A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Alchins
In the city directories 1940 · three people at three addresses
The directories print three people named Alchin at three addresses in 1940 in three of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling Allchin. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family.
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 Alchins lived
- 1
1540 East Broadway
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- G W E Allchin, a clerk at the City of Vancouver 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs K Gard at 1546. The block, door by door
- 2
1726 West 11th Avenue
Fairview, 1940
- Elizabeth R Alchin, widow of W 1940
Next door in 1940: W Gormely at 1716 and W J Hoy at 1736. The block, door by door
- 3
4035 West 12th Avenue
West Point Grey, 1940
- B J Alchin, a secretary-treasurer at Central Transfer 1940
Next door in 1940: J Carson at 4027 and Mrs I Raphael at 4041. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for two of the three: a clerk and a secretary-treasurer. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Fairview, Kensington-Cedar Cottage and West Point Grey. 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 G W E Allchin at 1540 East Broadway; 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 G W Ernest Allchin there as the householder, a clerk at the City of Vancouver. The 1940 name section lists Elizabeth R Alchin at 1726 West 11th Avenue, widow of W.
B J Alchin is listed at 4035 West 12th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Benjamin J Alchin there as the householder, a secretary-treasurer at Central Transfer.
Today
4035 West 12th (2017) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1540 East Broadway, so that building is probably gone (inferred); for 1726 West 11th, its page says what we could and couldn't match to today's buildings.
Every line as printed
All 5 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Allchin G W E1540 East Broadway, p. 16
- Allchin G W Ernest clk Van City1540 East Broadway, p. 9
- Alchin Eliz R wid W1726 West 11th, p. 7
- *Alchin B J4035 West 12th, p. 209
- Alchin Benj J sec-treas Central Transf4035 West 12th, p. 7
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Alchins
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Alchin 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.