Vancouver / Names / B / Branston

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Branstons

In the city directories 1940 · seven people at four addresses

The directories print seven people named Branston at four addresses in 1940 in four 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: three Branstons at 2660 Balaclava 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 Branstons 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

    1174 Alberni Street

    West End, 1940

    • Mrs R Branston, widow of E H 1940

    Next door in 1940: W A Webster at 1172. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    2660 Balaclava Street

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • E C Branston, proprietor of Canadian Transfer 1940
    • Josephine Branston, a dispatcher at Canadian Transfer 1940
    • W E Howard Branston 1940

    Next door in 1940: C J Walker at 2648 and J L Wilson at 2676. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    250 East 15th Avenue

    Mount Pleasant, 1940

    • Thomas J Branston, a mechanic at American Can 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs M A Green at 242 and Y C Leong at 256. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    5927 Ontario Street

    Oakridge, 1940

    • A E Branston, a cabinetmaker 1940
    • Jack B Branston, a driver at Woodward's 1940

    Next door in 1940: J D Johnstone at 5931. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for five of the seven: a cabinetmaker, a dispatcher, a driver, a mechanic and a proprietor. Two of them worked for Canadian Transfer. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, Oakridge 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 Mrs R Branston at 1174 Alberni Street; 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 Rose Branston there as the householder, widow of E H. In 1940 the directory lists E C Branston at 2660 Balaclava Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Edward C Branston there as the householder, proprietor of Canadian Transfer, with Josephine Branston, a dispatcher at Canadian Transfer, and W E Howard Branston.

The 1940 name section lists Thomas J Branston at 250 East 15th Avenue, a mechanic at American Can. A E Branston is listed at 5927 Ontario Street in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Alfred E Branston there as the householder, a cabinetmaker, with Jack B Branston, a driver at Woodward's.

Today

2660 Balaclava and 250 East 15th still have their buildings from before 1946; 5927 Ontario (1992) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1174 Alberni, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Campers' cottages and tents among the trees at the foot of Balaclava Street, above the water
1910 Campers' cottages and tents among the trees at the foot of Balaclava Street, above the water. Not at the house at 2660 Balaclava: no archive photo of the 2600 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, CVA 7-91. Public domain.

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 Branstons

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Branston 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.