After considering several sites in the Greater Vancouver area, the Shell Oil Company chose 70 acres in North Burnaby with frontage of one third of a mile on Burrard Inlet. Shell proposed to build a four-million dollar plant that would employ up to 2000 - providing some relief in the middle of Burnaby's economic crisis of the Depression years. The site became known as the Shellburn Refinery and was in operation until 1993.
Photograph of an unidentified young child sitting on the grass beside a small wheelbarrow. The child is wearing polka dot shorts, a white top and is barefoot. There is a wooden fence behind with some flowering plants along the bottom.
Photograph of an unidentified young child sitting on the grass beside a small wheelbarrow. The child is wearing polka dot shorts, a white top and is barefoot. There is a wooden fence behind with some flowering plants along the bottom.
Fonds consists of photographs documenting the transformation of the Burnaby Lake area of Burnaby, B.C. from semi-rural in the 1920s to urbanized in 2016. Photographs depict the land and houses located on the corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street as the property was rezoned and its density quad…
Fonds consists of photographs documenting the transformation of the Burnaby Lake area of Burnaby, B.C. from semi-rural in the 1920s to urbanized in 2016. Photographs depict the land and houses located on the corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street as the property was rezoned and its density quadrupled. Fonds also includes photographs of the Small family house being moved to 5496 Dominion Street and the original landscape plan for 5118 Douglas Road.
History
In 1915, John W. Roberts and his wife Mary Allen Roberts moved from the United States to Canada along with their daughter, Lauretta. On first moving to Canada, the family lived in a rented house in Vancouver and John worked as a movie projectionist in the city. The couple had three more children, all sons: John A., Edward, and Roland.
Circa 1921, John purchased a large parcel of land at the corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street in Burnaby. This parcel encompassed the equivalent of at least six 66-foot lots along the south side of Dominion Street and the same along the north side of Norfolk Street. On their property, a barn and small living quarters were built. The family moved in, raising goats and growing potatoes to supplement their income. They also planted cherry, apple, and pear trees; hazelnut and walnut trees; raspberries; and a large vegetable garden, the fruits of which Mary preserved for year-round use. At this time, agricultural activities were common for families in the area: the Roberts' neighbours kept chickens for personal use and for selling eggs; grew mushrooms for commercial sale; and sold manure from an old buckboard drawn by Clydesdale horses.
John built a new house in the middle of the Roberts’ lots on the southwest corner of Douglas Road and Dominion Street. The house faced Douglas Road and overlooked a large, well-landscaped front yard to the east and a full-sized, clay tennis court to the north. The family moved into this new house in 1925. When the Roberts ceased raising goats, the barn and original living quarters were reduced to a double-car garage with storage space plus a sawdust-insulated “root cellar”.
John also built a house on the northwest corner of the lot at Douglas Road and Dominion Street (3093 Douglas Road), which was purchased by the Hardy family. In 1957, part of this property (3071 Douglas Road) was sold to the Brocklebanks who built a house and lived there. In addition, John built a house at the northwest corner of Douglas Road and Norfolk Street (5106 Douglas Road). The original purchaser of this house is unknown, but in 1949, it was bought by the Meyers family. In 1952 or 1953, the Meyers sold part of this property and the Manahans built a house on it, facing Douglas Road.
Several other lots that John owned were also sold off over the years. By the 1950s, John owned only five 66-foot lots from Douglas Road west, along the south side Dominion Street. In 1954, John sold the lot furthest from Douglas Road (5486 Dominion Street) to a builder who built a “ranch-style” house and put it up for sale.
John retired from his career as a movie projectionist in the 1950s. He, Mary, and Lauretta retained their US citizenship all their lives, although they never returned to the USA except for brief visits. John A., Edward, and Roland who, as children of US citizens, also had US citizenship, eventually moved to the US, where they remained for the rest of their lives.
In 1945, Lauretta married Frederick Small. The couple lived in a rented house in Vancouver for a few years before moving in with John and Mary in Burnaby. The couple had four children: Elizabeth, Kathryn, Charles, and Martin. In 1955, Frederick purchased the rancher at 5486 Dominion Street and the family moved in.
The Small children grew up enjoying the freedom of having their grandparent’s large property in addition to their parent’s yard to play in. The back lane that ran between Dominion Street and Norfolk Street was filled with trees and bushes, creating a narrow bit of “forest” to explore.
In 1957, John died. Mary died in 1969, as did Frederick. Lauretta was executor for her mother’s and husband’s estates. After much consideration, she decided to sell the house at 5486 Dominion Street and move back into her childhood home. By doing so, she was able to settle her mother’s estate to the satisfaction of her brothers.
Elizabeth married and moved away. Over the next few years, the “Roberts” house was home to Lauretta, Kathryn, Charles, and Martin, with the three grown children moving in and out several times during the 1970s.
In 1981, Lauretta died. Her children discussed at length how to divide up the property, which consisted of four 66-foot lots, according to her will. None of her children wanted to see the old family house destroyed but the house straddled two lots. They finally decided that if one of them wanted to pay to move the house to sit on one of the lots, the “value” of the house would not enter into the settlement of the estate. Kathryn chose to do this. In 1982, the old house was moved to 5496 Dominion Street and Kathryn continued to live in it.
Martin died in 1982. Elizabeth and Charles each inherited one lot and the last lot, which would have gone to Martin, was sold, the funds divided equally between Elizabeth, Kathryn, and Charles.
The three lots between 5496 Dominion Street and Douglas Road were subdivided into 33-foot lots and six new houses were built. In 1993, the Meyers property and the Manahan property were subdivided into 33-foot lots facing Norfolk Street and the old houses were torn down and four new houses were built.
File contains correspondence pertaining to the South Burnaby Garden Club, as well as information on various plants and fertilizers. Also included in the file is a Fall Show programme from the North Burnaby Horticultural Society.
File contains correspondence pertaining to the South Burnaby Garden Club, as well as information on various plants and fertilizers. Also included in the file is a Fall Show programme from the North Burnaby Horticultural Society.
Photograph of Vernon Tryson, president of Tryson & Son Iron Works Ltd. when the firm's Burnaby plant was opened. The firm was founded in 1930 by Vernon's father Fred Tryson in the basement of their family home. By 1965 it had become "a medium-size industry".
Photograph of Vernon Tryson, president of Tryson & Son Iron Works Ltd. when the firm's Burnaby plant was opened. The firm was founded in 1930 by Vernon's father Fred Tryson in the basement of their family home. By 1965 it had become "a medium-size industry".
1 album (88 photographs + textual records) + 2 photographs in frames
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records documenting the lives of both the Waplington and Fleming families who resided at 3813 Deer Lake. Records include a family photograph album; two framed portraits: one of John Waplington and Doris Waplington (nee Caswell) (possibly on their wedding day) and Frances (nee Wapl…
1 album (88 photographs + textual records) + 2 photographs in frames
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records documenting the lives of both the Waplington and Fleming families who resided at 3813 Deer Lake. Records include a family photograph album; two framed portraits: one of John Waplington and Doris Waplington (nee Caswell) (possibly on their wedding day) and Frances (nee Waplington) and Ray Fleming; a copy of a handwritten memoir "The Way it Was / 1913-1925"; as well as a computer printed copy of "In and Out of / A Cedar Shake Shack" / "The life of a little girl from World War I / to Canada's Diamond Jubilee" both written by Frances L. Fleming (nee Waplington).
Fonds is arranged into series:
1) Waplington and Fleming families album series
2) Frances Fleming manuscripts series
3) Waplington family documents series
4) Waplington family photographs series
History
John (Jack) Waplington emigrated from Nottingham, England in 1904, arriving in Quebec City and continuing on to Ontario before eventually settling in British Columbia. Somewhere on his journey his right hand was crushed in an industrial accident and amputated. Following his recovery, Jack continued to work his way across Canada until he found employment at Stave Falls, B.C. and married Sarah Alice Cogswell (nee Nickerson). Jack and Sarah (nicknamed Cutie) Waplington had three children; Frances Louise Waplington (1913-2004), John Hazen Waplington and Grace Bancroft Waplington.
In 1916, the Waplingtons rented the Walker house at Hill Station on the Burnaby Lake Interurban Line and in 1920 Jack built a cedar shack on 5 acres of land at 4925 Douglas Road (northwest corner of Douglas and Laurel). According to a memoir by Frances Waplington, life was rough living in the cedar shack on Douglas Road with no electricity or running water and by 1925 the family was lucky to purchase "Brookfield", the former home of Louis Claude Hill located at 3813 Deer Lake Avenue. The home was not in good shape having been empty for some time but was located on ¾ of an acre and purchased at a fair price of $1000. The house was surrounded by grass and flowers gone wild and very tall fir trees. The house had running water, electricity and was heated by a wood burning stove in the kitchen and hall and a fireplace in the living room. There was no refrigeration other than the ice box. The three Waplington children, Frances, John and Grace continued to attend Douglas Road School. The family renovated and restored the house at Deer Lake as well as the grounds, adding in flower and vegetable gardens. The large area of grass which formerly housed a tennis court was rolled flat and reseeded. Jack Waplington continued to work for the power company which became B.C. Electric Company and eventually B.C. Power and Hydro. The Waplingtons continued to live at 3813 Deer Lake until 1946 when they sold their home to their daughter Frances who married Ray Fleming. Jack and Sarah Waplington retired and moved to Lasquiti island.
Frances "Fanny" Waplington married Reyland "Ray" Fleming October 11, 1935. Ray and Frances Fleming had three children; John (Jack) Reyland, Edith (Edie) Louise and Sara Maureen. In 1941 Ray was hired by the B.C. Electric Company to work at Buntzen Lake hydro station. There was no housing at the hydro station so the family lived on a 42’ coastal boat, the Cohoe Bay tied up to the dock at Buntzen Lake. Since it was war time, there was fear that the two hydro plants at Stave Falls and Buntzen Lake could be targeted for bombing so the Fleming family had to learn about air raid sirens, bunkers, helmets and gas masks. The children attended a one room classroom at Buntzen Lake and participated in school drills when the air raid siren sounded.
By 1947 the Fleming family moved to the Waplington home at 3813 Deer lake Avenue after purchasing it from Frances’ parents. Ray continued to work for B.C. Electric and eventually B.C. Power and B.C. Hydro. The children walked or rode bicycles to and from Douglas Road School. At the time the family moved into their home there were no buses only the Interurban streetcar to take them to Vancouver. Douglas Road station was the nearest stop to Deer Lake on the Burnaby Lake Line. The closest neighbours were the Oakalla Prison farm (located off of Royal Oak hill overlooking Deer Lake) and the Ceperley mansion. Prison breaks were common and both the Waplington and Fleming families would often hear air raid sirens blare to warn them. The neighbourhood would go on high alert and the children would immediately run home to safety. Mr. Fleming was well prepared with his 22 rifle nearby should it be needed.
After Sarah Waplington died, Jack Waplington returned to Deer Lake to live in a house trailer on the property that was owned by the Flemings. In 1959, after the Fleming children had grown and moved on, Ray and Frances Fleming sold the property to the Municipality of Burnaby. The Municipality rented it out for several years prior to its demolition around 1970 to make way for Burnaby’s Heritage Village.
Frances Louise Fleming received her teaching degree from the Vancouver Normal School at the end of World War II but found it extremely difficult to secure a permanent teaching position as a woman. Between 1944 and 1954, Frances was hired and fired eight times from teaching positions despite excellent reports. Finally in 1954, she was invited to teach in an adjoining district with a permanent teaching appointment to follow. Over the years, Frances taught in Vancouver, Burnaby, Pender Harbour and served as vice principal at Magee Secondary. In the early 1970s Frances was appointed provincial superintendent of schools at Quesnel and then moved to Victoria to be assistant superintendent of integrated and supportive services and then in 1973, she became assistant superintendent of the department of public intstruction. Frances retired from teaching soon after, moving to the Sunshine Coast with her husband Ray. Frances was awarded the Order of British Columbia in 1997, was an accomplished writer who regularly contributed articles to the Vancouver Sun newspaper and othe publications. Ray Fleming died in 2002 and Frances Fleming died in 2004.
Series arrangement is based on physical arrangement of records by donor. Family album was scanned in it's original order and items from within family album were removed and described at item and file level.
Photograph of Columbian farm and garden columnist William Hawley admiring an azalea which was early to flower. He was the garden columnist for most of the 1960's, and prior to that he was a salesman and nutritionist for Brackman-Kerr feed store in New Westminster for 40 years. He and his wife Doree…
Photograph of Columbian farm and garden columnist William Hawley admiring an azalea which was early to flower. He was the garden columnist for most of the 1960's, and prior to that he was a salesman and nutritionist for Brackman-Kerr feed store in New Westminster for 40 years. He and his wife Doreen were married for 52 years.
Photograph of Columbian farm and garden columnist William Hawley surveying tree destruction caused by tent caterpillars. He was the garden columnist for most of the 1960's, and prior to that he was a salesman and nutritionist for Brackman-Kerr feed store in New Westminster for 40 years. He and his …
Photograph of Columbian farm and garden columnist William Hawley surveying tree destruction caused by tent caterpillars. He was the garden columnist for most of the 1960's, and prior to that he was a salesman and nutritionist for Brackman-Kerr feed store in New Westminster for 40 years. He and his wife Doreen were married for 52 years.
Photograph of workmen at the Dominion Bridge Co.'s Burnaby plant. They are feeding a flat steel plate, more than three inches think inot a pyramind roll for fabrication in the making of a sulfinol vessel for the petroleum industry in Alberta. The workmen are wearing asbestos aluminum suits to withs…
Photograph of workmen at the Dominion Bridge Co.'s Burnaby plant. They are feeding a flat steel plate, more than three inches think inot a pyramind roll for fabrication in the making of a sulfinol vessel for the petroleum industry in Alberta. The workmen are wearing asbestos aluminum suits to withstand the intense heat reflected from the heated plate (the plate was heated in a furnace before being fed into the pyramid roll).