This portion of the recording includes Alfred Bingham's reading of an essay written by Captain Thomas S. Guns describing the Lozells district, as well as quoting single sentences of various other writers on the topic of Deer Lake and the Burnaby Lake District. Alfred mentions the first schools of B…
This portion of the recording includes Alfred Bingham's reading of an essay written by Captain Thomas S. Guns describing the Lozells district, as well as quoting single sentences of various other writers on the topic of Deer Lake and the Burnaby Lake District. Alfred mentions the first schools of Burnaby Lake and the "pleasure walk" along Douglas Road, from Vancouver to New Westminster.
Recording is of Alfred Bingham's writings, as read by Alfred Bingham. Major themes discussed are: Pioneers, early days in Burnaby and the Co-op Movement. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".
Biographical Notes
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 Aungus McLean and Percy Little worked ten hour days to build a Shingle Mill on the edge of Burnaby Lake for Simpson & Giberson. George Green, carpenter and millwright (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 Lochdale area on Sherlock Street between Curtis Street and Kitchener Street.
On April 10, 1920 Alfred married Mary Jane “Ada” Reynolds. Alfred and Ada 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.
Alfred and Ada Bingham 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 suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression years. 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 thorough the Vancouver Co-operative Council. They also started Co-Op stores and the Co-Op Wholesale Society.
Alfred was also Secretary of the Burnaby Housing committee and in 1946 he became the Secretary of the North Burnaby Labour Progressive Party (LPP).
Mary Jane “Ada” (Reynolds) Bingham died on August 9, 1969. Her husband Alfred died on April 29, 1979.
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.
Images
Audio Tracks
Track four of recording of Alfred Bingham's writings
Track four of recording of Alfred Bingham's writings
1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 10.5 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)
Scope and Content
Photograph of Annie Hill and her daughter Kitty on a picnic table in front of two trees. Annie is holding an umbrella. This photograph was probably taken at the Hill family home known as Brookfield, which was located on Deer Lake Avenue. A road (possibly Douglas Road) is partially visible in the b…
1 photograph : b&w ; 7.5 x 10.5 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)
Description Level
Item
Record No.
477-876
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2007-12
Scope and Content
Photograph of Annie Hill and her daughter Kitty on a picnic table in front of two trees. Annie is holding an umbrella. This photograph was probably taken at the Hill family home known as Brookfield, which was located on Deer Lake Avenue. A road (possibly Douglas Road) is partially visible in the background.
1 photograph : b&w ; 5.5 x 8 cm on page 11.5 x 14 cm (pasted in album)
Scope and Content
Photograph of Annie Hill (standing, with back to the camera), Maude Woodward (seated) and Kitty Hill (with paddle) standing on the dock in their bathing costumes, most likely at Deer Lake.
1 photograph : b&w ; 5.5 x 8 cm on page 11.5 x 14 cm (pasted in album)
Description Level
Item
Record No.
477-125
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2007-12
Scope and Content
Photograph of Annie Hill (standing, with back to the camera), Maude Woodward (seated) and Kitty Hill (with paddle) standing on the dock in their bathing costumes, most likely at Deer Lake.
1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 8.5 cm on page 11.5 x 14 cm (pasted in album)
Scope and Content
Photograph of the log boathouse at Burnaby Lake belonging to Bernard Hill. In the background can be seen the "Maid of the Mist," the Hill family's boat.
1 photograph : b&w ; 6.5 x 8.5 cm on page 11.5 x 14 cm (pasted in album)
Description Level
Item
Record No.
477-127
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2007-12
Scope and Content
Photograph of the log boathouse at Burnaby Lake belonging to Bernard Hill. In the background can be seen the "Maid of the Mist," the Hill family's boat.
1 photograph : b&w 5.5 x 7.5 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)
Scope and Content
Photograph of Bernard Hill's boathouse on Burnaby Lake. Built in 1902, the boathouse was located on Deer Lake Brook at the southwestern tip of Burnaby Lake.
1 photograph : b&w 5.5 x 7.5 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)
Description Level
Item
Record No.
477-855
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2007-12
Scope and Content
Photograph of Bernard Hill's boathouse on Burnaby Lake. Built in 1902, the boathouse was located on Deer Lake Brook at the southwestern tip of Burnaby Lake.
1 photograph : b&w ; 6.8 x 9.5 cm on page 24.5 x 32.5 cm (pasted in album)
Scope and Content
Photograph of Broadview, the home of Claude Hill and his family in the Burnaby Lake area. A girl, probably Claude's daughter Kitty Hill, can be seen standing next to a post on the veranda of the house.
1 photograph : b&w ; 6.8 x 9.5 cm on page 24.5 x 32.5 cm (pasted in album)
Description Level
Item
Record No.
477-563
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2007-12
Scope and Content
Photograph of Broadview, the home of Claude Hill and his family in the Burnaby Lake area. A girl, probably Claude's daughter Kitty Hill, can be seen standing next to a post on the veranda of the house.
1 photograph : b&w ; 7.2 x 8 cm on page 24.5 x 32.5 cm (pasted in album)
Scope and Content
Photograph of Broadview, the home of Claude Hill and his family in the Burnaby Lake area. A girl, probably Claude's daughter Kitty Hill can be seen sitting on the railing of the house, to the far right.
1 photograph : b&w ; 7.2 x 8 cm on page 24.5 x 32.5 cm (pasted in album)
Description Level
Item
Record No.
477-564
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2007-12
Scope and Content
Photograph of Broadview, the home of Claude Hill and his family in the Burnaby Lake area. A girl, probably Claude's daughter Kitty Hill can be seen sitting on the railing of the house, to the far right.
1 photograph : b&w ; 5.3 x 7.8 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)
Scope and Content
Photograph of the building of Broadview, the home belonging to Claude Hill on Buckingham Avenue. Shown here under construction, Broadview was finished around 1907 and was the second home for the Hill family in the Burnaby Lake area. The first, Brookfield, was on Deer Lake Avenue.
1 photograph : b&w ; 5.3 x 7.8 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)
Description Level
Item
Record No.
477-874
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2007-12
Scope and Content
Photograph of the building of Broadview, the home belonging to Claude Hill on Buckingham Avenue. Shown here under construction, Broadview was finished around 1907 and was the second home for the Hill family in the Burnaby Lake area. The first, Brookfield, was on Deer Lake Avenue.
1 photograph : b&w ; 9.9 x 14.0 cm mounted on cardboard 17.8 x 23.0 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of "Brookfield", the first home of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Claude Hill. The Hills, including the daughter Kitty Hill, are on the lawn on the lower right corner. The man sitting on the steps is identified by the inscription on the photograph card mount as Mr. Wetenhall. Annotations on the back…
1 photograph : b&w ; 9.9 x 14.0 cm mounted on cardboard 17.8 x 23.0 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of "Brookfield", the first home of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Claude Hill. The Hills, including the daughter Kitty Hill, are on the lawn on the lower right corner. The man sitting on the steps is identified by the inscription on the photograph card mount as Mr. Wetenhall. Annotations on the back of the card read: "'Brookfield' / Burnaby Lake" and "L.C. Hill & Kitty M. Hill, Mr. Wetenhall." Another annotation reads: "App. 1900."