This portion of the interview is about Eileen Kernaghan’s childhood, her education and teaching career, her marriage to Pat Kernaghan and their move to Burnaby, his work at Oakalla Prison, the opening of their Neville Street bookstore, and changes in their neighbourhood
This portion of the interview is about Eileen Kernaghan’s childhood, her education and teaching career, her marriage to Pat Kernaghan and their move to Burnaby, his work at Oakalla Prison, the opening of their Neville Street bookstore, and changes in their neighbourhood
Date Range
1939-1990
Photo Info
Eileen Kernaghan standing in front of four poets at the Poetry Pocket Cafe in New Westminster, October 15, 1995. Item no. 535-0014
Recording is of an interview with Eileen Kernaghan, conducted by Rod Fowler. Eileen Kernaghan was one of eleven participants interviewed as part of the SFU/Burnaby Centennial Committee's oral history series titled, "Voices of Burnaby". The interview is mainly about Eileen Kernaghan’s activities with the Burnaby Writers’ Society and the Burnaby Arts Council, describing the history of these organizations between 1967 and 1990. She describes the financial and other challenges facing the arts community, the various programs initiated by the Arts Council, and the development of the Burnaby Arts Centre facilities at Deer Lake. She also talks about her education, writing career, the Neville Street neighbourhood, and her and her husband’s bookstore business. Ghosts believed to inhabit some of the Arts Centre's heritage buildings are also a topic of conversation. To view “Narrow By” terms for each track expand this description and see “Notes”.
Biographical Notes
Eileen Kernaghan was born January 6, 1939, to William Alfred Monk (1910-2003) and Belinda Maude Monk (1908-1996), and grew up on a dairy farm near Grindrod in the North Okanagan. She attended a two room school in Grindrod, completed Junior and Senior High School in Enderby, and at age 17 in 1956, left home to attend UBC. She taught school in the North Okanagan area in the late 1950s, during which time she married her husband Patrick Kernaghan. They moved to Vancouver in 1961, Burnaby in 1963, and settled on Neville Street in the South Slope area in 1966 with their three children. Pat Kernaghan worked at Oakalla Prison as a correctional officer until his retirement in 1988. Eileen and Patrick Kernaghan owned and operated a bookstore on Neville Street from 1987 to 1999. They later moved to New Westminster.
Eileen Kernaghan began her writing career at twelve years old with a story published in the Vancouver Sun. After her youngest child began school, with more free time, she started writing again and has become an award winning author of fantasy and science fiction novels. She helped found the Burnaby Writers’ Society in 1967, taught writing workshops, and wrote its popular Newsletter for many years. In 1971 the Society put together a small handbook for BC writers, a venture that was expanded and published by Douglas MacIntyre in 1975 as “The Upper Left-Hand Corner: a writer’s handbook for the Northwest”. The book became a Canadian best-seller. During this same period Eileen Kernaghan began her successful “Grey Isles” trilogy. In 1967 she joined the Burnaby Arts Council, worked as its Coordinator from 1973 to 1984, and was a determined advocate for municipal government support for the arts in Burnaby.
Rod Fowler returned to university as a mature student in the 1980s after working about twenty years in the field of economics and computerization in business in England, Europe and Western Canada. He graduated with a BA from SFU in both History and Sociology in 1987, his MA degree in Geography in 1989, and his PhD in Cultural Geography at SFU. He taught courses in Geography, Sociology, History and Canadian Studies at several Lower Mainland colleges, before becoming a full time member of the Geography Department at Kwantlen University College.
Interviews were digitized in 2015 allowing them to be accessible on Heritage Burnaby. The digitization project was initiated by the Community Heritage Commission with support from City of Burnaby Council.
Photograph of the Valleyview Kindergarten class on the front steps of their school with their teacher. They are lined up in rows, with the first row sitting on the steps.
Photograph of the Valleyview Kindergarten class on the front steps of their school with their teacher. They are lined up in rows, with the first row sitting on the steps.
Photograph of twenty-seven students and their teacher seated and standing in rows in front of the school building. A black dog is sitting in the front, facing the rows of children. A label on the back of the photograph states that the students are from Seaforth School. Identified in the photograp…
Photograph of twenty-seven students and their teacher seated and standing in rows in front of the school building. A black dog is sitting in the front, facing the rows of children. A label on the back of the photograph states that the students are from Seaforth School. Identified in the photograph are: Mrs. Mary Johnson (nee MacDonald) teacher, in the far back. Back row (l to r): Sandra ?, Shirley Colden, Marcia Noel, Eldon Clarke, Billy Beaton, David Park, Graeme Smith, Calvert Broomfield, Leigh Tucker and Lillian Savage. Middle row (l to r): Sharon Milne, Gail Simpson, Thelma Mornes, Joan Dachiuk, Barbara Smith, Betty Hadfield, Judy Haddon, Wilma Heather, Merle Beaton and Sammy Savage. Front row (l to r): Dennis Dachiuk, Jerry Hadfield, Mike Lawrence, David MacPhail, Sydney Clarke, Joe Haddon and Jerry Green.
1 photograph : b&w ; 3.6 x 4.4 cm print on contact sheet 20.6 x 26.8 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of the interior of a school room at Oakalla Prison Farm. Men are seated at desks, and a student and teacher are at the blackboard standing beside a map. A list of words is on the blackboard.
1 photograph : b&w ; 3.6 x 4.4 cm print on contact sheet 20.6 x 26.8 cm
Description Level
Item
Record No.
370-733
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
BHS1999-03
Scope and Content
Photograph of the interior of a school room at Oakalla Prison Farm. Men are seated at desks, and a student and teacher are at the blackboard standing beside a map. A list of words is on the blackboard.
Photograph of fourty-six students and their teacher on the steps of the school. A note on the back of the photograph reads: "Shirley's class at Sperling, Margaret Allen, teacher." At the bottom left corner of the photograph is the name of the photographer (Layton) and in the opposite corner is the…
Photograph of fourty-six students and their teacher on the steps of the school. A note on the back of the photograph reads: "Shirley's class at Sperling, Margaret Allen, teacher." At the bottom left corner of the photograph is the name of the photographer (Layton) and in the opposite corner is the year, 1950.
Photograph of twenty-seven students and their teacher seated and standing in rows outside. A label on the back of the photograph states that the students are from Seaforth School. Identified are as follows: Mrs. Mary Johnson (nee MacDonald) teacher, far right. Back row (l to r): Glen Richardson,…
Photograph of twenty-seven students and their teacher seated and standing in rows outside. A label on the back of the photograph states that the students are from Seaforth School. Identified are as follows: Mrs. Mary Johnson (nee MacDonald) teacher, far right. Back row (l to r): Glen Richardson, Leigh Tucker, Brian Clarke, Sammy Savage, Eldon Clarke, David Park, Tommy Richardson, and Joe Haddon. Second row (l to r): Mike Lawrence (standing to the left), Sandra ?, Joan Olsen, Betty Hadfield, Donna Anderson, Wilma Heather, Barbara Smith, Gail Simpson and Shirley Colden. Third row (l to r): Lois Brown, Jackie Peskett, Gail Anderson, Joan Pescott, Merle Beaton, Judy Haddon, Joan Dachiuk, Thelma Mornes, and Jerry Hadfield (standing to the right). Front row (l to r): Dennis Dachiuk, Roy Olsen, David ?, Allen Beaton, Sydney Clarke, David McPhail, and Terry Burstyk.
Photographs of thirty-nine students and their teacher, Mrs. V. Cuthbertson, on the steps of Austin Heights School in Coquitlam. A note on the back of the picture indicates that this was the grade one class.
Photographs of thirty-nine students and their teacher, Mrs. V. Cuthbertson, on the steps of Austin Heights School in Coquitlam. A note on the back of the picture indicates that this was the grade one class.
Photograph of thirty-two unidentified children and their teacher, Mrs. V. Cuthbertson, on the steps of Sperling Avenue school. Written on the bottom of the photograph are the name of the photographer (Layton) and the year in which the picture was taken (1952).
Photograph of thirty-two unidentified children and their teacher, Mrs. V. Cuthbertson, on the steps of Sperling Avenue school. Written on the bottom of the photograph are the name of the photographer (Layton) and the year in which the picture was taken (1952).
Photograph of Sperling School students and their teacher sitting and standing in four rows outside. Identified from the back row (standing), left to right are: Ian Wallace, Alf Backman, Robert Curley, Donald Keyes, George Wyckham, Alf Vickson, David Armitage, Keith Morrison, Frank Head. Third row (…
Photograph of Sperling School students and their teacher sitting and standing in four rows outside. Identified from the back row (standing), left to right are: Ian Wallace, Alf Backman, Robert Curley, Donald Keyes, George Wyckham, Alf Vickson, David Armitage, Keith Morrison, Frank Head. Third row (standing) left to right are: Principal William Wallace, Albert Salter, Harvey Patterson, Elaine Craig, Maxine Fedora, Joanne Keyes, Shirley Cuthbertson, Norman Evans, Jimmy Dronsfield, Ken Gould. Second row (sitting) from left are: Lorraine Sutton, Maureen Olafson, Carrie Metcalf, Betty Savage, Louise Moore, Shirley Scuffi, Karen Svenson, Violet Vickson, Pat Deacon, Graeme Smith.
Front row (sitting) from left to right are: David Johnson, Ted Nordin, Dennis Robinson, Charlie Peck, Eddy Morrison, Bobby Burke.
Transcribed title (taken from verso of photograph)
Written on the back of the photograph is the following: "Grade Eight, Graduating Class, Sperling Avenue, May 1952." At the bottom left of the photograph, the word "Layton" can be discerned while in the opposite corner the year "1952" is visible.
Identification key provided by Burnaby resident Dennis Robinson 11/2013
Photograph of the Grade 3 class at Edmonds Street School. A note on the back of the photographs identifies the group as follows: Back row (l to r) - Doug Goss, Stanley J., Bobby Park, Ronnie Hill, Gerry Sung, Ricky Howard, unidentified, Leigh (last name unknown). Second Row - Douglas World, Lionel…
Photograph of the Grade 3 class at Edmonds Street School. A note on the back of the photographs identifies the group as follows: Back row (l to r) - Doug Goss, Stanley J., Bobby Park, Ronnie Hill, Gerry Sung, Ricky Howard, unidentified, Leigh (last name unknown). Second Row - Douglas World, Lionel B., Alan (last name unknown), Billy (last name unknown), unidentified, unidentified , unidentified. Front row - Miss Rapp (teacher), Diane E., Barbara B., Judy Shaw, David (last name unknown), Maureen M, unidentified, Linda G., Raymond (last name unknown), and Roberta Hollaway.
Photograph of thirty-five unidentified children and their teacher, Mrs. V. Cuthbertson, sitting and standing in four rows standing outside. Written along the bottom of the photograph is the name of the photographer (Layton) and the name of the school along with the year the picture was taken.
Photograph of thirty-five unidentified children and their teacher, Mrs. V. Cuthbertson, sitting and standing in four rows standing outside. Written along the bottom of the photograph is the name of the photographer (Layton) and the name of the school along with the year the picture was taken.
Photograph of the Douglas Road School Division 14, Grade 1 class standing at sitting in rows on the front steps of their school with their teacher, Greta Martin (Nee Beck - far left).
Photograph of the Douglas Road School Division 14, Grade 1 class standing at sitting in rows on the front steps of their school with their teacher, Greta Martin (Nee Beck - far left).
Photograph of the staff at Brentwood Park School. The woman are standing in a row at the back, with the men sitting in chairs at the front. Handwritten note on verso of print identifies the staff members in the photograph as: " Back - Miss Doreen Hurst, Mrs. M. DeRidder, Mrs. Melvin (Secretary), Mi…
Photograph of the staff at Brentwood Park School. The woman are standing in a row at the back, with the men sitting in chairs at the front. Handwritten note on verso of print identifies the staff members in the photograph as: " Back - Miss Doreen Hurst, Mrs. M. DeRidder, Mrs. Melvin (Secretary), Miss Marjorie Biggar, Miss Malcolm, Mrs. Guggisberg, Miss Joan Beauchamp Front - Mr. Eldon Dunnett, Mr. J.R. Wilson (Principal), Mr. Olson, Mr. Killer"
Photograph of Mr. Hadley and his Grade 9 Div. 6 class standing on the steps of the new Junior High School building. The man standing in the back row, third from the right is believed to be Mr. Hadley.
Photograph of Mr. Hadley and his Grade 9 Div. 6 class standing on the steps of the new Junior High School building. The man standing in the back row, third from the right is believed to be Mr. Hadley.
Photograph of the Grade 2-3, Division 3 class at Brentwood Park School sitting and standing in rows outside of their school with their teacher, Mrs. M. DeRidder (far left).
Photograph of the Grade 2-3, Division 3 class at Brentwood Park School sitting and standing in rows outside of their school with their teacher, Mrs. M. DeRidder (far left).