South Asian Canadian men sawmill workers

Audio recording of Nash Gill being interviewed by Rishi for the Canadian Sikh Heritage project. He was interviewed about his family's journey from India to Canada, where the interview primarily talked about his father, Indar Singh Gill. The interview revealed why the Gill family came to Canada, how Indar Singh earned money in Canada, and the Gill family's legacy in British Columbia.

This is a document of Indar Singh's biography, where the information was given by his son, Nash Gill. The biography begins with a 17-year-old Indar Singh leaving India for Canada in 1930, while his wife and daughter were left behind. Because of the 1930s depression, Indar Singh had difficulty finding work but eventually did in Kamloops. Indar Singh worked as a sawmill worker and eventually became a business owner during his time in Canada. He was separated from his wife, Kartar Kaur, for 17 years before he was able to bring her and their newborn son to Canada; the couple had two additional daughters later.

This is a document of Indar Singh's biography, where the information was given by his son, Nash Gill. The biography begins with a 17-year-old Indar Singh leaving India for Canada in 1930, while his wife and daughter were left behind. Because of the 1930s depression, Indar Singh had difficulty finding work but eventually did in Kamloops. Indar Singh worked as a sawmill worker and eventually became a business owner during his time in Canada. He was separated from his wife, Kartar Kaur, for 17 years before he was able to bring her and their newborn son to Canada; the couple had two additional daughters later.

This is a document of Indar Singh's biography, where the information was given by his son, Nash Gill. The biography begins with a 17-year-old Indar Singh leaving India for Canada in 1930, while his wife and daughter were left behind. Because of the 1930s depression, Indar Singh had difficulty finding work but eventually did in Kamloops. Indar Singh worked as a sawmill worker and eventually became a business owner during his time in Canada. He was separated from his wife, Kartar Kaur, for 17 years before he was able to bring her and their newborn son to Canada; the couple had two additional daughters later.

This is a document about Indar Singh Gill's immigration journey told by his son, Nash Singh Gill. It explans why Indar Singh immigrated to Canada in 1930 at 17-years-old, while leaving behind his wife and young daughter. He was sponsored by Naranjan Singh Gill (Indar Singh's uncle), who was already in Canada. Because of the 1930s depression, Indar Singh found it hard to find work, but eventually found work in Kamloops for Sher Singh Aluwalia. After, he worked for sawmills on Vancouver Island. He spent a portion of his wages back to his family. Eventually, in 1949, his wife, Kartar Kaur, and son, Nachhattar (Nash) Singh Gill, travelled to Canada. Later the document talks about how he started his own business, Indar Fuel Company. Indar Singh became involved with other businesses and served as the President of the old Sikh temple in Abbotsford.

Item is a picture of a man putting wood into an Indar Fuel truck for transportation at Albert McMahon's sawmill, located at Suicide Creek, Mission. Indar Fuel Company was founded by Indar Singh Gill, where he carried fuel until 1958. His business declined when natural gas was starting to be used instead of fuel. The landscape includes evergreen trees and the mountains of the Fraser Valley.

Photo of the IWA-Canada members from the Alberni Region. The photograph includes members who were part of the 1990 25 Year Club. The group of men are dressed in formal suits and ties. Gurbakhsh Narang is the first person seated in the second row from the left.

Group photograph in front of the small office building of the Macken Brothers Lumber Yard, Chilliwack, BC. Buildings, lumber and mountains are visible in the background. Left to right: Thomas P. Knight, William Lyle Macken, Lettie Jackson, Harry Jackson, Walter Frost, and Mr. Singh, and Hughie Mercer [?] standing on horse drawn flat bed wagon.

Group photograph of six people standing in front of the small office building of the Macken Brothers Lumber Yard in Chilliwack, BC. The group of people in the photograph are identified as workers of the company. Left to right: William Lyle Macken, Thomas P. Knight, Lettie Jackson, Harry Jackson, Walter Frost and Mr. Singh. Mr. Singh is seen wearing a turban, trousers, and vest, and is standing slightly separated from the group.

Group photograph taken in Paldi of South Asian men and children taken outside. There are approximately 81 men and around 18 children in the photograph. There are two rows of men standing and two sitting, with the last group sitting on the ground. The children are all seated on the ground, while a few are being held by some of the men. On the back of the photograph is a handwritten note that reads, "81 men with their sons. Fathers of families who lived in Paldi and single men who live in bunkhouses. Approx. date 1935 (clarify this)."