A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Alfords
In the city directories 1940 · four people at two addresses
The directories print four people named Alford at two addresses in 1940 in two of the city's neighbourhoods. 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: three Alfords at 6795 Sherbrooke 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 Alfords lived
- 1
6795 Sherbrooke Street
Sunset, 1940
- H A Alford, a blacksmith at McGavin 1940
- Frederick Alford, a millworker 1940
- H May Alford, a stenographer 1940
Next door in 1940: H W Nelson at 6783. The block, door by door
- 2
2233 West 41st Avenue
Arbutus Ridge, 1940
- L Alford, proprietor of The Devonshire 1940
Next door in 1940: W H Macfarlane at 2231 and Sterling Food Mkts at 2241. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for all four: a blacksmith, a millworker, a proprietor and a stenographer.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Arbutus Ridge and Sunset. 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 H A Alford at 6795 Sherbrooke 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 Harry A Alford there as the householder, a blacksmith at McGavin, with Frederick Alford, a millworker, and H May Alford, a stenographer. In 1940 the directory lists L Alford at 2233 West 41st Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Lewis Alford there as the householder, proprietor of The Devonshire.
Today
2233 West 41st still has its building from before 1946, dated 1930 by the City's record; 6795 Sherbrooke (1977) has a newer building, by the City's record.
Every line as printed
All 6 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Alford H A6795 Sherbrooke, p. 151
- Alford Fredk mlwkr6795 Sherbrooke, p. 8
- Alford H May sten6795 Sherbrooke, p. 8
- Alford Harry A blksmth McGavin6795 Sherbrooke, p. 8
- Alford L2233 West 41st, p. 258
- Alford Lewis prop The Devonshire2233 West 41st, p. 8
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Alfords
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Alford 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.