Photograph of Burnaby Municipal Council and staff seated in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Hall, 4949 Canada Way. Councillors, anti-clockwise starting at upper left: Camille Mather, Malcolm J. Harper, John D. Drummond, Charles W. MacSorley, Donald H. Jamieson, Russell E. Hicks, James H. Edwa…
Photograph of Burnaby Municipal Council and staff seated in the Council Chambers at the Municipal Hall, 4949 Canada Way. Councillors, anti-clockwise starting at upper left: Camille Mather, Malcolm J. Harper, John D. Drummond, Charles W. MacSorley, Donald H. Jamieson, Russell E. Hicks, James H. Edwards, and Robert W. Prittie. Staff, seated at table at back, left to right: J.H. Shaw (Clerk), H.W. Balfour (Manager), and S.B. McCafferty (Treasurer). Reeve Alan H. Emmott is seated on the dias.
Annotation at bottom of photograph reads, "Burnaby Council Members - 1960"
Stamp and annotation on back of photograph reads, "Croton Studio / Don Leblanc / Middlegate Shopping Centre, 406-7155 Kingsway, South Burnaby B.C. / Lakeview 2-2848 / File Number: 1114, Negative Number: 2"
Photograph of the 1956 Burnaby Municipal Council in Council Chambers at Burnaby Municipal Hall. Identified in the photograph are (starting at centre, forefront and moving clockwise): Gerald Charlton, Fred Philps, Wesley Morrison, Arnold Hean, Ted Ward (Deputy Municipal Clerk), John Shaw (Municipal…
Photograph of the 1956 Burnaby Municipal Council in Council Chambers at Burnaby Municipal Hall. Identified in the photograph are (starting at centre, forefront and moving clockwise): Gerald Charlton, Fred Philps, Wesley Morrison, Arnold Hean, Ted Ward (Deputy Municipal Clerk), John Shaw (Municipal Clerk), Reeve Charles MacSorley (in the back), two unkown members of staff, Samuel Hughes, William Philps and Doug Drummond.
1 photograph : sepia ; 10 x 13.8 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)
Scope and Content
Photograph of the first meeting of Burnaby Council, taken at the Sample Boarding House. Left to right: L.C. Hill, William Brenchley, Alex Philip (clerk), Charles R. Shaw (Reeve), William McDermott, John Woolard, and Arthur de Windt Haszard.
1 photograph : sepia ; 10 x 13.8 cm on page 21.5 x 28 cm (pasted in album)
Description Level
Item
Record No.
477-901
Access Restriction
No restrictions
Reproduction Restriction
No known restrictions
Accession Number
2007-12
Scope and Content
Photograph of the first meeting of Burnaby Council, taken at the Sample Boarding House. Left to right: L.C. Hill, William Brenchley, Alex Philip (clerk), Charles R. Shaw (Reeve), William McDermott, John Woolard, and Arthur de Windt Haszard.
Photograph of Charles Boyer Brown reaching to answer the phone, taken when he was Burnaby's chief administrative officer. He started working for the municipality in 1911 as a stenographer in the engineers office, and was appointed assistant municipal clerk in 1927, municipal clerk in 1933, and chie…
Photograph of Charles Boyer Brown reaching to answer the phone, taken when he was Burnaby's chief administrative officer. He started working for the municipality in 1911 as a stenographer in the engineers office, and was appointed assistant municipal clerk in 1927, municipal clerk in 1933, and chief administrative officer in 1954, before retiring in 1959.
Photograph of Charles Boyer Brown signing a document with another man present, taken when he was Burnaby's chief administrative officer. He started working for the municipality in 1911 as a stenographer in the engineers office, and was appointed assistant municipal clerk in 1927, municipal clerk in…
Photograph of Charles Boyer Brown signing a document with another man present, taken when he was Burnaby's chief administrative officer. He started working for the municipality in 1911 as a stenographer in the engineers office, and was appointed assistant municipal clerk in 1927, municipal clerk in 1933, and chief administrative officer in 1954, before retiring in 1959.
Photograph of Charles Boyer Brown reading a book as he smokes a pipe, taken in his back yard just after retiring from service as Burnaby's chief adminstrative officer. He started working for the municipality in 1911 as a stenographer in the engineers office, and was appointed assistant municipal cl…
Photograph of Charles Boyer Brown reading a book as he smokes a pipe, taken in his back yard just after retiring from service as Burnaby's chief adminstrative officer. He started working for the municipality in 1911 as a stenographer in the engineers office, and was appointed assistant municipal clerk in 1927, municipal clerk in 1933, and chief administrative officer in 1954. He lived at 2570 Walker Avenue (renumbered 6733 Walker Avenue).
Photograph of Charles Boyer Brown on the phone and smiling as he smokes a pipe, taken when he was Burnaby's chief administrative officer. He started working for the municipality in 1911 as a stenographer in the engineers office, and was appointed assistant municipal clerk in 1927, municipal clerk i…
Photograph of Charles Boyer Brown on the phone and smiling as he smokes a pipe, taken when he was Burnaby's chief administrative officer. He started working for the municipality in 1911 as a stenographer in the engineers office, and was appointed assistant municipal clerk in 1927, municipal clerk in 1933, and chief administrative officer in 1954, before retiring in 1959.
Photograph of Charles Boyer Brown smoking a pipe, taken when he was Burnaby's municipal clerk. He started working for the municipality in 1911 as a stenographer in the engineers office, and was appointed assistant municipal clerk in 1927, municipal clerk in 1933, and chief administrative officer in…
Photograph of Charles Boyer Brown smoking a pipe, taken when he was Burnaby's municipal clerk. He started working for the municipality in 1911 as a stenographer in the engineers office, and was appointed assistant municipal clerk in 1927, municipal clerk in 1933, and chief administrative officer in 1954. This photograph was published in the paper in 1959 to announce his plan to retire.
Recording is a taped interview with Charles B. Brown by SFU (Simon Fraser University) graduate student Bettina Bradbury May 21, 1975. Major themes discussed are: the Depression, the Commissioner and municipal politics in general. To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".
Biographical Notes
Charles Boyer Brown was born on June 16, 1894 in the town of Ongar, Essex, England. He came to Canada as a young child with his parents Jean and Percy Brown. In 1903, the family settled in New Westminster and by 1911, Charles had joined the Burnaby municipal staff working as an office boy.
The outbreak of World War One interrupted Charlie’s career as he immediately enlisted with the Royal Engineers and served from 1915 to 1918. While overseas he met and married Lillian Bernice Bryan and they returned to Canada together after the war and Charles resumed his position in municipal administration.
For a short time, Charles was appointed as the Municipal Assessor, but in 1927 he became the Assistant Municipal Clerk. In 1933, Charles was made Municipal Clerk, a post he held until he retired in 1959. Charles has also been credited with playing a significant role in administering the city while it was under the rule of the provincial commission from 1932-1942.
Recognized for his expertise in civic affairs, Charles was appointed by the provincial government to a committee formed to review and revise the Municipal Act. He was also a member of the BC Municipal Officers’ Association from its formation in 1936 and was made its chair in 1953. While these civic duties occupied much of his time, Charles still managed to participate as a volunteer on many sport and youth clubs in the city and served as the secretary for the Kingsway Rotary Club.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to Burnaby, both paid and volunteer, Charles was presented with the Gold Key award in 1959, the same year he finally retired from municipal administration. During Charles’ lifetime, many changes took place in the Municipality that he loved. He saw Burnaby grow in population and progress and he could be proud of the significant part he played in that growth and development.
Charles Brown died on August 11, 1981.
Bettina Bradbury teaches history and women's studies at York University. She is the author of Wife to Widow. Lives, Laws and Politics in Nineteenth-century Montreal. (Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, June 2011), 520p; Working Families. Age, Gender and Daily Survival in Industrializing Montreal. (Toronto: Canadian Social History Series, McClelland and Stewart, 1993); (Republished Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1996) (3rd edition, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2007). These interviews were undertaken after she completed her MA at Simon Fraser University in 1975 with the support of an LIP grant.
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.
1 photograph : b&w ; 21.3 x 16.1 cm mounted on cardboard 29.0 x 23.9 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Canadian Prime Minister, the Honourable Arthur Meighan, taken on the front steps of the 1912 Burnaby Municipal Hall at Edmonds. The Prime Minister stands on the far right, and his aide-de-camp is on the left. Burnaby Reeve Thomas F. Sanderson stands between them and clerk A.G. Moore…
1 photograph : b&w ; 21.3 x 16.1 cm mounted on cardboard 29.0 x 23.9 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Canadian Prime Minister, the Honourable Arthur Meighan, taken on the front steps of the 1912 Burnaby Municipal Hall at Edmonds. The Prime Minister stands on the far right, and his aide-de-camp is on the left. Burnaby Reeve Thomas F. Sanderson stands between them and clerk A.G. Moore stands higher up the Municipal Hall steps. Police officers in uniform and other men wearing suits and ties are standing at the base of the steps.
Photograph of Dr. Kenneth Strand, president of Simon Fraser University, speaking into a microphone at the opening of the new Burquitlam elementary school in Coquitlam. Visible sitting in chairs behind him are; school principal C.J. Webb, chairman of Coquitlam school board W.M. Johnstone, Rev. H.J.H…
Photograph of Dr. Kenneth Strand, president of Simon Fraser University, speaking into a microphone at the opening of the new Burquitlam elementary school in Coquitlam. Visible sitting in chairs behind him are; school principal C.J. Webb, chairman of Coquitlam school board W.M. Johnstone, Rev. H.J.H. Oldfield, and architect R.B. Howard.
Photograph of Grace Woodward Zala, R.N. She was a Burnaby nursing sister in W.W.I., wife of Victor Zala (married on August 21, 1914 in Victoria); the daughter of Herbert Woodward (Sea Captain) and Julia Ann Woodward; and sister of Maude, Harriet and Beatrice Woodward. Grace was born in England in…
Photograph of Grace Woodward Zala, R.N. She was a Burnaby nursing sister in W.W.I., wife of Victor Zala (married on August 21, 1914 in Victoria); the daughter of Herbert Woodward (Sea Captain) and Julia Ann Woodward; and sister of Maude, Harriet and Beatrice Woodward. Grace was born in England in 1871. She and her family came to Canada from Liverpool on the Parisian in 1888. Grace died on Galiano in 1959. She had no children. Grace went overseas in WWI to work with the British Red Cross Society and the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem.
Photograph of nineteen students inside their grade 5 classroom at Holy Cross Primary school, and their teacher, in a habit. The students are each seated at their desks with the girls on one side of the room and the boys on the other.
Photograph of nineteen students inside their grade 5 classroom at Holy Cross Primary school, and their teacher, in a habit. The students are each seated at their desks with the girls on one side of the room and the boys on the other.
Photograph of nineteen students inside their grade 5 classroom at Holy Cross Primary school, and their teacher, in a habit. The girls are seated at their desks on one side of the room and the boys are standing at the back of the class.
Photograph of nineteen students inside their grade 5 classroom at Holy Cross Primary school, and their teacher, in a habit. The girls are seated at their desks on one side of the room and the boys are standing at the back of the class.
Photograph of nineteen students inside their grade 5 classroom at Holy Cross Primary school, and their teacher, in a habit. The students are each seated at their desks with the girls on one side of the room and the boys on the other.
Photograph of nineteen students inside their grade 5 classroom at Holy Cross Primary school, and their teacher, in a habit. The students are each seated at their desks with the girls on one side of the room and the boys on the other.
Photograph of nineteen students inside their grade 7 classroom at Holy Cross Primary school, seated at their desks with their hands raised, smiling at their teacher, who is facing away from the camera, and dressed in a habit.
Photograph of nineteen students inside their grade 7 classroom at Holy Cross Primary school, seated at their desks with their hands raised, smiling at their teacher, who is facing away from the camera, and dressed in a habit.
Photograph of a man in an apron standing in front of a co-op store bearing the sign "C.G. Co-operative Association", otherwise known as the Army of the Common Good. Window displays include the goods he carries and advertising signs for Coca-Cola and Orange Crush are put up below the windows. In fro…
Inscribed in pencil, recto, b. "Co op store Douglas R." and in blue ink, verso, t. "Coop Store Douglas Road/ C.G. Co-op 1939", b. "Mr Love Mayor of/ store/ no 2", in blue ball point pen, l.l. "Main Store was at McKay station/ this is No 1 Branch store"
stamped on verso, c. "VANCOUVER/ DRUG CO. LTD/ SEP 12 1938/ Nu-Gloss"
Scope and Content
Photograph of a man in an apron standing in front of a co-op store bearing the sign "C.G. Co-operative Association", otherwise known as the Army of the Common Good. Window displays include the goods he carries and advertising signs for Coca-Cola and Orange Crush are put up below the windows. In front of the store is wood plank sidewalk.