A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Burrs
In the city directories 1940 · 19 people at twelve addresses
The directories print 19 people named Burr at twelve addresses in 1940 in nine 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: five Burrs at 3309 West 12th 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 Burrs lived
- 1
6788 Adera Street
Kerrisdale, 1940
- D Montrose Burr, a trucker at the Great Northern Dock 1940
Next door in 1940: R C Stephens at 6762. The block, door by door
- 2
1311 East 28th Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- Mrs E Burr, widow of J W 1940
- Mary E Burr 1940
Next door in 1940: H J Poppy at 1319. The block, door by door
- 3
439 East 8th Avenue
Mount Pleasant, 1940
- George Burr, a baker 1940
Next door in 1940: W S McKay at 421 and J H Behman at 449. The block, door by door
- 4
923 East Pender Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Mrs Ida Burr 1940
- Percy Burr 1940
Next door in 1940: V Lemisky at 911 and G Manke at 927. The block, door by door
- 5
2336 Guelph Street
Mount Pleasant, 1940
- George Burr, a laborer 1940
Next door in 1940: A G Caldwell at 2334. The block, door by door
- 6
1601 Robson Street
West End, 1940
- C A Burr 1940
Next door in 1940: R W Crawford at 1615. The block, door by door
- 7
1182 Thurlow Street
West End, 1940
- Joy Burr, an assistant cook at Golden Arrow Creameries 1940
Next door in 1940: J A Stewart at 1176. The block, door by door
- 8
1535 Venables Street
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- G Burr, a foundryman 1940
- William L Burr 1940
Next door in 1940: J H Whitfield at 1521 and J Claverie at 1543. The block, door by door
- 9
2711 Ward Street
Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940
- A W Burr, a salesman at Woodward's 1940
Next door in 1940: C R Sumner at 2703 and P Donnelly at 2719. The block, door by door
- 10
3309 West 12th Avenue
Kitsilano, 1940
- A E Burr 1940
- Emily Burr, widow of A E 1940
- Adrian T Burr, a clerk at Sun Director 1940
- Eric Burr, a movie operator 1940
- Gwen C Burr, an operator at the BC Telephone 1940
Next door in 1940: W S Rowan at 3303 and H Spibey at 3315. The block, door by door
- 11
1935 West 13th Avenue
Kitsilano, 1940
- A A Burr, a mechanic at the City of Vancouver 1940
Next door in 1940: A W Kolle at 1925 and W M Bone at 1945. The block, door by door
- 12
3477 West 28th Avenue
Dunbar-Southlands, 1940
- R Burr, a salesman 1940
Next door in 1940: D A Campbell at 3463 and S L Taylor at 3495. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for eleven of the 19: a salesman (2), an assistant cook, a baker, a clerk, a foundryman and a laborer, among others. Two are widows, listed under their own names.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Kitsilano (2), Mount Pleasant (2), West End (2), Dunbar-Southlands, Grandview-Woodland, Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Kerrisdale, Renfrew-Collingwood and Strathcona. 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 D Montrose Burr at 6788 Adera Street, a trucker at the Great Northern Dock. Mrs E Burr is listed at 1311 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 Elizabeth Burr there as the householder, widow of J W, with Mary E Burr. The 1940 name section lists George Burr at 439 East 8th Avenue, a baker.
The 1940 name section lists Mrs Ida Burr at 923 East Pender Street, with Percy Burr. The 1940 name section lists George Burr at 2336 Guelph Street, a laborer. In 1940 the directory lists C A Burr at 1601 Robson Street. The 1940 name section lists Joy Burr at 1182 Thurlow Street, an assistant cook at Golden Arrow Creameries.
In 1940 the directory lists G Burr at 1535 Venables Street. The 1940 name section lists George Burr there as the householder, a foundryman, with William L Burr. In 1940 the directory lists A W Burr at 2711 Ward Street. The 1940 name section lists Archibald W Burr there as the householder, a salesman at Woodward's.
In 1940 the directory lists A E Burr at 3309 West 12th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Emily Burr there as the householder, widow of A E, with Adrian T Burr, a clerk at Sun Director, Eric Burr, a movie operator, and Gwen C Burr, an operator at the BC Telephone. In 1940 the directory lists A A Burr at 1935 West 13th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Arnold A Burr there as the householder, a mechanic at the City of Vancouver.
In 1940 the directory lists R Burr at 3477 West 28th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Reginald Burr there as the householder, a salesman.
Today
1182 Thurlow and 3477 West 28th still have their buildings from before 1946; 6788 Adera (2019), 1311 East 28th (1985), 1535 Venables (1975), 2711 Ward (1992), 3309 West 12th (2010) and 1935 West 13th (1989) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 439 East 8th, 923 East Pender, 2336 Guelph and 1601 Robson, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 24 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Burr D Montrose trucker GN Dock6788 Adera, p. 82
- *Burr Mrs E1311 East 28th, p. 243
- Burr Eliz wid J W1311 East 28th, p. 82
- Burr Mary E1311 East 28th, p. 82
- Burr Geo baker439 East 8th, p. 82
- Burr Mrs Ida923 East Pender, p. 82
- Burr Percy923 East Pender, p. 82
- Burr Geo lab2336 Guelph, p. 82
- Burr C A1601 Robson, p. 144
- Burr Joy asst cook Golden Arrow Creameries1182 Thurlow, p. 82
- Burr G1535 Venables, p. 160
- Burr Geo fndymn1535 Venables, p. 82
- Burr Wm L1535 Venables, p. 82
- Burr A W2711 Ward, p. 165
- Burr Arch W slsmn Woodwards2711 Ward, p. 82
- Burr A E3309 West 12th, p. 209
- Burr Adrian T clk Sun Dir3309 West 12th, p. 82
- Burr Emily wid A E3309 West 12th, p. 82
- Burr Eric movie opr3309 West 12th, p. 82
- Burr Gwen C opr BC Tel3309 West 12th, p. 82
- *Burr A A1935 West 13th, p. 212
- Burr Arnold A mech Van City1935 West 13th, p. 82
- *Burr R3477 West 28th, p. 244
- Burr Regd slsmn SD & W3477 West 28th, p. 82
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, name section, where each person's work is printed
The book of the Burrs
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Burr 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.