Bill Lightbown: “I Always Worked Against the Laws and Rules and Regulations”
Bill Lighbown (b. 1927) shares compelling memories of standing up for his Aboriginal rights, going to jail and meeting the love of …
Ruth Kozak: Life, Love and Work for a 1950s East Van Girl
Historical fiction writer Ruth Kozak (b. 1934) offers a very detailed picture of post-war East Vancouver through the eyes of a hopeful …
Chef Albert McKewan Survived a Tragic Shipwreck
Before becoming a restaurateur, Albert McKewan (b. 1929) worked as a chef on boats and tankers- including one job that that ended …
Olive Cairns: ‘They Did Dumb Things with Women in Those Days’
Olive Cairns (b. 1916) remembers her youth as a Nabob factory girl and her struggles to keep a job and run a …
Bertha Clark on 1960s Racism and Growing Up Around Celebrities
Bertha Clark (b. 1956), a descendant of the 1860 black pioneers, recounts her childhood, describing family life, episodes of racism and meeting …
Raymond Culos: “I Am Canadian-Italian, so ‘Canadian’ Comes First”
Raymond Culos (b. 1936), Vancouver born first-generation Canadian-Italian writer and historian, talks about his Italian connection and his memories of the 1950s. …
Jack Burch on the Depression, the War and His Career in the Press
Jack Burch (b. 1922) remembers his childhood in the Depression era, his days as a bomber pilot in World War II and …
David Fukuhara on Life in East Van after Internment
David Fukuhara (b. 1939) left East Vancouver at only 3 years old and went to live in an internment camp. Read his …
Mary Hucul, From a Little Italian Village to Commercial Drive
Mary Hucul (b. 1921) reminisces about her two-week immigration trip from Italy to Vancouver at age 8, her mother’s garden on Pender …
Hartley Rollins–Schools, Jobs, and Standing up to East Van Bullies
Teacher Hartley Rollins (b. 1935) remembers being raised by a single mom, rough days at school in East Van, and the first …
