Group photograph of seventeen children pictured outside. Alice Sparman in front row, far right, wearing dark jacket. In background: trees, hillside with scrub, and log cabin with woodpile. Shadow of photographer on lower right.
Group photograph of seventeen children pictured outside. Alice Sparman in front row, far right, wearing dark jacket. In background: trees, hillside with scrub, and log cabin with woodpile. Shadow of photographer on lower right.
Photograph of the Sparman family pictured outside with trees in background. Front row left to right: Alice Sparman, Nester Sparman holding May Sparman on lap, Lester Sparman, Marie Sparman. Back row left to right: Elizabeth Marie Sparman and Lillian "Lil" Sparman.
Photograph of the Sparman family pictured outside with trees in background. Front row left to right: Alice Sparman, Nester Sparman holding May Sparman on lap, Lester Sparman, Marie Sparman. Back row left to right: Elizabeth Marie Sparman and Lillian "Lil" Sparman.
Photograph of brothers Earl and Norman Wild in Idaho, in the United States of America (USA). Norman is holding an unidentified toddler on one arm, and has his other arm around his brother.
Photograph of brothers Earl and Norman Wild in Idaho, in the United States of America (USA). Norman is holding an unidentified toddler on one arm, and has his other arm around his brother.
This portion of the interview pertains to W.H. "Harry" O'Brien's involvement with the formation of the Army of the Common Good Credit Union (now the South Burnaby Credit Union).
This portion of the interview pertains to W.H. "Harry" O'Brien's involvement with the formation of the Army of the Common Good Credit Union (now the South Burnaby Credit Union).
Date Range
[1932]-1936
Photo Info
Harry and Gertrude (Sutherland) O'Brien on their wedding day, October 12, 1940. Item no. 315-005
Recording is a taped interview with W.H. "Harry" O'Brien by SFU (Simon Fraser University) graduate student Bettina Bradbury. Major themes discussed are: the Army of the Common Good, the Union of the Unemployed and the Common Good Credit Union (now the South Burnaby Credit Union). To view "Narrow By" terms for each track expand this description and see "Notes".
Biographical Notes
W.H. “Harry” O’Brien was born in the coal mining town of Nanaimo, British Columbia on October 20, 1914. He came to Burnaby with his parents and five siblings in 1927. Harry’s mother, a school teacher, wanted her children to live closer to school in order to obtain a better education, so the O’Brien family settled at Inman Avenue, Burnaby. Harry's mother, Mary Anne Crossan, was Gilmore Avenue School's first teacher.
Harry left school in June of 1929. Harry’s father worked as the caretaker at Central Park around this time and Harry helped him to clear brush, plant trees and enforce the land clearing and wood cutting permit regulations held by men who were on script.
Although too young to vote by just over a week, Harry O'Brien worked as a scrutineer for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF) during the 1935 Federal Election.
On October 12, 1940 Harry O'Brien married Gertrude Sutherland at St. John the Divine in Burnaby. The Sutherland family came to Burnaby from Winnipeg in 1933 and settled at Nelson Avenue.
Harry began his involvement with the Unemployment Organization in Burnaby by participating in an organised protest against the municipality for homeowner evictions brought on by unpaid taxes. The South Burnaby Union of the Unemployed organised in order to protest rules around receiving Relief. Harry became involved, eventually becoming one of the spearheads of the organization, taking over as secretary by 1936.
Harry was an original member of the Army of the Common Good, helping to produce over one hundred and twenty-five tons of vegetables from its own gardens to feed Burnaby citizens suffering from the lack of resources during the Depression years. The members of the Army of the Common Good who cut wood for consumption or worked in the gardens were given credit for their work through LU (Labour Units) which they could then use to buy groceries and that at the Army's Cooperative stores, one of which was at McKay Avenue, where Harry began working as Manager of Groceries in 1937. The Credit Union movement of British Columbia was also organized by Harry O'Brien and his fellow Army of the Common Good members.
W.H. "Harry" O'Brien died July 1, 1992.
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.
Photograph of students from grades five and six at Windsor Street School sitting and standing in five rows in front of the school building with their teacher, Miss Padgett. Sitting in the front row (from left) are; Clifford Jones, Ole Stanley (grade five), Teddy Galbraith, David Penzer (grade five)…
Photograph of students from grades five and six at Windsor Street School sitting and standing in five rows in front of the school building with their teacher, Miss Padgett. Sitting in the front row (from left) are; Clifford Jones, Ole Stanley (grade five), Teddy Galbraith, David Penzer (grade five), John Adams (grade five), Gordon Thornhill, Neil McKinnon and Gene Lawrence. Sitting in the second row are; Dagney Bjorvick, Dora Ciccone, Peggy Harrington, Rosanne Fraser, Verna Irvine, Mollie Johnson, Dorothy Russle (grade five), Elsie Williamson and Sandra MacCarthy. Standing in the third row are; Jeanette Cruikshank, Betty Perdue, Leona Milne, Elleanor Thompson, Thelma Butler, Margaret (last name unknown), Phyllis (last name unknown), Daphne Northly, Flora Lawrie, Sheila Stockley (grade five) and Sandra McKenzie (grade five). Standing in the fourth row are; Miss Padgett (teacher), Ella Beatty, Bessie McMurray, May Tilke, Howard Kid, Walter Lee (grade five), Raymond Westley, Ian Dunbar and Wendell Boyce (grade five). Standing in the back row are; Stanley Pilkington, Donald McDonald (grade five), Donald Hockin (grade five), Bob Underhill, Alex Decker, Mike Kozak, Charles Farren (grade five), George Baker and Douglas (last name unknown) (grade five).
Note in black ink on recto of photograph reads: "WINDSOR ST. SCHOOL Gr. 6 1939-40?"
Numbers written in black ink on recto identify the students
Note in black ink on verso of photograph reads: "1. Clifford Jones 2 Ole Stanley* 3 Teddy Galbraith 4 David Penzer* 5 John Adams* 6 Gordon Thornhill 7 Neil McKinnon 8 Gene Lawrence 9 Dagney Bjorvick 10 Dora Ciccone 11 Peggy Harrington 12 Rosanne Fraser 13 Verna Irvine 14 Mollie Johnson 15 Dorothy Russle / 16 Elsie Williamson 17 Sandra McCarthy 18 Janette [sic] Cruikshank /19 Betty Perdue 20 Leone Milne 21 Elleanor Thompson 22 Thelma Butler 23 Margaret [illegible] 24 Phyllis [illegible] 25 Daphne Northly/ 26 Flora Lawrie 27 * Sheila Stockley 28 * Sandra McKenzie 29 Miss Padgett 30 Ella Beatty 31 Bessie McMurray 32 May Tilke / 33 Howard Kid 34 Walter Lee * 35 Raymond Westley 36 Ian Dunbar 37 Wendell Boyce * 38 Stanley Pilkington 39 Donald * McDonald 40 Donald Hockin * 41 Bob Underhill 42 Alex Decker 43 Mike Kozak 44 Charles Farren* 45 George Baker 46 Douglas [illegible]* / [written sideways] This picture was taken in grade 6 - Some are grade 5 Gr. 5 marked with * "
Note in black ink on verso of photograph reads: "PLEASE RETURN TO: May Long 14428 - 18A Ave White Rock BC V4A 8S6 / ~1939 Horseshoe Bay Bill and Flora Bell with May Long (nee Walker) & Bruce Walker"
Photograph of John Alfred Rumble and Frances Willard Cameron Rumble with their wedding party on their wedding day. The bridesmaid and best man are unidentified.
Photograph of John Alfred Rumble and Frances Willard Cameron Rumble with their wedding party on their wedding day. The bridesmaid and best man are unidentified.
Photograph of log cabin named "Argu-In" covered in snow on Mount Seymour, North Vancouver. Pixie McGeachie is waving out the window of the cabin. Jack McGeachie and friends, Maurice Skinner and Jack Gannon built and maintained a cabin with friends on Mount Seymour, North Vancouver from 1938 unt…
Photograph of log cabin named "Argu-In" covered in snow on Mount Seymour, North Vancouver. Pixie McGeachie is waving out the window of the cabin. Jack McGeachie and friends, Maurice Skinner and Jack Gannon built and maintained a cabin with friends on Mount Seymour, North Vancouver from 1938 until after the Second World War.
Photograph of the Canadian Pacific Mountaineer as it leaves Vancouver, destined for Chicago. The train is running parallel to Wall Street, heading eastbound approaching Nanaimo Street.
Photograph of the Canadian Pacific Mountaineer as it leaves Vancouver, destined for Chicago. The train is running parallel to Wall Street, heading eastbound approaching Nanaimo Street.
Photograph of Canadian National Railway steam locomotive no. 5118 (built in 1912) at an unidentified location. A second train is visible behind behind the locomotive on the same track.
Photograph of Canadian National Railway steam locomotive no. 5118 (built in 1912) at an unidentified location. A second train is visible behind behind the locomotive on the same track.
Photograph of Elinor Winter (Turner) and George Turner on their wedding day October 28, 1939. The photograph was taken against a curtained area possibly at the Jubilee United Church in Burnaby.
Photograph of Elinor Winter (Turner) and George Turner on their wedding day October 28, 1939. The photograph was taken against a curtained area possibly at the Jubilee United Church in Burnaby.
1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 13.5 cm mounted on sheet 28 x 21.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Elinor Winter (Turner) and George Turner on their wedding day October 28, 1939, with best man Allan Turner and bridesmaid Hazel Matthew. The photograph was taken against a curtained area possibly at the Jubilee United Church in Burnaby. The photo is mounted on a sheet of paper with th…
1 photograph : b&w ; 12.5 x 13.5 cm mounted on sheet 28 x 21.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph of Elinor Winter (Turner) and George Turner on their wedding day October 28, 1939, with best man Allan Turner and bridesmaid Hazel Matthew. The photograph was taken against a curtained area possibly at the Jubilee United Church in Burnaby. The photo is mounted on a sheet of paper with the handwritten title "Mom and Dad's Wedding" noting that the wedding took place at Jubilee United Church in Burnaby and the reception took place at the family home on Wilson Avenue. A reduced copy of the signatures from the couple's wedding guest book is included.
1 photograph : b&w hand-tinted into col. ; 19.5 x 24.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph portrait of Elinor Winter (Turner) on her wedding day October 28, 1939. The photograph was taken against a curtained area possibly at the Jubilee United Church in Burnaby. The photograph has been hand-tinted to add pink colour to the bride's cheeks and floral bouquet.
1 photograph : b&w hand-tinted into col. ; 19.5 x 24.5 cm
Scope and Content
Photograph portrait of Elinor Winter (Turner) on her wedding day October 28, 1939. The photograph was taken against a curtained area possibly at the Jubilee United Church in Burnaby. The photograph has been hand-tinted to add pink colour to the bride's cheeks and floral bouquet.
1 photograph : sepia hand-tinted into col. ; 14 x 9 cm
Scope and Content
Hand coloured photograph of Ivy McGeachie in her Girl Guide in uniform. She is wearing a blue uniform and is in a standing pose in front of a rose coloured curtain.
1 photograph : sepia hand-tinted into col. ; 14 x 9 cm
Scope and Content
Hand coloured photograph of Ivy McGeachie in her Girl Guide in uniform. She is wearing a blue uniform and is in a standing pose in front of a rose coloured curtain.
Photograph of the San Franciscan Nickersons Mary and Dru visiting the Waplington family at Deer Lake. Everyone is gathered together outside the Waplington home at 3813 Deer Lake Avenue and is identified L to R: Drury Nickerson, Sara Waplington, Mary O. Nickerson, Jack Waplington, Frances L. Fleming…
Photograph of the San Franciscan Nickersons Mary and Dru visiting the Waplington family at Deer Lake. Everyone is gathered together outside the Waplington home at 3813 Deer Lake Avenue and is identified L to R: Drury Nickerson, Sara Waplington, Mary O. Nickerson, Jack Waplington, Frances L. Fleming (nee Waplington) and Edie, Grace Waplington, John Waplington and Jack Fleming and "Duke" the dog.
Photograph of Ray and his father Reyland Fleming on board the "Cohoe Bay". Ray and Frances Fleming moved out of their home on Triumph Street to live on board the boat in 1939. The boat is anchored to a dock with Sarah and Jack Waplington standing alongside.
Photograph of Ray and his father Reyland Fleming on board the "Cohoe Bay". Ray and Frances Fleming moved out of their home on Triumph Street to live on board the boat in 1939. The boat is anchored to a dock with Sarah and Jack Waplington standing alongside.