Subseries consists of papers collected by the Burnaby Public Library.
History
Burnaby's first library was founded in 1927 as the North Burnaby Library Association. Its first library building was established in 1935 on Hastings Street.
In 1954, Burnaby enacted Bylaw No. 3522 to establish the Burnaby Public Library (BPL) and in 1957 BPL merged with the North Burnaby Library Association. BPL's first permanent library was the McGill branch, built in North Burnaby in 1961 and named after North Burnaby Library Association volunteer Grace McGill.
Following McGill, BPL then established the Kingsway branch, Central Park branch, and Cameron branch. Central Park was replaced by the Bob Prittie Metrotown branch in 1991 and Kingsway with the Tommy Douglas branch in 2009.
Subseries consists of historical photographs of Burnaby collected by the Burnaby Public Library.
History
Burnaby's first library was founded in 1927 as the North Burnaby Library Association. Its first library building was established in 1935 on Hastings Street.
In 1954, Burnaby enacted Bylaw No. 3522 to establish the Burnaby Public Library (BPL) and in 1957 BPL merged with the North Burnaby Library Association. BPL's first permanent library was the McGill branch, built in North Burnaby in 1961 and named after North Burnaby Library Association volunteer Grace McGill.
Following McGill, BPL then established the Kingsway branch, Central Park branch, and Cameron branch. Central Park was replaced by the Bob Prittie Metrotown branch in 1991 and Kingsway with the Tommy Douglas branch in 2009.
1 photograph : sepia ; 15.5 x 21 cm, mounted on board 25 x 30 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Burnaby's Police force standing at attention and wearing dress uniform. The men are: Chief Devitt, and his staff; Sergeant David Maxwell, Constable Parker, Reeve Sanderson, Constable Bob Henderson, Constable Hatt-Cook, Constable Jack Woolens, Constable Peter Kelsberg, Constable Jeffr…
1 photograph : sepia ; 15.5 x 21 cm, mounted on board 25 x 30 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
230-011
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS1989-22
Scope and Content
Photograph of Burnaby's Police force standing at attention and wearing dress uniform. The men are: Chief Devitt, and his staff; Sergeant David Maxwell, Constable Parker, Reeve Sanderson, Constable Bob Henderson, Constable Hatt-Cook, Constable Jack Woolens, Constable Peter Kelsberg, Constable Jeffreys, Constable Eddie Goodwin, Constable Waddell, and Commissioner Matthews.
Photograph of Fern Brown (nee Ablitt) sitting on the grass of her parent's property at the northeast corner of Kingsway and Nelson Avenue. She has a doll in a baby carriage with her and ribbons in her hair.
The Hutton grocery store can be seen in the distance.
Photograph of Fern Brown (nee Ablitt) sitting on the grass of her parent's property at the northeast corner of Kingsway and Nelson Avenue. She has a doll in a baby carriage with her and ribbons in her hair.
The Hutton grocery store can be seen in the distance.
Photograph of the Hutton house near Bonsor Pool; near Lily Avenue and Fern Avenue. One man is sitting on the top step, wearing a suit and tie. A second man is seated halfway down the stairs and has a young child on his knee. A woman in a white dress is sitting lower down, towards the bottom of the…
Photograph of the Hutton house near Bonsor Pool; near Lily Avenue and Fern Avenue. One man is sitting on the top step, wearing a suit and tie. A second man is seated halfway down the stairs and has a young child on his knee. A woman in a white dress is sitting lower down, towards the bottom of the stairs. The house is surrounded by a white picket fence.
Photograph of Murdoch McMurray (left) and a co-worker standing in front of Beatons Garage. They were hauling cordwood from the Capitol Hill school grounds, which was just opposite this garage. The wood would then go to the Edmonds Street School to be used as firewood. Edmonds Wood Yard had a contra…
Photograph of Murdoch McMurray (left) and a co-worker standing in front of Beatons Garage. They were hauling cordwood from the Capitol Hill school grounds, which was just opposite this garage. The wood would then go to the Edmonds Street School to be used as firewood. Edmonds Wood Yard had a contract with the Burnaby schools at this time to supply cordwood.
Photograph of Samuel Shepard, who moved to Burnaby in 1900 with his wife and from 1907 to 1931 he was the municipal clerk of Richmond. He also worked as a school teacher, and even as the Principal of the Craigflower school in Victoria.
Photograph of Samuel Shepard, who moved to Burnaby in 1900 with his wife and from 1907 to 1931 he was the municipal clerk of Richmond. He also worked as a school teacher, and even as the Principal of the Craigflower school in Victoria.
Page attached to verso of photograph gives a detailed account of his travel route on the Electric interurban tram to and from his job at the Municipal Hall
Photograph of two men standing casually with their arms across each other's shoulders, smiling. The A. MacKenzie & Co. Jubilee Store at Kingsway and Nelson is visible in the background.
Photograph of two men standing casually with their arms across each other's shoulders, smiling. The A. MacKenzie & Co. Jubilee Store at Kingsway and Nelson is visible in the background.
1 photograph : sepia ; 11.5 x 16.5 cm, mounted on board 17.5 x 23 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of the interior of Mr. Hutton's store at the corner of Pioneer and Kingsway. Mrs. A.B. Hutton is wearing an apron standing by the counters. Behind the counter, a large cash register can be seen. There are weights, various tin cans, Rennie's seeds, Christie's biscuits, etc. on display. …
1 photograph : sepia ; 11.5 x 16.5 cm, mounted on board 17.5 x 23 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
228-003
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
BHS1989-22
Scope and Content
Photograph of the interior of Mr. Hutton's store at the corner of Pioneer and Kingsway. Mrs. A.B. Hutton is wearing an apron standing by the counters. Behind the counter, a large cash register can be seen. There are weights, various tin cans, Rennie's seeds, Christie's biscuits, etc. on display. There is a cat sitting on a stool in front of the counter. The interior has hardwood finishing on the floor, walls and ceiling.
Photograph of Emerson Doran (left) and Murdoch McMurray leaning against an Edmonds Wood Yard truck full of cordwood, about to be hauled from the Capitol Hill School grounds to the Edmonds Street School for use in heating the school. Edmonds Wood Yard was opened in 1910 by Bill McDonald at 1500 Edmo…
Photograph of Emerson Doran (left) and Murdoch McMurray leaning against an Edmonds Wood Yard truck full of cordwood, about to be hauled from the Capitol Hill School grounds to the Edmonds Street School for use in heating the school. Edmonds Wood Yard was opened in 1910 by Bill McDonald at 1500 Edmonds Street (later renumbered as the 7200 block) and Kingsway. In 1916 Murdoch McMurray partnered with Emerson Doran, nephew of the owner of Doran's Mill (an early mill in Deer Lake), to buy the business from Mr. McDonald. They in turn sold out very shortly to Fred Robbins. In 1921 Murdoch McMurray and Emerson Doran, along with Jack McMurray, bought the wood yard back and ran it until 1947 when they sold it to Norman Ritchie.
ca. 130 linear feet of textual records
30 linear feet of graphic and other material
Description Level
Fonds
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of the Burnaby Historical Society's administrative records and community archives collection.
History
The Burnaby Historical Society was founded in 1957. The Historical Society developed a community archives by collecting, compiling and preserving various materials with historical value to the City of Burnaby. It gathered miscellaneous documents, photographs and other items while also soliciting and acquiring entire collections or groups of archival records.
In 1991, the Historical Society was provided a permanent space to house their growing collection at the Burnaby Village Museum and they continued to collect and expand their holdings.
After the creation of the City of Burnaby Archives in 2001, the Burnaby Historical Society and the City of Burnaby began discussing the possibility of uniting the two collections. In February 2007, an agreement was signed between the two institutions which resulted in the merger of the Society's Community Archives with the City Archives. All records and photographs that had been collected by the Historical Society were transferred into the custody of the City and were moved from the Burnaby Village Museum to the City Archives in the McGill Branch of the Burnaby Public Library.
The Burnaby Historical Society disbanded in 2018.
Subseries consists of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's Image Bank project records. Records include: Image Bank database and backups in a variety of formats; 813 photographs collected by Simon Fraser University Archives staff; eleven screened negatives from the Burnaby Image Bank that were us…
Subseries consists of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's Image Bank project records. Records include: Image Bank database and backups in a variety of formats; 813 photographs collected by Simon Fraser University Archives staff; eleven screened negatives from the Burnaby Image Bank that were used for the publication "Burnaby: A Cultural Inventory and Resource Guide"; and one VHS tape and DVD access copy of "Burnaby's Photographic Family Album / Burnaby Image Bank Collection / Volume 1 / 1992" which was created by the Committee for public viewing and purchase.
The collection of photographs for the Image Bank project were gathered from various donors to commemorate the Centennial of the City of Burnaby. All photographs were collected from Burnaby families' personal albums by Simon Fraser University Archives staff during 1991 with a focus on the history of the people and the landscape of Burnaby. Photographs were collected from every decade for every neighbourhood in effort to describe the City's evolving ethnic, cultural and physical landscape.
In March 1992, 20 of these images were selected by a jury for their aesthetic quality and displayed at the Bennett Library Gallery at Simon Fraser University for the "Images of Burnaby" exhibition. This exhibit travelled to various locations between 1992-1993 within Burnaby and Douglas College in New Westminster. The entire 800+ collection was made available for public purchase and viewing on video cassette. As well, each Burnaby school and each branch of the Burnaby Public Library received their own VHS copy for information and research purposes.
The "Image Bank" video collection was buried alongside the video "Images and Voices of Burnaby" in the City of Burnaby's time capsule, mounted at City Hall in 1992.
Photograph of the Central Park entrance arch with the "Central Park" electric sign. An Interurban tram can be seen on the right. This photograph used to be hung at the Central Park branch of the Burnaby Public Library.
Photograph of the Central Park entrance arch with the "Central Park" electric sign. An Interurban tram can be seen on the right. This photograph used to be hung at the Central Park branch of the Burnaby Public Library.
13 files of textual records : ill. (some col.) ; 9 paintings : colour print ; 2 photographs : b&w
Description Level
Fonds
Accession Number
2013-22
2012-03
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of City-generated records, personal records, and political records collected by Hazel Simnett.
History
Hazel Simnett was born in Burnaby in 1922 to Frederick and Mary Ann Simnett and grew up looking up to her father who was very involved in labour and unions. A politically active citizen, Hazel Simnett has supported the Canadian Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and the New Democratic Party (NDP). She once ran as a New Democratic Party candidate for Burnaby City Council.
Hazel attended Kingsway West Public School and Burnaby South High School in Burnaby.
During the 1970s, Hazel was President of the Century Park Museum Association, which governs Burnaby Heritage Museum and published the work "Bygones of Burnaby".
Hazel worked on the campaign team of Joan Sawicki from 1990 to 1991, which led Sawicki to be elected as Burnaby-Willingdon riding's MLA.
Hazel volunteered her time to be a member of the Burnaby Advisory Planning Commission from 1993 to 1996.
In 2006, Hazel won the Burnaby Local Hero Award for her volunteer work at the New Vista Society where she served as chair for a number of years. She also served as a member of the Burnaby Historical Society and established the Hazel Simnett Endowment with the Burnaby Public Library to bring a collection of books on Canadian history and social issues.
This portion of the recording pertains to Hazel Simnett's early years. Hazel discusses her childhood, focusing mainly on her school days and her father's interest in politics. Leslie Rossa lends her support to the interview.
This portion of the recording pertains to Hazel Simnett's early years. Hazel discusses her childhood, focusing mainly on her school days and her father's interest in politics. Leslie Rossa lends her support to the interview.
Date Range
1922-1949
Photo Info
Hazel Simnett standing in a garden, with a small dog in her arms [194-]. Item no. 549-063.
Length
0:10:13
Interviewer
Damer, Eric
Interview Date
October 27, 2012
Scope and Content
Recording is an interview with Hazel Simnett conducted by Burnaby Village Museum employee Eric Damer, October 27, 2012. Leslie Rossa lends her support to the interview. Major theme discussed: political activism in Burnaby.
Biographical Notes
Hazel Simnett was born in Burnaby in 1922 and grew up looking up to her father Frederick Simnett who was very involved in labour and unions. A politically active citizen, Hazel Simnett has supported the Canadian Commonwealth Federation (CCF) and the New Democratic Party (NDP). She once ran as a New Democratic Party candidate for Burnaby City Council.
In 2006, Hazel Simnett won the Burnaby Local Hero Award for her volunteer work at the New Vista Society where she served as chair for a number of years. She also served as a member of the Burnaby Historical Society and established the Hazel Simnett Endowment with the Burnaby Public Library to bring a collection of books on Canadian history and social issues.
Eric Damer is a lifelong British Columbian born in Victoria, raised in Kamloops, and currently residing in Burnaby. After studying philosophy at the University of Victoria, he became interested in the educational forces that had shaped his own life. He completed master’s and doctoral degrees in educational studies at the University of British Columbia with a particular interest in the history of adult and higher education in the province. In 2012, Eric worked for the City of Burnaby as a field researcher and writer, conducting interviews for the City Archives and Museum Oral History Program.