This portion of the recording includes Alfred Bingham's personal memories of first coming to Burnaby in 1919 and the work that the early settlers did for Burnaby, including a mention of woman's backbreaking labour. Alfred describes Burnaby as being organized around the two villages of Edmonds and V…
This portion of the recording includes Alfred Bingham's personal memories of first coming to Burnaby in 1919 and the work that the early settlers did for Burnaby, including a mention of woman's backbreaking labour. Alfred describes Burnaby as being organized around the two villages of Edmonds and Vancouver Heights. He discusses the Army of the Common Good and the Credit Union movement of British Columbia.
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 five of recording of Alfred Bingham's writings
Track five of recording of Alfred Bingham's writings
File contains photographs of Alpha Secondary School students during a walkout and rally in reaction to the labour dispute between teachers and the provincial government.
File contains photographs of Alpha Secondary School students during a walkout and rally in reaction to the labour dispute between teachers and the provincial government.
Collected by editorial for use in a January 2002 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata for 535-2933-1: "Students at Alpha Secondary endure wet snow and sleet as they protest in support of teachers."
Caption from metadata for 535-2933-2: "Students at Alpha Secondary try to catch the attention of motorists passing in front of the school. About 50 students walked out of their classes Thursday morning to rally in support of their teachers, who are embroiled in an ongoing labor dispute with the provincial government."
1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard
Scope and Content
Photograph shows two members of the BC Government Employees Union, holding a large sign protesting wage and price controls outside the gates of the Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre at 5700 Royal Oak Avenue (later 5220 Oakmount Crescent).
1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard
Description Level
Item
Record No.
556-329
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
2013-13
Scope and Content
Photograph shows two members of the BC Government Employees Union, holding a large sign protesting wage and price controls outside the gates of the Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre at 5700 Royal Oak Avenue (later 5220 Oakmount Crescent).
1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a group of BC Government Employees demonstrating against wage and price controls outside the fence of the Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre at 5700 Royal Oak Avenue (later 5220 Oakmount Crescent).
1 photograph : b&w ; 11 x 16 cm mounted on cardboard
Description Level
Item
Record No.
556-330
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
Reproduce for fair dealing purposes only
Accession Number
2013-13
Scope and Content
Photograph shows a group of BC Government Employees demonstrating against wage and price controls outside the fence of the Lower Mainland Regional Correctional Centre at 5700 Royal Oak Avenue (later 5220 Oakmount Crescent).
Photograph of an unidentified striking person standing under a BCIT umbrella during a demonstration. The person is wearing a sign that reads: "BCIT Faculty & Staff Association / On Strike for Quality in Education."
Photograph of an unidentified striking person standing under a BCIT umbrella during a demonstration. The person is wearing a sign that reads: "BCIT Faculty & Staff Association / On Strike for Quality in Education."
Photograph of Bill Burgess speaking into a microphone. He was one of the eighteen that were charged in the demonstration at a picket line at Simon Fraser University.
Photograph of Bill Burgess speaking into a microphone. He was one of the eighteen that were charged in the demonstration at a picket line at Simon Fraser University.
Photograph of Pamela Williams standing on the balcony of her apartment beside a large protest sign which reads: "BUYERS BEWARE OF MOLD AND ROT!". She and her husband bought a suite in MacInnis Place, and after discovering the exessive build up of moisture, protested against the Housing Cooperation…
Photograph of Pamela Williams standing on the balcony of her apartment beside a large protest sign which reads: "BUYERS BEWARE OF MOLD AND ROT!". She and her husband bought a suite in MacInnis Place, and after discovering the exessive build up of moisture, protested against the Housing Cooperation of British Columbia (HSBC) and won; HSBC offered to buy back units from owners who were unhappy with their suites.
Photograph of striking Simon Fraser University staff members standing along the roadway, wearing placards. A car full of students drives though the picket lines, but a union bus driver has pulled over and forced students to walk. These non-teaching employees of Simon Fraser University who are strik…
Photograph of striking Simon Fraser University staff members standing along the roadway, wearing placards. A car full of students drives though the picket lines, but a union bus driver has pulled over and forced students to walk. These non-teaching employees of Simon Fraser University who are striking are members of the Association of University and College Employees (AUCE).
Newspaper clipping attached to verso of photograph reads: "SFU-bound students drive through AUCE picket lines while union bus driver pulls over, forcing students to walk."
Photograph of five unidentified Coast Mountain Bus Company drivers standing at the gates of the Burnaby Transit Centre on Kitchener Street during a wildcat walkout. Two of the drivers' buses are visible in the background.
Photograph of five unidentified Coast Mountain Bus Company drivers standing at the gates of the Burnaby Transit Centre on Kitchener Street during a wildcat walkout. Two of the drivers' buses are visible in the background.
Collected by editorial for use in a September 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "Coast Mountain Bus Company drivers stand outside the gates of the Burnaby Transit Yard on Kitchener St., while their buses sit idle. Unionized employees staged the wildcat walkout to protest the awarding of a bus route contract in Burnaby Heights to Bonny's Taxi company."
Newspaper clipping attached to verso of photograph reads: "Crowd at hearing into proposed mosque overflowed council chambers and trailed down the stairs."
File contains photographs of a rally at Simon Fraser University for CUPE members. Photographs depict members marching up the steps by the Convocation Mall and rallying in a large crowd with signs; CUPE university coordinator Connie Credico speaking to media; and Michael Stevenson, president and vic…
File contains photographs of a rally at Simon Fraser University for CUPE members. Photographs depict members marching up the steps by the Convocation Mall and rallying in a large crowd with signs; CUPE university coordinator Connie Credico speaking to media; and Michael Stevenson, president and vice-chancellor of SFU, speaking to the rally and media through a bullhorn.
Collected by editorial for use in a March 2003 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata for 535-2295-1: "Devon Bates, left on drums, and Marcos X, right on drums, lead a rally Monday afternoon across the campus grounds of Simon Fraser University for CUPE members."
Caption from metadata for 535-2295-2: "Gina Murray blows a whistle in support of a general strike for CUPE members during a ralley on the campus grounds of Simon Fraser University Monday afternoon."
Caption from metadata for 535-2295-3: "A spectator looks down upon the flags and banners at a rally for CUPE members on the campus grounds of Simon Fraser University Monday afternoon. "
Caption from metadata for 535-2295-4: "Connie Credico, CUPE university co-ordinator, talks to a throng of media during a rally Monday afternoon on the campus grounds of Simon Fraser University."
Caption from metadata for 535-2295-5: "A man holds a sign saying Ambivalence Blvd. Monday afternoon during a rally for CUPE members on the campus grounds of Simon Fraser University."
Caption from metadata for 535-2295-6: "Michael Stevenson, president and vice-chancellor of SFU, faces the crowd and the media during a rally held on campus Monday afternoon."
Photograph of an unidentified person wearing a sign that reads "CUPE On Strike," walking the picket line during a CUPE support workers strike. The person is walking through the snow underneath a sign stating the speed limit for Burnaby school zones.
Photograph of an unidentified person wearing a sign that reads "CUPE On Strike," walking the picket line during a CUPE support workers strike. The person is walking through the snow underneath a sign stating the speed limit for Burnaby school zones.
Collected by editorial for use in a January 2000 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "The only traffic around Burnaby schools is CUPE support workers walking the picket line after they went out on strike Thursday morning."
Photograph of a demonstration outside of New Westminster City Hall by the Queen’s Park Residents Association. People are holding signs that read "Stop Narrow Lot Development".
Photograph of a demonstration outside of New Westminster City Hall by the Queen’s Park Residents Association. People are holding signs that read "Stop Narrow Lot Development".
Photograph of an unidentified demonstrator setting name plates that read "Bus Rider" on a conference table at a meeting of TransLink's Board of Directors regarding proposed cuts to bus service. A painted banner behind the protestor reads: "When is... Bus Month?"
Photograph of an unidentified demonstrator setting name plates that read "Bus Rider" on a conference table at a meeting of TransLink's Board of Directors regarding proposed cuts to bus service. A painted banner behind the protestor reads: "When is... Bus Month?"
Collected by editorial for use in a June 2001 issue of the Burnaby NewsLeader
Caption from metadata: "A protestor demonstrates her desire for user representation on TransLink's Board of Directors at a raucous public meeting to discuss proposed cuts to bus service. Shortly thereafter, the Board walked out of the meeting, and the boardroom was taken over by frustrated users and striking bus drivers."
File contains photographs of unidentified individuals at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, protesting the City's report on the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Master Plan. Photographs depict an individual amongst felled trees and an individual holding a sign that reads "Corporate Spite!" in front of the gates.
File contains photographs of unidentified individuals at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, protesting the City's report on the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Master Plan. Photographs depict an individual amongst felled trees and an individual holding a sign that reads "Corporate Spite!" in front of the gates.