Vancouver / Names / B / Bigger

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Biggers

In the city directories 1940 · eight people at five addresses

The directories print eight people named Bigger 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 Biggers at 1742 Macdonald 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 Biggers 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

    1237 Burrard Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • Mrs M J Bigger, widow of G 1940

    Next door in 1940: E Wattum at 1225 and Mrs A M Boone at 1243. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    764 Hamilton Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • J Bigger 1940

    Next door in 1940: E Soderoos at 762 and M MacLeod at 766. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    1742 Macdonald Street

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • C Edwin Bigger 1940
    • Mrs Evelyn Bigger 1940
    • Roger E Bigger 1940
    • Rolene C Bigger 1940

    Next door in 1940: T S Myskow at 1736 and H H Smith at 1746. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    1946 Main Street

    Mount Pleasant, 1940

    • George Bigger, an edgerman at Minto Lumber 1940

    Next door in 1940: Main Monumental Wks at 1930. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    1164 Melville Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • Bigger (no first name printed) 1940

    Next door in 1940: J F Gillespie at 1158 and W Aconley at 1174. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for one of the eight: an edgerman. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Downtown (3), Kitsilano and Mount Pleasant. 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 Mrs M J Bigger at 1237 Burrard Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Mary J Bigger there as the householder, widow of G. In 1940 the directory lists J Bigger at 764 Hamilton Street. The 1940 name section lists John Bigger there as the householder.

The 1940 name section lists C Edwin Bigger at 1742 Macdonald Street, with Mrs Evelyn Bigger, Roger E Bigger and Rolene C Bigger. The 1940 name section lists George Bigger at 1946 Main Street, an edgerman at Minto Lumber. The 1940 name section lists Bigger (no first name printed) at 1164 Melville Street.

Today

1742 Macdonald still has its building from before 1946, dated 1908 by the City's record; 1237 Burrard (1999) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 764 Hamilton, 1946 Main and 1164 Melville, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 10 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 Biggers

Every directory, as one book

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