Vancouver / Names / A / Ashdown

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Ashdowns

In the city directories 1940 · nine people at five addresses

The directories print nine people named Ashdown at five addresses in 1940 in three of the city's neighbourhoods. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: four Ashdowns at 912 East 29th 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 Ashdowns lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. One address isn't on today's map, so it has no pin. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    1114 East 23rd Avenue

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • C H Ashdown, a clerk at Canadian Fishing 1940

    Next door in 1940: H R Murray at 1104 and Mrs M Ferrier at 1120. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    912 East 29th Avenue

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • R L Ashdown, an inspector at the Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau 1940
    • Frank E Ashdown, a bookkeeper for T A Mansell 1940
    • Mildred E Ashdown, a domestic 1940
    • Violet Ashdown, a waitress at National Biscuit 1940

    Next door in 1940: A Leftrook at 904 and J Sutherland at 920. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    1184 Nelson Street

    West End, 1940

    • C W H Ashdown, rooms to let 1940

    Next door in 1940: F J Pearson at 1168. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    2796 West 31st Avenue

    Arbutus Ridge, 1940

    • J C Ashdown, a salesman for F J Bossons 1940

    Next door in 1940: J G Callaghan at 2786. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    2831 West 38th Avenue

    Arbutus Ridge, 1940

    • Mrs M J Ashdown, widow of A L 1940
    • Thelma Ashdown 1940

    Next door in 1940: W L Patterson at 2823 and H A Urquhart at 2839. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for six of the nine: a bookkeeper, a clerk, a domestic, an inspector, a salesman and a waitress. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Arbutus Ridge (2), Kensington-Cedar Cottage (2) and West End. 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 C H Ashdown at 1114 East 23rd Avenue; 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 Cyril H Ashdown there as the householder, a clerk at Canadian Fishing. In 1940 the directory lists R L Ashdown at 912 East 29th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Richard L Ashdown there as the householder, an inspector at the Pacific Lumber Inspection Bureau, with Frank E Ashdown, a bookkeeper for T A Mansell, Mildred E Ashdown, a domestic, and Violet Ashdown, a waitress at National Biscuit.

In 1940 the directory lists C W H Ashdown, rooms to let, at 1184 Nelson Street. J C Ashdown is listed at 2796 West 31st Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists John C Ashdown there as the householder, a salesman for F J Bossons.

Mrs M J Ashdown is listed at 2831 West 38th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Martha J Ashdown there as the householder, widow of A L, with Thelma Ashdown.

Today

2831 West 38th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1929 by the City's record; 912 East 29th (1970) and 2796 West 31st (2013) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1114 East 23rd and 1184 Nelson, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 13 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
1940

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section

The book of the Ashdowns

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Ashdown 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.

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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.