1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard
Scope and Content
Photograph is an aerial view looking east on Kingsway, taken from the twenty-first floor of the Panorama Towers on Grange Street, with Sears and Kelly Douglas in the background.
1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard
Description Level
Item
Record No.
556-004
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
2013-13
Scope and Content
Photograph is an aerial view looking east on Kingsway, taken from the twenty-first floor of the Panorama Towers on Grange Street, with Sears and Kelly Douglas in the background.
Photograph of Alvin Helmersen the winner of a $500 Food Technology Scholarship from Kelly Douglas & Co. Ltd. At the time, he was working in process control at Nabob's Burnaby plant for the summer, and returning to fourth year studies at UBC in the fall.
Photograph of Alvin Helmersen the winner of a $500 Food Technology Scholarship from Kelly Douglas & Co. Ltd. At the time, he was working in process control at Nabob's Burnaby plant for the summer, and returning to fourth year studies at UBC in the fall.
12 cm of textual records + 1 photograph : b&w + 6 photographs : col.
Scope and Content
Series consists of business records collected and created by Cecil Lee while he was employed as a Produce Buyer for Kelly Douglas Limited and Western Commodities Limited and responsible for the import of Chinese mandarin oranges. Records include correspondence, photographs, documentation regarding …
12 cm of textual records + 1 photograph : b&w + 6 photographs : col.
Scope and Content
Series consists of business records collected and created by Cecil Lee while he was employed as a Produce Buyer for Kelly Douglas Limited and Western Commodities Limited and responsible for the import of Chinese mandarin oranges. Records include correspondence, photographs, documentation regarding travel within China along with export and import information, contracts, financial reports, credit applications, Chinese trade fair information and ephemera.
History
Kelly Douglas and Company Limited was founded in 1896 as a wholesale grocery business. In 1946, its headquarters moved from Vancouver to Burnaby and a manufacturing plant and warehouse were built on the site at 4700 Kingsway. During the nineteen seventies, Kelly Douglas and Company Limited and the Produce Department of Western Commodities Limited were located on this site. In 1986, the building was demolished and the produce department of Kelly Douglas was relocated to 6451 Telford Burnaby and the head office to 808 Nelson Street, Vancouver. In the nineteen seventies, Cecil Lee worked as a produce buyer for Kelly Douglas & Company Ltd.and Western Commodities. In the mid-1970s, Lee was asked to oversee the import of Chinese mandarin oranges into Canada. Until that time, mandarin oranges had come from Japan and were sold in the winter, especially at Christmas. When the Japanese market could no longer keep up with demand, Kelly Douglas & Company looked to China. The company relied on Lee’s cultural knowledge to build this very profitable part of their business. Cecil Lee designed the cardboard Chinese mandarin orange box to replace wooden container
Item consists of a one page flyer from Kelly Douglas and Company Limited titled "China Month Contest (includes handwritten Chinese characters above the english title) to "All Super Valu Stores" with the subject: "Chinese Mandarin Oranges Promotion".
Item consists of a one page flyer from Kelly Douglas and Company Limited titled "China Month Contest (includes handwritten Chinese characters above the english title) to "All Super Valu Stores" with the subject: "Chinese Mandarin Oranges Promotion".
The Nabob brand coffee can is made of metal, It is round and is sealed with a lid. The label is green background, with red letters. There are two cream and gold panels on the side, printed with product information. The label is printed directly on the metal. The lid has text embossed into the metal. The condition of can is good.
NABOB NABOB
COFFEE COFFEE
is a blend of carefully is now irradiated by
selected Coffee Beans our special scientific
scientifically blended, patended process.
thermalo roasted, Reg. Can. Patent
iradiated and No. 316050
vacuum packed. NABOB COFFEE
is now subjected to See Other Panel the ultra-violat ray
and sealed in vacuum-
KELLY DOUGLAS packed tins to preserve
& CO. LIMITED the natural aroma
VANCOUVER, B.C. of the coffee.
Nabob was one of the food brands used by the Kelly, Douglas Co. Ltd.
The can was manufactured by the American Can Co. of Vancouver, BC., as noted on the label (A. C. Co. Ltd.)
Object History
Kelly, Douglas & Co. Ltd. began as a wholesale grocery partnership in 1896 and grew to one of Western Canada's leading wholesaler and retailers of food. (See "From Sour Dough to Super Store" by Bill Davies for more information)
Marks/Labels
"Nabob Irradiated Coffee / The Same Famous Flavour / Kelly, Douglas & Co. Ltd." printed on front and back of tin
"Nabob Coffee is a blend...and vacuum packed...Vancouver BC" "Guaranteed 5 Lbs. Net", printed on side of can.
"Nabob Coffee is now irradiated...natual aroma of the coffee" "Vancouver Canada", printed on side of can.
"Roaster Fresh", printed on either side of brand name, on front and back of can.
"A.C. Co. 2L", printed on lower edge of label.
container, pail, metal; orange, blue, black; carrying handle; lid missing; label printed on metal coffee plantation scene, decorative scrolled leaf motif behind; rust, stain residue inside, metal deterioration, scratches, scuffed
Object History
Kelly, Douglas & Co. Ltd. began as a wholesale grocery partnership in 1896 and grew to one of Western Canada's leading wholesaler and retailer of food. (See "From Sour Dough to Super Store" by Bill Davies for more information)
Marks/Labels
"Hilla Brand Coffee" "Registration Applied For" "Imported & Roasted by Kelly Douglas & Co. Ltd., Vancouver, B.C." "5 Lbs. Net Weight" "A.C. Co. 2L"
Container, round, metal; with lid; green, cream, red; label is printed on metal; top part is green with cream lettering; bottom part is cream with red lettering; label includes directions for biscuits; good condition, some minor scratches
Object History
Donor purchased objects from various collectors and antique retailers.
Marks/Labels
"Nabob Brand baking powder" "Kelly, Douglas & Co. Ltd./Head Office, Vancouver, Canada" "Directions For Biscuits...in a quick oven" "3 lbs net" "is a double agent...sifted flour"
container, metal, round, with lid; label is printed on metal; green background with cream writing; image of building (hotel) in light green on cream background; geometric motif on either side of image; two labels in light green with product information; good condition; gold patches on lid
Object History
Kelly, Douglas & Co. Ltd. began as a wholesale grocery partnership in 1896 and grew to one of Western Canada's leading wholesaler and retailer of food. (See "From Sour Dough to Super Store" by Bill Davies for more information)
Marks/Labels
"Nabob Brand Hotel Blend Coffee" "Vacuum Packed" "Nabob Hotel Coffee...years have proven this" "This coffee is packed by Kelly, Douglas & Company Limited" "Vancouver BC" "The Nabob coffee in this...finest coffee attainable" "5 Lbs Net Weight"
Photograph of the site of Kelly Douglas and Co. at 4700 Kingsway after the building was demolished. A bulldozer and a large truck with two men standing on it are at the back left of the photograph.
Printed on verso of photograph: "This paper manufactured by Kodak"
Description Level
Item
Record No.
178-001
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
BHS1986-26
Scope and Content
Photograph of the site of Kelly Douglas and Co. at 4700 Kingsway after the building was demolished. A bulldozer and a large truck with two men standing on it are at the back left of the photograph.
Photograph of the site of Kelly Douglas and Co. at 4700 Kingsway after the building was demolished. Buildings and the Skytrain Expo line are visible in the background.
Photograph of the site of Kelly Douglas and Co. at 4700 Kingsway after the building was demolished. Buildings and the Skytrain Expo line are visible in the background.
Photograph of the site of Kelly Douglas and Co. at 4700 Kingsway after the building was demolished. An excavator is working on the site. Cars are parked outside a fence, and a van lettered, "ATCO," is inside the fence.
Photograph of the site of Kelly Douglas and Co. at 4700 Kingsway after the building was demolished. An excavator is working on the site. Cars are parked outside a fence, and a van lettered, "ATCO," is inside the fence.
Photograph of a parade float with its side decorated with leaves and flowers forming the letters "KELLY DOUGLAS CO LTD" on its side. The front of the float has words "TEA" and "COFFEE" spelled out. The arch on the float has "NABOB" written across top and down right side. There are two women and a …
Faint circular stamp mark of "Vancouver Drug Co." on verso, and gummed paper on each corner.
Circular stamp on verso of photograph reads, "Come to Vancouver's Golden Jubilee / 50 Years of Progress" outside its circular seal for "Vancouver Drug / Co. Ltd./ Nu-Gloss / PHOTO FINISH"
Scope and Content
Photograph of a parade float with its side decorated with leaves and flowers forming the letters "KELLY DOUGLAS CO LTD" on its side. The front of the float has words "TEA" and "COFFEE" spelled out. The arch on the float has "NABOB" written across top and down right side. There are two women and a man below arch. The setting is Granville and Hastings in Vancouver. Visible in the background are crowds of people at the street side, Post Office, Royal Bank and "Famous Furs" store.
Photograph of the exterior of the Nabob Foods plant in Lake City, Burnaby. Kelly Douglas and Company were the original owners, but they entered into an agreement with Swiss-owned Jacobs AG, allowing Jacobs to acquire Nabob Foods in August of 1976.
Photograph of the exterior of the Nabob Foods plant in Lake City, Burnaby. Kelly Douglas and Company were the original owners, but they entered into an agreement with Swiss-owned Jacobs AG, allowing Jacobs to acquire Nabob Foods in August of 1976.
Newspaper clipping attached to verso of photograph reads: "Nabob Foods plant at Lake City in Burnaby will have access to the world-wide buying powers of Jacobs AG if the proposed sale by Kelly Douglas is approved."
1 photograph : b&w ; 3.8 x 3.8 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.3 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of a float in a parade on the 4600 block of Kingsway. The photo was taken looking southward, and the Kelly Douglas and Co. warehouse can be seen in the background.
1 photograph : b&w ; 3.8 x 3.8 cm print on contact sheet 20.1 x 26.3 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
370-755
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No restrictions
Accession Number
BHS1999-03
Scope and Content
Photograph of a float in a parade on the 4600 block of Kingsway. The photo was taken looking southward, and the Kelly Douglas and Co. warehouse can be seen in the background.
Item consists of a flyer from the Produce Department of Kelly Douglas and Company Limited regarding the price changes for mandarin oranges in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.
Item consists of a flyer from the Produce Department of Kelly Douglas and Company Limited regarding the price changes for mandarin oranges in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.
Jar, for curry powder; clear glass jar with label and metal lid; green label has large red lettering, small black lettering and logo across top, with cream bar with black lettering near bottom; contents still inside bottle; "Nabob"
Object History
Kelly, Douglas & Co. Ltd. began as a wholesale grocery partnership in 1896 and grew to one of Western Canada's leading wholesaler and retailer of food. (See "From Sour Dough to Super Store" by Bill Davies for more information)
Marks/Labels
"NABOB / BRAND (small) / CURRY / POWDER", printed on label
"KELLY DOUGLAS & CO / LIMITED / VANCOUVER B.C.", printed on label
This rectangular Nabob Brand tea tin has a hinged lid. The side panels have a green background with the text in black a nd the brand name and logos in red, all printed directly on the tin.
.
The container, metal, square, with hinged lid; green, red, gold, white, black;
The paint is scratched and worn and the metal is deteriorated with rust spots.
Object History
Kelly, Douglas & Co. Ltd. began as a wholesale grocery partnership in 1896 and grew to one of Western Canada's leading wholesaler and retailer of food. (See "From Sour Dough to Super Store" by Bill Davies for more information)
Marks/Labels
"Nabob" "Pure Indian & Ceylon Tea" "Kelly, Douglas & Co. Limited" "Vancouver, B.C." "3 Lbs. Net", repeats on all sides
6 photographs : col. + 1 photograph : b&w + 1 photograph : sepia + 41 photographs (tiffs) + 4 photographs (jpgs) + 12 cm of textual records
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of family photographs of the Jung, Chan and Lee families as well as business records collected and created by Cecil Lee in the nineteen seventies, while he was employed as a Produce Buyer for Kelly Douglas Limited and Western Commodities Limited and responsible for the import of Chin…
6 photographs : col. + 1 photograph : b&w + 1 photograph : sepia + 41 photographs (tiffs) + 4 photographs (jpgs) + 12 cm of textual records
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of family photographs of the Jung, Chan and Lee families as well as business records collected and created by Cecil Lee in the nineteen seventies, while he was employed as a Produce Buyer for Kelly Douglas Limited and Western Commodities Limited and responsible for the import of Chinese mandarin oranges.
Fonds is arranged into the following series:
1) Lee family photographs series
3) Cecil Lee business records series
History
Julie Cho Chan Lee is the daughter of Suey Ying Jung (Laura) (1912-2006) and Puy Yuen Chan (1903-1978). Suey Ying "Laura" and Puy Yuen Chan were married in New Westminster in November 1942 followed by a fourteen year residency in the “minority town site” of Fraser Mills where their daughters Julie and June were born.
Julie's mother Suey Ying "Laura" Jung was born in Burnaby in 1912 to Chung Chong Jung (1875-1956) and Gee Shee Jung (1879-1952). The family had six children (five of which lived to adulthood); Suey Fong "Maida" (1909-1997) (married Quinn Wong) ; Suey Kin "Annie" (1911-1962) (married George Jong); Suey Ying "Laura"; Suey Cheung "Harry" (1916-1991) and "; Suey Yook "Gordon" (1919-1998). The family owned and operated a five acre market garden and piggery at 5460 Douglas Road near Still Creek (address was changed to 5286 Douglas Road in 1958). This was conveniently located directly across the street from Douglas Road Interurban Station. The children attended Edmonds Elementary School and while the girls only completed their elementary school years, the boys continued their education at the Vancouver Technical School. Chung Chong and Gee Shee Jung sold the farm on Douglas Road around 1949 and moved to East Vancouver.
Julie's mother, Suey Ying "Laura" Jung continued to live and work on the Jung family farm until she was married in 1942 when she moved to live with her husband, Puy Yuen at Fraser Mills. Suey Ying "Laura"'s sister Maida and her husband Quinn Wong also lived at Fraser Mills with their nine children. Julie's father, Puy Yuen Chan joined his father, Chin Yip Hong in Canada at the tender age of 12, worked as a shingle packer and plywood plant handler at Fraser Mills for forty years and retired without ever learning to speak English.
In 1972, Julie Cho Chan married Cecil Lee and lived in Surrey where their two boys, Rodney and Darin were born. Just prior to the start of school for Rodney, the family relocated to Coquitlam where Julie had lived since 1956. Julie worked as a teacher and later as a teacher-librarian in the Coquitlam School District.
Cecil Chue Kan Lee was born in Queensborough to Sui Seo Ngen and Ding Quai Lee. Cecil is the youngest of eight children; Chue Ngan "Gladys"; Chue Fay "Walter"; Chue Quon "Charlie"; Chue Jan "Pearl"; Chue Moi "Rose"; Chue Duck "Dick" and Chue Kwong "Ken". Cecil’s father, Ding Quai Lee was a jack of all trades including a labour contractor as a well as a millwright for G.W. Beach’s three mills, Keystone, Sapperton and Harrison Mills.In 1931, with the arrival of the Depression, the family made the difficult decision to return to their homeland of Guangzhou province, eventually returning to Canada in 1939. With this decision, Ding Quai wrestled with the burden of the repayment of the loans for two way steamship fares to and from China. Upon their return to Canada, the family lived a short time on Union Street in Vancouver before relocating to Queensborough (New Westminster). Cecil and his siblings were schooled at Queen Elizabeth Elementary School followed by varying stints at FW Howay and Duke of Connaught High Schools.
In 1951, Cecil Lee joined Kelly Douglas & Company Ltd., a subsidiary of the George Weston Empire, as a produce warehouseman, followed by several years as a foreman and then in the early seventies until his 1991 retirement after forty years of service, he served as one of the KD produce buyers. In this capacity, he worked closely with local farmers along Marine Drive and in the Fraser Valley.
Kelly Douglas and Company Limited was founded in 1896 as a wholesale grocery business and became one of the largest food distributors in Canada. In 1946, its headquarters moved from Vancouver to Burnaby and a manufacturing plant and warehouse were built on the site at 4700 Kingsway. In the mid-1970s, Lee along with the associates at Western Commodities, the head office for produce imports, was asked to oversee the import of Chinese mandarin oranges into western Canada. Until that time, mandarin oranges had come only from Japan and were sold in the winter, especially at Christmas. When the Japanese market could no longer keep up with the popular demand, Kelly Douglas and Company Limited looked to China. The company relied on Lee’s cultural knowledge to build this very profitable part of their business. Moreover, Cecil Lee designed, though not patented, the cardboard Chinese mandarin orange box to replace wooden containers. The iconic design required no glue or staples, making it possible for farmers to assemble and pack the boxes as they picked the oranges.
In 1986, the Kelly Douglas and Company building was demolished and the produce department of Kelly Douglas was relocated to 6451 Telford Burnaby and the head office to 808 Nelson Street, Vancouver.
Records within fonds are composed of business records and family photographs arranged by the Lee family.
Notes
Title based on contents of fonds
See also: Interview with Julie Lee by Denise Fong February 6, 2020. -- [1920-1992] (interview content), interviewed Feb. 6, 2020 BV020.6.2
See also artifact descriptions under accession BV019.6 including BV019.6.1 - for description of original box to ship and sell mandarin oranges; BV019.6.15 and BV019.6.16 for Chinese mandarin orange wrappers "Snow Mountain Mandarin Orange"
Many of the "Business records" are closed and subject to FIPPA, contact Burnaby Village Museum regarding access
Commodities Catalogue; China National Cereals, Oils & Foodstuffs Import & Export Corp; text in English and Chinese; glossy cover; bifold binding with two staples; 52 pages; title page and table of contents; import and export "Branches" in China and Hongkong and Macao Agents listed on inside of back cover; annotations in pen and pencil on last page and inside of back cover.
Object History
Publication "Commodities Catalogue", was part of a scrapbook created by Cecil Chue Kan Lee documenting the time he was employed as a Prodcue Buyer for Kelly Douglas and Company Limited and Western Commodities Limited in the 1970s and early 1980s. As a produce buyer for Kelly Douglas, Cecil Lee worked closely with local farmers along Marine Drive and in the Fraser Valley. The Burnaby company was one of the largest food distributors in Canada. In the mid-1970s, Lee was asked to oversee the import of Chinese mandarin oranges into Canada. Until that time, mandarin oranges had come from Japan and were sold in the winter, especially at Christmas. When the Japanese market could no longer keep up with demand, Kelly Douglas looked to China. The company relied on Lee’s cultural knowledge to build this very profitable part of their business.
Reference
The first few pages and the last page of this publication are available for viewing on Heritage Burnaby. Contact Burnaby Village Museum to view entire content.
For other records in this collection see: Business records series of Julie Lee and Cecil Lee family fonds
customs declaration; 2 p. folded in three segments; yellow carbon page, one sided; white page double sided; text in both Chinese and English throughout; title on front cover reads: "Customs of the People's Republic of China / Baggage Declaration for Incoming Passengers"
Object History
Item was part of a scrapbook created by Cecil Chue Kan Lee documenting the time he was employed as a Prodcue Buyer for Kelly Douglas and Company Limited and Western Commodities Limited in the 1970s and early 1980s. As a produce buyer for Kelly Douglas, Cecil Lee worked closely with local farmers along Marine Drive and in the Fraser Valley. The Burnaby company was one of the largest food distributors in Canada. In the mid-1970s, Lee was asked to oversee the import of Chinese mandarin oranges into Canada. Until that time, mandarin oranges had come from Japan and were sold in the winter, especially at Christmas. When the Japanese market could no longer keep up with demand, Kelly Douglas looked to China. The company relied on Lee’s cultural knowledge to build this very profitable part of their business.
Reference
For other records in this collection see: Business records series of Julie Lee and Cecil Lee family fonds