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.

Asteroids was one of the most popular video games on the market in the early '80s. In this photo a group of kids pit the...
08/27/2026

Asteroids was one of the most popular video games on the market in the early '80s. In this photo a group of kids pit their skills against the asteroids and invading flying saucers while a crowd of onlookers wait their turn behind them. The Asteroids competition was one of the 1982 Easter week activities at Lansdowne Park Shopping Centre where hundreds of young space cadets tried to get the highest scores and win prizes. Photo posted for the Association of Canadian Archivists August hashtag party (City of Richmond Archives, Richmond Review photo 1988 121 554)

John May - December 14, 1925 - July 12, 2026The Friends of the Richmond Archives were saddened to hear of the passing of...
08/24/2026

John May - December 14, 1925 - July 12, 2026
The Friends of the Richmond Archives were saddened to hear of the passing of John May on July 12. John was a true son of Richmond, a proud farmer and, to paraphrase Thomas Kidd, "a good sturdy man of the best type." Raised on the family farm in East Richmond, he and his wife Doreen carried on in the family business, raising cattle and chickens and growing strawberries and cranberries. John had an immense knowledge of local history which he happily shared during his frequent visits to the City of Richmond Archives or when called upon by inquiring archivists. He was a long-time member of the Friends of the Richmond Archives and will be sincerely missed. Our deepest condolences go out to John's family and friends.

A man stands beside a shiny new Plymouth Taxi with some very beaten-up licence plates in this image, ca. 1949. The locat...
08/20/2026

A man stands beside a shiny new Plymouth Taxi with some very beaten-up licence plates in this image, ca. 1949. The location of the picture is near the intersection of No.4 Road and Bridgeport Road. Does anyone recognize the gentleman? (City of Richmond Archives photo 1978 31 9)

A group of men unload fish from the packer J.R.D. at the B.C. Packers Imperial Plant in Steveston in this photo, ca. 197...
08/13/2026

A group of men unload fish from the packer J.R.D. at the B.C. Packers Imperial Plant in Steveston in this photo, ca. 1970. The J.R.D. was built in 1917 at the Menchion's Shipyard and was owned and operated by B.C. Packers throughout its history. (City of Richmond Archives photo, B.C. Packers Limited fonds 2001 34 9 870)

The McMyn brothers, John, William and James were some of the first settlers in Richmond, arriving in the early 1880s. Th...
08/06/2026

The McMyn brothers, John, William and James were some of the first settlers in Richmond, arriving in the early 1880s. They purchased the eastern half of the Robson and Smith farm on the North Arm before selling about 1889 and buying the Hector McDonald farm in Richmond's "Slough District" near Woodward's Landing. John and William moved on to farm in the Fraser Valley but James stayed on, living with his wife and raising their family in this house at 11340 No.5 Road, raising cattle and pigs and growing crops., until his death in 1938. On March 26, 2018 Council announced that a new road connecting No.3 Road to Corvette Way would be named McMyn Way in honour of the three Scottish brothers. (City of Richmond Archives photo 1985 39 119)

This photo from 1946 shows a radio operator at work in the radio building at Vancouver Airport. Radio operators communic...
07/30/2026

This photo from 1946 shows a radio operator at work in the radio building at Vancouver Airport. Radio operators communicated directly with aircraft, providing information on weather conditions and on other air traffic in the area, an early version of today's air traffic control. Technology developed during the Second World War for military purposes was adopted by civil aviation, greatly increasing the safety and efficiency of air travel. Posted for the Association of Canadian Archivists hashtag party, (City of Richmond Archives photo 1997 5 105, Eric Rathborne fonds)

This great old turn of the century photograph shows Steveston before the great fire of 1918. Taken from a cannery roof n...
07/23/2026

This great old turn of the century photograph shows Steveston before the great fire of 1918. Taken from a cannery roof near the end of No.1 Road, the image shows a jumble of roofs, although a few historic buildings can be picked out. At the top centre of the picture, you can see the sign for Hunt's General Store, where you could purchase groceries as well as hardware, tinware and crockery. Hunt's became the Walker Emporium and is the present site of the Marine Garage. Behind it, the roof of the Sockeye Stables on Chatham Street can be seen, advertising feed and livery services. To the right of the chimney, the large building is the London Hotel on Moncton Street. Not sure what the small building in the foreground with the posing men is, but the guy in the long apron looks like a bartender. (City of Richmond Archives photo 1977 20 4)

Looking south across Moncton Street in Steveston, ca. 1950, some men and a young boy wait at the station to board the BC...
07/16/2026

Looking south across Moncton Street in Steveston, ca. 1950, some men and a young boy wait at the station to board the BC Electric Railway's tram 1217. On the right, a woman dashes across the tracks, hoping to catch the tram as well. (City of Richmond Archives photo 1999 4 3 2561, Ted Clark fonds)

This 1965 aerial view shows major development taking place in Richmond's Brighouse commercial centre. The Simpsons-Sears...
07/09/2026

This 1965 aerial view shows major development taking place in Richmond's Brighouse commercial centre. The Simpsons-Sears store and automotive centre are open and work is underway on the new Richmond Square Shopping Centre. New Minoru Boulevard curves around the west side of the development, bisecting the old Brighouse Racetrack. On the east side of No.3 Road Lang's Nurseries, a long-time Richmond business, dominates the bottom of the photo while other buildings and strip malls house stores, restaurants and professional services. What Richmond landmarks can you pick out in this image? (City of Richmond Archives photo 1977 1 32)

Time Square opened in the summer of 1959 on the east side of Number 3 Road between Cook and Park. One of Richmond's firs...
07/02/2026

Time Square opened in the summer of 1959 on the east side of Number 3 Road between Cook and Park. One of Richmond's first shopping centres, it offered many different services and was a popular commercial block for years. This image was taken in August 1984 and shows some of the businesses operating there at the time, Fox Insurance, Kerrisdale Cameras, Stereo One, Parford's Jewellers, the Canton Wun Tun House, Gardenia Florist, Brighouse Travel, Wine Art, Peter's Coffee Shop, H&R Block and Time Square Hair. Time Square was closed and demolished and is supposed to be replaced with a two tower residential and commercial complex. (City of Richmond Archives, Richmond Review photo 1988 121)

Address

7700 Minoru Gate
Richmond, BC
V6Y1R9

Telephone

604-247-8305

Website

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