A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Balfes
In the city directories 1940 · three people at two addresses
The directories print three people named Balfe at two addresses in 1940 in Dunbar-Southlands. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: 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 Balfes lived
- 1
3542 West 27th Avenue
Dunbar-Southlands, 1940
- J P Balfe, a sub station operator at the BC Electric Railway 1940
Next door in 1940: J A Logan at 3536 and H B Thwaites at 3550. The block, door by door
- 2
3642 West 37th Avenue
Dunbar-Southlands, 1940
- R M Balfe, a sub station operator at the BC Electric Railway 1940
- Maureen A Balfe, a student 1940
Next door in 1940: J Taylor at 3626 and R A Barons at 3658. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for two of the three: a sub station operator (2). Two of them worked for BC Electric Railway.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Dunbar-Southlands (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 J P Balfe at 3542 West 27th 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 John P Balfe there as the householder, a sub station operator at the BC Electric Railway. In 1940 the directory lists R M Balfe at 3642 West 37th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Richard M Balfe there as the householder, a sub station operator at the BC Electric Railway, with Richard M Balfe Jr, a sub station operator at the BC Electric Railway, and Maureen A Balfe, a student.
Today
3542 West 27th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1925 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 3642 West 37th, so that building is probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 6 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Balfe J P3542 West 27th, p. 242
- Balfe John P sub sta opr BCER3542 West 27th, p. 28
- *Balfe R M3642 West 37th, p. 254
- Balfe Maureen A studt3642 West 37th, p. 28
- Balfe Richd M sub sta opr BCER3642 West 37th, p. 28
- Balfe Richd M Jr sub sta opr BCER3642 West 37th, p. 28
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Balfes
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Balfe 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 B. Want a name removed? Tell us.