A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Aikenses
In the city directories 1940 · six people at two addresses
The directories print six people named Aikens at two addresses in 1940 in Kensington-Cedar Cottage. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: four Aikenses at 5002 Commercial in 1940.
Reserve this family's book, freeThe name in every directory we hold from 1901 to 1945, at every address, each line with its page, to read here or save as a PDF. About $29 when orders open.
Where the Aikenses lived
- 1
5002 Commercial Street
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- F J Aikens, a salesman 1940
- Beatrice M Aikens, a saleswoman 1940
- Hugh E Aikens, an apprentice at Cleland-Kent 1940
- Iola M Aikens, a domestic for J S Burton 1940
Next door in 1940: J McCarthy at 5026. The block, door by door
- 2
1550 East 13th Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- R E Aikens, a barber at Sasamat Barber Shop 1940
- David E Aikens 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs S M Arnold at 1544 and E G McMynn at 1554. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for five of the six: an apprentice, a barber, a domestic, a salesman and a saleswoman.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Kensington-Cedar Cottage (2). Each neighbourhood's page shows its trades, its people and every street in it, the way the directory printed them.
The story, address by address
In 1940 the directory lists F J Aikens at 5002 Commercial Street; the 1940 line is marked *: some member of the family owns the property, to the best of our knowledge (the directory's own mark). The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Frederick J Aikens there as the householder, a salesman, with Beatrice M Aikens, a saleswoman, Hugh E Aikens, an apprentice at Cleland-Kent, and Iola M Aikens, a domestic for J S Burton. In 1940 the directory lists R E Aikens at 1550 East 13th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Ralph E Aikens there as the householder, a barber at Sasamat Barber Shop, with David E Aikens.
Today
5002 Commercial and 1550 East 13th still have their buildings from before 1946, 1550 East 13th on the Vancouver Heritage Register.
Every line as printed
All 8 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Aikens F J5002 Commercial, p. 34
- Aikens Beatrice M slswm5002 Commercial, p. 5
- Aikens Fredk J slsmn5002 Commercial, p. 5
- Aikens Hugh E appr Cleland-Kent5002 Commercial, p. 5
- Aikens Iola M dom J S Burton5002 Commercial, p. 5
- *Aikens R E1550 East 13th, p. 210
- Aikens David E1550 East 13th, p. 5
- Aikens Ralph E barber Sasamat Barber Shop1550 East 13th, p. 5
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Aikenses
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Aikens name in each Vancouver directory we hold from 1901 to 1945: everyone printed under it at every address, their work from the name sections, who lived next door, and the page behind every line, to read here or save as a PDF to print or give.
We're opening orders soon. Join the list to be first in line; we expect about $29 a family.
Another name, or a house
Sources
Henderson's and successor city directories for Vancouver, read by us line by line: the street sections for 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935, 1940 and 1945, and the name section for 1930 and 1940 where we've read it (Vancouver Public Library, BC City Directories). Names are shown through 1945, as printed. Close spellings are grouped, as on the house pages, since a family's name was often spelled differently from one year to the next; one name can still be several families, and we join lines only where the first names or initials agree. Many Chinese, Japanese and other residents weren't named by the canvassers, so they can't be listed by name: their houses' pages say where. More family names under A. Want a name removed? Tell us.