS142
- Accession Number
- 2010-09
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of correspondence and literature pertaining to Alfred Bingham as well as an oral history tape provided by Alfred and his wife, M.J. "Ada" Bingham.
- History
- Alfred "Alf" Bingham was born in England in 1892 and moved to Canada in 1912. His first job in Canada was laying track for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) from Edmonton to McBride in 1912. His second was in Vancouver at the Rat Portage Mill on False Creek, working on the Resaw machine. He quit after one week due to poor working conditions.
After taking part in the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike as a delegate of the Retail and Mailorder Union (A.F.L.) on the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council, Alfred moved to Burnaby where he and fellow Burnaby residents Angus McLean and Percy Little worked ten-hour days to build a shingle mill on the edge of Burnaby Lake for Simpson & Giberson. George Green, a carpenter and millwright (and author of “The History of Burnaby”), also helped in the construction of the mill. Alfred built his own home from lumber cut from the mill in the Lockdale area on Sherlock Street between Curtis Street and Kitchener Street.
On April 10, 1920, Alfred married Mary Jane "Ada" Reynolds. Alfred and Mary Jane often took in foster children during their marriage. Due to her nursing experience, Ada was often called upon to deliver babies in the Burnaby area. The couple also had a dog named Bess.
The Binghams were instrumental members of the Army of the Common Good, collecting vegetables and grains from growers in the area and even producing over 125 tons of vegetables from its own gardens to feed children and youth who were suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression. The Army was in operation for ten years and during that time, the members organised the credit union movement of British Columbia and drew up the Credit Union Act through the Vancouver Co-operative Council. They also started co-op stores and the Co-Op Wholesale Society.
Alfred was also the Secretary of the Burnaby Housing Committee. In 1946, he became the Secretary of the North Burnaby Labour Progressive Party (LPP).
Mary Jane died on August 9, 1969. Alfred died on April 29, 1979.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Sound Recording
- Creator
- Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
- Notes
- Title based on contents of fonds
MSS142
Less detail
Alfred Bingham papers
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1938-1963
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence and literature pertaining to a housing conference sponsored by the Labour Progressive Party, presented by Alfred Bingham, LLP Secretary. Also included in the file are personal correspondence, pamphlets on housing from 1938 and 1944 as well as a magazine titled "The C…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1938-1963
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Series
- Community Archives Collection series
- Subseries
- Alfred Bingham subseries
- Physical Description
- 1 file of textual records
- Description Level
- File
- Record No.
- MSS001-001
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence and literature pertaining to a housing conference sponsored by the Labour Progressive Party, presented by Alfred Bingham, LLP Secretary. Also included in the file are personal correspondence, pamphlets on housing from 1938 and 1944 as well as a magazine titled "The Canadian Unionist", dated July 1945.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Title based on contents of file
Less detail
Alfred Bingham papers
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1938-1963
- Collection/Fonds
- Alfred Bingham fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 1 cm. of textual records.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of Alfred Bingham’s notes on the lives of various Burnaby Pioneers as well as his own writtings; “The Stump Ranchers “ with a great deal of information on the history of the Army of the Common Good. Also included in the file is a series of stories of Alf Bingham’s first memories of mo…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1938-1963
- Collection/Fonds
- Alfred Bingham fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 cm. of textual records.
- Description Level
- File
- Record No.
- MSS142-001
- Access Restriction
- Subject to FOIPPA
- Accession Number
- 2010-09
- Scope and Content
- File consists of Alfred Bingham’s notes on the lives of various Burnaby Pioneers as well as his own writtings; “The Stump Ranchers “ with a great deal of information on the history of the Army of the Common Good. Also included in the file is a series of stories of Alf Bingham’s first memories of moving to Burnaby; “I Arrive in Burnaby and We Build a Shingle Mill”, “We Build a Home and Dig a Well”, “What the Lochdale District Looked Like in 1919-20-21-22”,“Second Settlers in the Lochdale District”, “The Death of Mary Hawthorn”, “The Rum Runners and Bootleg Whiskey in Burnaby”, “Burnaby, North, South, East and West, 1892-1943”, “The Ice Age and other observations before Burnaby”, “Our House Burns Down” and “History of the Working People of Burnaby.”
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Title based on contents of file
Less detail
Alfred Bingham papers
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1963]
- Collection/Fonds
- Alfred Bingham fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 9 p. of textual records.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of Alf Bingham’s “Burnaby where ‘The Bees’ come from”, “History of Burnaby Lake”, and poem “The Emigrant / the Settler (B.C.) Canada … (Author Unknown).”
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- [1963]
- Collection/Fonds
- Alfred Bingham fonds
- Physical Description
- 9 p. of textual records.
- Description Level
- File
- Record No.
- MSS142-003
- Accession Number
- 2010-09
- Scope and Content
- File consists of Alf Bingham’s “Burnaby where ‘The Bees’ come from”, “History of Burnaby Lake”, and poem “The Emigrant / the Settler (B.C.) Canada … (Author Unknown).”
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Title based on contents of file
Less detail
Alfred Bingham subseries
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1913-1971
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Subseries
- Physical Description
- Photographs and other materials
- Scope and Content
- Subseries consists of photographs, correspondence and literature pertaining to Alfred Bingham.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1913-1971
- Collection/Fonds
- Burnaby Historical Society fonds
- Series
- Community Archives Collection series
- Subseries
- Alfred Bingham subseries
- Physical Description
- Photographs and other materials
- Description Level
- Subseries
- Accession Number
- BHS2007-04
- Scope and Content
- Subseries consists of photographs, correspondence and literature pertaining to Alfred Bingham.
- History
- Alfred "Alf" Bingham was born in England in 1892 and moved to Canada in 1912. His first job in Canada was laying track for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTPR) from Edmonton to McBride in 1912. His second was in Vancouver at the Rat Portage Mill on False Creek, working on the Resaw machine. He quit after one week due to poor working conditions.
After taking part in the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike as a delegate of the Retail and Mailorder Union (A.F.L.) on the Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council, Alfred moved to Burnaby where he and fellow Burnaby residents Angus McLean and Percy Little worked ten-hour days to build a shingle mill on the edge of Burnaby Lake for Simpson & Giberson. George Green, a carpenter and millwright (and author of “The History of Burnaby”), also helped in the construction of the mill. Alfred built his own home from lumber cut from the mill in the Lockdale area on Sherlock Street between Curtis Street and Kitchener Street.
On April 10, 1920, Alfred married Mary Jane "Ada" Reynolds. Alfred and Mary Jane often took in foster children during their marriage. Due to her nursing experience, Ada was often called upon to deliver babies in the Burnaby area. The couple also had a dog named Bess.
The Binghams were instrumental members of the Army of the Common Good, collecting vegetables and grains from growers in the area and even producing over 125 tons of vegetables from its own gardens to feed children and youth who were suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression. The Army was in operation for ten years and during that time, the members organised the credit union movement of British Columbia and drew up the Credit Union Act through the Vancouver Co-operative Council. They also started co-op stores and the Co-Op Wholesale Society.
Alfred was also the Secretary of the Burnaby Housing Committee. In 1946, he became the Secretary of the North Burnaby Labour Progressive Party (LPP).
Mary Jane died on August 9, 1969. Alfred died on April 29, 1979.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Photograph
- Creator
- Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
- Notes
- Title based on contents of subseries
- MSS001, MSS142, and PC 010
Less detail
Army of the Common Good papers
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1939-1971
- Collection/Fonds
- Alfred Bingham fonds
- Description Level
- File
- Physical Description
- 0.5 cm. of textual records.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of papers pertaining mainly to the Army of the Common Good, including a Trust Account deposit slip for the Common Good Credit Union (the first Credit Union in Canada), correspondence, notes and minutes. Also included in the file are minutes of the North Burnaby Community Centre Associ…
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1939-1971
- Collection/Fonds
- Alfred Bingham fonds
- Physical Description
- 0.5 cm. of textual records.
- Description Level
- File
- Record No.
- MSS142-004
- Accession Number
- 2010-09
- Scope and Content
- File consists of papers pertaining mainly to the Army of the Common Good, including a Trust Account deposit slip for the Common Good Credit Union (the first Credit Union in Canada), correspondence, notes and minutes. Also included in the file are minutes of the North Burnaby Community Centre Association, correspondence and notes regarding logging in Burnaby and a newspaper clipping pertaining to the Vancouver Archives.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Title based on contents of file
Less detail
Canadian Bank of Commerce cash book
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1916
- Collection/Fonds
- Alfred Bingham fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Physical Description
- 2 cm. of textual records.
- Scope and Content
- Item is a Canadian Bank of Commerce cash book with information contained on only two of its pages.
- Repository
- City of Burnaby Archives
- Date
- 1916
- Collection/Fonds
- Alfred Bingham fonds
- Physical Description
- 2 cm. of textual records.
- Description Level
- Item
- Record No.
- MSS142-005
- Accession Number
- 2010-09
- Scope and Content
- Item is a Canadian Bank of Commerce cash book with information contained on only two of its pages.
- Media Type
- Textual Record
- Notes
- Title based on contents of item
Less detail
coffee pot
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- HV971.12.184
- Description
- Ceramic coffee pot with lid. This serving pot is tall with a tapered, octagonal body. It has a white glaze with pink bands around the top and bottom. There is a floral motif on each side of the top with a smaller floral motif on the lower side to the proper left of the handle. The handle and spout are trimmed in gold and the pink bands are edged with gold borders.
The lid is octagonal at the edges and is finished with a tall finial. The inner edge has a deep profile that fits inside the the top of the pot. There is a slot in the profile to allow the coffee to be poured. The edge of the lid has a pink band and a small floral motif. The finial and edge of the band are gold.
There are no makers markings on the pot or lid.
The gold edging around the top of the pot is worn.
- Object History
- Object belonged to Alfred Bingham, an early Burnaby resident and activist.
- Subjects
- Food Service Tools and Equipment
- Names
- Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
Less detail
double bit axe head
- Repository
- Burnaby Village Museum
- Accession Code
- BV003.28.3
- Description
- This split, double bitted, utility axe head was found on Burnaby Mountain by Alfred Bingham in 1920. Mr Bingham bought property on the West side of the mountain in 1920.
The axe head is double bladed. The head is very rusty and has been cracked across one side. The remains of the handle are still in the axe eye.
- Object History
- The axe head was found on the site of Simon Fraser University (SFU), an area logged in the early years of the 20th Century by Gilley Logging. The axe may have been broken by one of their loggers.
- Reference
- Note from Alfred Bingham, original in accession file.
"THIS AXE HEAD WAS FOUND IN 1920 / BY ALFRED BINGHAM ON THE PRESENT SITE / OF THE SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY. IT PROBABLY / WAS USED BY AN EARLY LOGGER. WHO CUT DOWN / SOME OF THE GREAT TREES THAT GREW ON / BURNABY MOUNTAIN. HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO. MANY OF THESE TREES WERE OVER 800 YEARS OLD / Alfred Bingham " hand written in ink on one face of note.
"I bought 5 acres of stump land on the / corner of Sherlock, Duthie, & Kitchener Streets in / 1920. & cleared 2 acres & bilt small home, (store?) / my wife and I have lived in Burnaby continually since then / AB" hand written in ink on the reverse face of the note.
- Marks/Labels
- "1920 FOUND ON BURNABY MTN SITE S.F.U.", written in yellow chalk on one face of the axe head
- Subjects
- Industries - Forestry
- Woodworking Tools and Equipment
- Industries - Logging/lumber
- Names
- Gilley Brothers Logging Company
- Simon Fraser University
- Bingham, Alfred "Alf"
- Geographic Access
- Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area
- Planning Study Area
- Burnaby Mountain Area
Less detail