Vancouver / Names / B / Balmer

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Balmers

In the city directories 1940 · 13 people at eight addresses

The directories print 13 people named Balmer at eight addresses in 1940 in seven 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 Balmers at 2092 East 12th 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 Balmers lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    4574 Belmont Avenue

    West Point Grey, 1940

    • A E Balmer, a machinist at American Can 1940

    Next door in 1940: H A Ormiston at 4570 and D O'N Hayes at 4580. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    2078 Creelman Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • I Balmer, a physician 1940

    Next door in 1940: H Clay at 2076 and W Ross at 2080. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    2092 East 12th Avenue

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • Mrs I M Balmer 1940
    • John L Balmer, a bookkeeper at Lakes & Ninnis 1940
    • Kathleen M Balmer, a stenographer 1940
    • Lois J Balmer, a stenographer at Pumps & Power 1940
  4. 4

    825 Granville Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • W C Balmer, a dentist 1940
    • Dr I Balmer, a physician 1940

    Next door in 1940: R G Hunter at 823 and Green Parrot Coffee Shop at 827. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    1475 West 11th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • S Balmer, retired 1940
    • William M Balmer, a bookkeeper 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs J Williams at 1471. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    1154 West 12th Avenue

    Fairview, 1940

    • John Balmer 1940

    Next door in 1940: W K Beech at 1150 and Mrs M A Flower at 1156. The block, door by door

  7. 7

    755 West 16th Avenue

    South Cambie, 1940

    • Mary I Balmer, a telephone operator 1940

    Next door in 1940: C Lundegren at 747 and F Mikl at 783. The block, door by door

  8. 8

    3927 West 37th Avenue

    Dunbar-Southlands, 1940

    • W C Balmer, a dentist 1940

    Next door in 1940: W W Auld at 3915 and Mrs K Richardson at 3937. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for eight of the 13: a bookkeeper (2), a stenographer (2), a dentist, a machinist, a physician and a telephone operator.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Fairview (2), Downtown, Dunbar-Southlands, Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Kitsilano, South Cambie 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 A E Balmer at 4574 Belmont 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 Albert E Balmer there as the householder, a machinist at American Can. In 1940 the directory lists I Balmer at 2078 Creelman Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Ian Balmer there as the householder, a physician.

In 1940 the directory lists Mrs I M Balmer at 2092 East 12th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Mrs Ida M Balmer there as the householder, with John L Balmer, a bookkeeper at Lakes & Ninnis, Kathleen M Balmer, a stenographer, and Lois J Balmer, a stenographer at Pumps & Power. In 1940 the directory lists Dr I Balmer, a physician, at 825 Granville Street. By 1940 it is W C Balmer, a dentist.

In 1940 the directory lists S Balmer at 1475 West 11th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Steph Balmer there as the householder, retired, with William M Balmer, a bookkeeper. The 1940 name section lists John Balmer at 1154 West 12th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Mary I Balmer at 755 West 16th Avenue, a telephone operator.

In 1940 the directory lists W C Balmer at 3927 West 37th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists W Campbell Balmer there as the householder, a dentist.

Today

4574 Belmont, 2078 Creelman, 825 Granville and 3927 West 37th still have their buildings from before 1946; 1475 West 11th (1956) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 2092 East 12th, 1154 West 12th and 755 West 16th, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 18 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 Balmers

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Balmer 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 B. Want a name removed? Tell us.