One of the most notorious landmarks in Burnaby was the Royal Oak Hotel, constructed around 1891 at the present-day northeast corner of Kingsway and Royal Oak. Levis Morrison built the hotel, then sold out to Charles Cridland, whose poor hotel reputation prompted Burnaby council to hire its second police constable. The hotel continued to operate until 1973 when it was demolished to build a Safeway store.
Subseries consists of personal and professional records, notebooks and papers pertaining to George Jeffery. Also included in the subseries are May Day programmes, invitations, and photographs of May Day, Diamond Jubilee of Confederation celebrations, and the Burnaby Police department.
Subseries consists of personal and professional records, notebooks and papers pertaining to George Jeffery. Also included in the subseries are May Day programmes, invitations, and photographs of May Day, Diamond Jubilee of Confederation celebrations, and the Burnaby Police department.
History
George Jeffery was a well-respected Burnaby police constable, having served first as a solider. Upon joining the police force in 1912, he was appointed to patrol the Central Park district, a position he held for 22 years. From his experiences confronting young shoplifters, he determined the reason groups of boys were getting into trouble was due to a lack of recreational activities on offer. He established the Burnaby Athletics Association in an old barn behind the Royal Oak Hotel to combat this, turning it into a competitive boxing ring and gym.
George and his wife Harriet lived most of their married life in Central Park district with their three daughters: Patricia, a teacher in Burnaby prior to her marriage; Winnifred, Burnaby's 1929 May Queen; and Elsie who excelled at badminton. Patricia married William Poole; Winnifred married Fred Shaughnessy; and Elsie married Art Winteford.
In 1935, when the BC Provincial police replaced the Burnaby Police, George quit the force in order to stay in Burnaby and worked at Oakalla Prison farm. He retired in 1945.