Vancouver / Richards Street / Downtown

Downtown, Vancouver

509 Richards Street

In the 1940 city directory.

In 1940, 509 Richards Street is Lumbermen's Building, with 54 suites and households listed under it. The street section prints 15 names the name section doesn't list: C W Grantham, A E Perman and 13 others. Its name section lists four more people here under other surnames too.

Reserve this house's book, freeIts history in every directory we hold from 1901 to 1945, each line with its page, to read here or save as a PDF. Read for this address so far: 1940. The book reads the other 19 directories we hold. About $29 when orders open. The City Archives charges $25 a year searched, a house historian $300 to $550 or more.

19
people the 1940 directory lists here, four of them named in the book
Still standing
on the Heritage Register, category B
1912
the year built, by the City's record

In 1940

The street section

  • 55 linesLumbermen's Building and its suites and households, each on the page beside

Only in the street section

  • C W Granthaminsurance agent · suite 204p. 141
  • A E Permaninsurance · suite 210p. 141
  • Miss I B Permanpublic stenographer · suite 210p. 141
  • S W Bruntreal estate · suite 211p. 141
  • L A Bowesinsurance agent · suite 211p. 141
  • McArthursuite 305p. 141
  • Teen-Age War Vets Leaguesuite 306p. 141
  • J D Barrowimporter · suite 310p. 141
  • Todd Cheque Writerssuite 411p. 141
  • Terminal Engineeringsuite 606p. 141
  • J F Noblereal estate · suite 705p. 141
  • A R Waterfallreal estate · suite 706p. 141
  • A J Pughdraftsman · suite 710p. 141
  • J F Watsonarchitect · suite 802p. 141
  • H Blackadderarchitect · suite 802p. 141

Also at this address

  • Four more peopleunder other surnames, with each one's work: in the book

Richards Street is read from the 1940 directory, street section and name section, line by line.

1940British Columbia and Yukon Directory

Streets

RICHARDS

  1. 509Lumbermen's Bldgp. 141
  2. 509B2Columbia Printingp. 141
  3. 509Walker & Worsley Ltd real est ins etcp. 141
  4. 509Elphick Walker & Worsley Ltdp. 141
  5. 509201Lion's Gate Riding & Polo Club War Servp. 141
  6. 509204American Home Fire Asscep. 141
  7. 509204Grantham C W ins agtp. 141
  8. 509204Stanstead & Sherbrooke Fire Insp. 141
  9. 509204Wilson & Co ins agtsp. 141
  10. 509206Sayer & Son Ltd fertilizersp. 141
  11. 509208Building Mgrs Officep. 141
  12. 509209Business Machinesp. 141
  13. 509210Perman A E insp. 141
  14. 509210Perman Miss I B pub stenp. 141
  15. 509210Secretarial & Acctg Burp. 141
  16. 509211Brunt S W real estp. 141
  17. 509211Bowes L A ins agtp. 141
  18. 509305McArthurp. 141
  19. 509306Teen-Age War Vets Leaguep. 141
  20. 509306Distributors Sales Agcy mfrs agtsp. 141
  21. 509307British Imp Comrades Assnp. 141
  22. 509310Barrow J D imptrp. 141
  23. 509401Cosmetologists Laboratoriesp. 141
  24. 509401Dunbar G R & Co barbers' suppsp. 141
  25. 509404Interior Veg Mktg Agcyp. 141
  26. 509404Hudson-Harvey Ltd food prodsp. 141
  27. 509405Huestis Decrtr'sp. 141
  28. 509405Thornhill Paterson & Co Ltd mfrs agtsp. 141
  29. 509406Ferrier Processing Co patent medp. 141
  30. 509408Wear-Ever Brushp. 141
  31. 509411Bostitch Sales & Serv office suppsp. 141
  32. 509411Todd Cheque Writersp. 141
  33. 509504Mutual Benefit Health & Accident Assnp. 141
  34. 509506McGeachie & Holdsworth Ltd jwlrs suppsp. 141
  35. 509603Angus Ltd apt house ownersp. 141
  36. 509603New Bldg Financep. 141
  37. 509603Dom Constn Co Ltd genl contrsp. 141
  38. 509605Robert's Beauty & Barber Supplyp. 141
  39. 509606Terminal Engp. 141
  40. 509608Williams C H E Co Ltd elec engsp. 141
  41. 509609Harding Carpetsp. 141
  42. 509703Hobbs C D & Co mfrs agtsp. 141
  43. 509703Gold Savers Ltd min machyp. 141
  44. 509705Noble J F real estp. 141
  45. 509706Waterfall A R real estp. 141
  46. 509706Monthly Bulletinp. 141
  47. 509708Can Mercantile Collectionsp. 141
  48. 509708Can Mercantile Agcy fin and cr reportsp. 141
  49. 509709Draize & Co Ltd imptrs & exptrsp. 141
  50. 509710Pugh A J drftsmnp. 141
  51. 509801Crighton T L & Co mfrs agtsp. 141
  52. 509802Watson J F archtp. 141
  53. 509802Blackadder H archtp. 141
  54. 509804Gypsum Lime & Alabastine Canp. 141
  55. 509810Pretty's Ltd tbr landsp. 141
The lines for 509 Richards Street in the 1940 directory, as we read them, with its abbreviations; each opens its page at the Vancouver Public Library.

The building today

509 Richards Street still has a building from before 1946, on the City's heritage register (category B), one of five on the block; the City's assessment record gives 1912 as its year built.

Since 1940

  1. 1950A major renovation, by BC Assessment's record.
  2. 2002–2006Licensed as a school.
  3. 2010Licensed as a shop.
  4. 2018A building permit for alterations, valued at $275,000 (BP-2018-02178).
  5. 2020–2024Licensed as a community association.

From City of Vancouver open data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver): the property tax report (BC Assessment's years, approximate for old buildings), business licences from 1997 (the kind of business only), issued building permits from 2017 and the heritage register.

The 500 block of Richards Street on Goad's 1912 fire insurance map, with 509 marked
The 500 block of Richards Street, between West Pender and Dunsmuir Streets, on Goad's fire insurance map of 1912; the map may print the street under an older name. The ring marks 509, placed from the City's address point today (inferred). Georectified by the City of Vancouver (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).

The 500 block in 1940

Richards Street between West Pender and Dunsmuir Streets, Downtown: every door the 1940 directory lists on the block, the way it prints them, and what stands at each today. This house is marked in red.

Richards Street, the 500 blockas the 1940 directory lists it, door by door, and what stands there today

The 500 block of Richards Street

Quote this house

One line with its source, for a listing, a talk or a family tree. A link to this page shows the card below wherever it's shared.

509 Richards Street, Downtown, Vancouver, is in the 1940 city directory. A building from before 1946 still stands there: the City's record gives 1912 as the year built, and it is on the Vancouver Heritage Register.

Source: AddressLore, addresslore.com/house/509-richards, from Vancouver's city directories (Vancouver Public Library) and City of Vancouver open data.

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The share card for 509 Richards Street

The book of 509 Richards Street

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The book reads this address in each Vancouver directory we hold from 1901 to 1945: who lived here year by year, their work from the name sections, with the four people here in 1940 under other surnames whom this page doesn't name, the block around it, and the page behind every line, to read here or save as a PDF to print or give.

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Sources

The 1940 city directory (British Columbia and Yukon Directory), street and name sections, read by us line by line (Vancouver Public Library, BC City Directories); each line above links its page. Today's buildings: City of Vancouver Open Data (property tax report 2026, property addresses, Vancouver Heritage Register; Open Government Licence – Vancouver). The City's year built is BC Assessment's figure and can be approximate for old houses. The 1912 plate: Goad's Fire Insurance Map, georectified by the City of Vancouver. Something wrong, or a name you'd like removed? Tell us.