Friends of the Richmond Archives

Friends of the Richmond Archives The Friends of the Richmond Archives is a volunteer- run society.

What we do:

- Promote and support the City of Richmond Archives.
- Encourage the association of persons interested in archives and the preservation of archival material.
- Focus community attention on the Archives by promoting the use of the resources and services of the Archives.
- As a registered charity, receive endowments, bequests and donations toward projects that support and promote awaren

ess of the City of Richmond Archives.
- Support legislation, either municipal, provincial or federal, where it will enhance further interest in archival matters.
- Cooperate with other organizations or individuals in the furtherance of the aims of the Society.

The Richmond Buddies (formerly the Milkmaids) were one of the toughest teams in the Women's Lacrosse League. Starting ou...
06/18/2026

The Richmond Buddies (formerly the Milkmaids) were one of the toughest teams in the Women's Lacrosse League. Starting out in the mid-1920s, borrowing equipment from their brothers and friends, they played the other teams in the league at venues such as Brighouse Park, the Cambie Street sports grounds in Vancouver and Central Park in Burnaby. The team was coached by Rudy Grauer, who also provided a trophy for the league, as well as Angus McDonald and moved from field lacrosse to box lacrosse in 1936. This photo shows three members of the team, ca. 1941, the year the league ended due to the Second World War. Standing on the left is Pearl Harvey, on the right is Anne Klimek and seated is Irma Nedlack. (City of Richmond Archives photo 1997 32 7)

This photo from 1945 shows Ed Baumeister filling sacks and Eugene Greczmiel Sr. inspecting the product inside the Delta ...
06/11/2026

This photo from 1945 shows Ed Baumeister filling sacks and Eugene Greczmiel Sr. inspecting the product inside the Delta Glucose Refinery. Mr. Greczmiel built the refinery in 1934 which made crystalized glucose from potato starch. When the potato supply became insufficient he switched to making glucose from wheat flour, and when flour supplies couldn't meet production requirements he built a flour mill next door to the refinery in 1947. (City of Richmond Archives photo 2010 35 6, John Baumeister photographs)

Two Trans-Canada Airlines Lockheed 14H-2 Super Electra aircraft are parked at Vancouver Airport on Sea Island in this ph...
06/04/2026

Two Trans-Canada Airlines Lockheed 14H-2 Super Electra aircraft are parked at Vancouver Airport on Sea Island in this photograph, ca. 1940. Trans-Canada was formed in 1937 by parent company Canadian National Railways and the Federal Government and was Canada's first large national airline. Between 1937 and 1949 it operated 16 of this type of aircraft, each with a capacity of 10 passengers. On January 1, 1965 the name of the airline was changed by an act of Parliament to Air Canada. (City of Richmond Archives photo 1997 5 33, Eric Rathborne fonds)

Here is an aerial view of Steveston, ca. 1973, with the Steveston Community Centre and Martial Arts Centre at the middle...
05/28/2026

Here is an aerial view of Steveston, ca. 1973, with the Steveston Community Centre and Martial Arts Centre at the middle of the image. The BC Packers Imperial Plant dominates the lower right side of the photo. The two towers of the Lions Manor Senior Citizen's home, one of Richmond's first high-rise developments, can be seen just south of Garry Street and the Steveston Buddhist Temple to the east. Railway tracks are visible coming from Railway Avenue, crossing behind the Steveston Community Park before crossing Moncton Street and No.1 Road to run along the d**e to the Gulf of Georgia Cannery. (City of Richmond Archives photo 1977 22 2)

Workers with a forklift load boxcars at the freight platform on No.1 Road next to the BC Packers Imperial Plant in Steve...
05/21/2026

Workers with a forklift load boxcars at the freight platform on No.1 Road next to the BC Packers Imperial Plant in Steveston, ca. 1955. At the top left the BC Electric Railway Interurban tram station is visible and, across Moncton Street with the railway track running past it, Leslie's Store can be seen. This location is presently the site of Steveston Station condominiums and commercial spaces. (City of Richmond Archives photo 2001 34 9 979, British Columbia Packers Limited fonds)

This aerial view taken in 1940 shows how greatly Richmond has changed since then. Looking south-east from the intersecti...
05/14/2026

This aerial view taken in 1940 shows how greatly Richmond has changed since then. Looking south-east from the intersection of Williams and No.1 Roads, the landscape is dotted with small groups of houses and many barns, all surrounded by farmland. Running parallel to No.1 Road, Railway Avenue is visible with the tracks and poles of the BC Electric Railway's Interurban Tram line running alongside. Today, this same view is crowded with houses and townhouse complexes. (City of Richmond Archives photo 1985 166 17, British Columbia Archives G-03718)

This image from 1915 shows a man and two children posing in a right-hand drive Model T Ford car at Leslie's lumberyard i...
05/07/2026

This image from 1915 shows a man and two children posing in a right-hand drive Model T Ford car at Leslie's lumberyard in Steveston. Cars were fairly rare in Richmond in 1915, horses still being in common use, as evidenced by the road apples beside the car. (City of Richmond Archives photo 2006 39 71, Chilton Family fonds)

A group of children at the Sea Island Japanese School dance around the maypole in this image, ca. 1930. Maypole dances w...
04/30/2026

A group of children at the Sea Island Japanese School dance around the maypole in this image, ca. 1930. Maypole dances were once an annual event in Richmond, drawing large crowds to Brighouse Racetrack to watch school children celebrate the coming of summer on the first day of May. The Sea Island Japanese School was located at the Vancouver Cannery on the Middle Arm of the Fraser River. (City of Richmond Archives photo 1985 39 79)

Some of Richmond’s Air Raid Precautions volunteers pose in front of the Town Hall with their three hand-built fire truck...
04/27/2026

Some of Richmond’s Air Raid Precautions volunteers pose in front of the Town Hall with their three hand-built fire trucks in this 1943 photograph. During the Second World War , the creation of the A.R.P. resulted in the first coordinated fire protection to cover all of Richmond and formed the foundation of our post-war fire departments. Paid for and built from older vehicles by volunteers, Richmond's first fire trucks were, (left) the Bridgeport volunteer's converted 1935 Ford farm truck, (centre) Brighouse's converted 1929 Buick Sedan and (right) Steveston's converted 1925 Packard Sedan. These three custom built vehicles responded to calls all over Richmond. To read about Richmond's A.R.P. volunteers, visit Outside the Box-The Richmond Archives Blog at https://richmondarchives.ca/2026/04/23/air-raid-precautions-civil-defence-in-richmond-during-the-second-world-war/
(City of Richmond Archives photo 1978 40 30).

Address

7700 Minoru Gate
Richmond, BC
V6Y1R9

Telephone

604-247-8305

Website

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