A family name on Oak Street, Fairview, South Cambie, Shaughnessy, Oakridge and Marpole
The Browns
In the city directories 1940 · seven people at three addresses
The directories print seven people named Brown at three addresses in 1940, all on Oak Street, with the close spelling Browne. 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 Browns at 7970 Oak in 1940. The directories print the name on 254 other streets too, all listed on the Brown name's own page.
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 Browns lived
- 1
3916 Oak Street
South Cambie, 1940
- J A Brown, a master mariner at the CNR 1940
Next door in 1940: H S Hargreaves at 3950. The block, door by door
- 2
7970 Oak Street
Marpole, 1940
- W C Brown, of Brown's Grocery 1940
- Ella F Brown, widow of B B 1940
- Florence V Brown, a school teacher 1940
Next door in 1940: J V Strong at 7950. The block, door by door
- 3
8861 Oak Street
Marpole, 1940
- Miss H W Brown 1940
- Hallie W Brown, a school teacher 1940
- Charles C Brown, retired 1940
Next door in 1940: C K Davis at 8849. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for three of the seven: a school teacher (2) and a master mariner. Two of them worked for Vancouver City. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Marpole (2) and South Cambie. 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 A Brown at 3916 Oak 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 Joseph A Brown there as the householder, a master mariner at the CNR. In 1940 the directory lists W C Brown at 7970 Oak Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Wilfred C Brown there as the householder, of Brown's Grocery, with Ella F Brown, widow of B B, and Florence V Brown, a school teacher.
In 1940 the directory lists Miss H W Brown at 8861 Oak Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Hallie W Brown there as the householder, a school teacher, with Charles C Brown, retired.
Today
7970 Oak still has its building from before 1946, dated 1928 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 3916 Oak and 8861 Oak, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 9 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Brown J A3916 Oak, p. 121
- Brown Jos A mstr mrnr CNR3916 Oak, p. 73
- *Brown W C7970 Oak, p. 121
- Brown Ella F wid B B7970 Oak, p. 72
- Brown Florence V sch tchr Van City7970 Oak, p. 72
- Brown Wilfd C of Brown's Gro7970 Oak, p. 75
- *Brown Miss H W8861 Oak, p. 122
- Brown Chas C retired8861 Oak, p. 72
- Brown Hallie W sch tchr Van City8861 Oak, p. 73
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Browns
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Brown 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.