A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Breens
In the city directories 1940 · eleven people at eight addresses
The directories print eleven people named Breen at eight addresses in 1940 in six of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling Bren. 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 Breens at 1706 West 49th 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 Breens lived
- 1
630 Alexander Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Charles C Breen, a longshoreman 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs A Gika at 626 and Heatley Mach Wks at 636. The block, door by door
- 2
1838 Collingwood Street
Kitsilano, 1940
- H J Breen, an accountant 1940
Next door in 1940: V A Rollins at 1810 and J Galloway at 1842. The block, door by door
- 3
366 East 28th Avenue
Riley Park, 1940
- Miss E L Breen 1940
- Edith L Breen 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs A L Clements at 358 and C L Preston at 374. The block, door by door
- 4
241 East Hastings Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Thomas Breen 1940
Next door in 1940: F S Hikida at 239 and Miss P Gordon at 245. The block, door by door
- 5
1159 Pacific Street
West End, 1940
- Gladys Breen 1940
Next door in 1940: W C Splan at 1155 and Mrs A L Degg at 1169. The block, door by door
- 6
396 Powell Street
Strathcona, 1940
- H Breen 1940
Next door in 1940: New Fish Mkt at 394 and Japan & Canada Trust Sav Co at 398. The block, door by door
- 7
1706 West 49th Avenue
Kerrisdale, 1940
- R W Breen, an accountant at the CPR 1940
- Allan W Breen, a clerk at H R MacMillan Export 1940
- William I Breen, a clerk at the Royal Bank 1940
Next door in 1940: R J Stewart at 1716. The block, door by door
- 8
1455 West Georgia Street
Downtown, 1940
- P Bren, proprietor of English Pram Shop who kept rooms to let 1940
Next door in 1940: V V Fors at 1441 and P P Epp at 1459. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for six of the eleven: an accountant (2), a clerk (2), a longshoreman and a proprietor.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Strathcona (3), Downtown, Kerrisdale, Kitsilano, Riley Park 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
The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Charles C Breen at 630 Alexander Street, a longshoreman. H J Breen is listed at 1838 Collingwood Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Howard J Breen there as the householder, an accountant.
Miss E L Breen is listed at 366 East 28th Avenue in 1940; 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 Edith L Breen there as the householder. The 1940 name section lists Thomas Breen at 241 East Hastings Street. The 1940 name section lists Gladys Breen at 1159 Pacific Street.
The 1940 name section lists H Breen at 396 Powell Street. In 1940 the directory lists R W Breen at 1706 West 49th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists R Wilson Breen there as the householder, an accountant at the CPR, with Allan W Breen, a clerk at H R MacMillan Export, and William I Breen, a clerk at the Royal Bank.
In 1940 the directory lists P Bren, rooms to let, at 1455 West Georgia Street. The 1940 name section lists Philip Bren there, proprietor of English Pram Shop who kept rooms to let.
Today
1838 Collingwood, 366 East 28th and 241 East Hastings still have their buildings from before 1946; 1455 West Georgia (1967) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 630 Alexander, 1159 Pacific, 396 Powell and 1706 West 49th, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 14 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Breen Chas C lngshmn630 Alexander, p. 64
- Breen H J1838 Collingwood, p. 32
- Breen Howard J acct1838 Collingwood, p. 64
- *Breen Miss E L366 East 28th, p. 243
- Breen Edith L366 East 28th, p. 64
- Breen Thos241 East Hastings, p. 64
- Breen Gladys1159 Pacific, p. 64
- Breen H396 Powell, p. 64
- *Breen R W1706 West 49th, p. 265
- Breen Allan W clk H R MacMillan Export1706 West 49th, p. 64
- Breen R Wilson acct CPR1706 West 49th, p. 64
- Breen Wm I clk Royal Bk1706 West 49th, p. 64
- Bren P rooms1455 West Georgia, p. 58
- Bren Philip prop English Pram Shop & rooms1455 West Georgia, p. 64
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, name section, where each person's work is printed
The book of the Breens
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Breen 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.