Vancouver / Names / A / Astell

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Astells

In the city directories 1940 · nine people at five addresses

The directories print nine people named Astell at five addresses in 1940 in five of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling Astel. 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 Astells at 3695 West 11th 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 Astells lived

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

    2154 Dundas Street

    Grandview-Woodland, 1940

    • W Astell, a millworker at Sterling Lumber 1940
    • Roy Astell 1940

    Next door in 1940: M Hiriart at 2144 and Mrs E Kirkpatrick at 2164. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    961 East 50th Avenue

    Sunset, 1940

    • F W Astel, a steward 1940

    Next door in 1940: J Craigen at 951 and W H Johnston at 975. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    1270 Nelson Street

    West End, 1940

    • G B Astell 1940

    Next door in 1940: F E Stratton at 1268 and altamont the at 1284. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    3695 West 11th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • Mrs A Astell, widow of S 1940
    • Ada E Astell, a typist at the Customs 1940
    • Gladys J Astell, a stenographer 1940
    • Mary C L Astell, a school teacher 1940

    Next door in 1940: A H MacLachlan at 3689. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    3791 West 36th Avenue

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • J J Astell, a photographer compositor at Bulman Bros 1940

    Next door in 1940: J Diggle at 3775. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for six of the nine: a millworker, a photographer compositor, a school teacher, a stenographer, a steward and a typist. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Dunbar-Southlands, Grandview-Woodland, Kitsilano, Sunset 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 W Astell at 2154 Dundas Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists William Astell there as the householder, a millworker at Sterling Lumber, with Roy Astell. In 1940 the directory lists F W Astel at 961 East 50th 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 lists Frederick W Astell there as the householder, a steward.

In 1940 the directory lists G B Astell at 1270 Nelson Street. Mrs A Astell is listed at 3695 West 11th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Annie Astell there as the householder, widow of S, with Ada E Astell, a typist at the Customs, Gladys J Astell, a stenographer, and Mary C L Astell, a school teacher.

J J Astell is listed at 3791 West 36th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Joseph J Astell there as the householder, a photographer compositor at Bulman Bros.

Today

3791 West 36th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1930 by the City's record; 2154 Dundas (1964) and 961 East 50th (2001) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1270 Nelson and 3695 West 11th, 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 Astells

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Astell 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.

One email, when it's ready. We use your email for nothing else and never share it. Privacy

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.