A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Brunettes
In the city directories 1940 · two people at two addresses
The directories print two people named Brunette at two addresses in 1940 in two of the city's neighbourhoods. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: we can't tell if they're one family.
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 Brunettes lived
- 1
829 Nelson Street
Downtown, 1940
- F Brunette 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs I Murray at 821 and Sing Wong at 831. The block, door by door
- 2
1551 West 16th Avenue
Fairview, 1940
- Margery Brunette, an accountant at Bertha Dalglish Cosmetic Shop 1940
Next door in 1940: st charles apts at 1535 and york manor at 1565. The block, door by door
The story, address by address
In 1940 the directory lists F Brunette at 829 Nelson Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Fernand Brunette there as the householder. The 1940 name section lists Margery Brunette at 1551 West 16th Avenue, an accountant at Bertha Dalglish Cosmetic Shop.
Today
1551 West 16th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1927 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 829 Nelson, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed
All 3 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Brunette F829 Nelson, p. 118
- Brunette Fernand steeplejack829 Nelson, p. 76
- Brunette Margery acct Bertha Dalglish Cosmetic Shop1551 West 16th, p. 76
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Brunettes
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Brunette 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.