A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Chus
In the city directories 1940 · nine people at eight addresses
The directories print nine people named Chu at eight 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.
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 Chus lived
- 1
536 Campbell Avenue
Strathcona, 1940
- Chu Ha Chu 1940
Next door in 1940: B Griffin at 534 and J A Fair at 542. The block, door by door
- 2
412 Carrall Street
Downtown, 1940
- Norman Chu, proprietor of Rex Fruit and Royal Products 1940
Next door in 1940: West Hotel at 444. The block, door by door
- 3
357 East Hastings Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Lock Fong Chu 1940
Next door in 1940: W Karr at 355 and Western Cap Co Ltd at 363. The block, door by door
- 4
288 Keefer Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Lem Chu, a salesman 1940
Next door in 1940: Mun Yun Mah at 286 and “Orientals” at 290. The block, door by door
- 5
455 Keefer Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Dit Leong Chu 1940
Next door in 1940: Chuck S Wong at 453 and Gim Gee at 461. The block, door by door
- 6
- 7
207 Union Street
Strathcona, 1940
- Soon Yuk Chu, proprietor of the Luck Man Rooms 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs J E Murray at 209. The block, door by door
- 8
119 West 6th Avenue
Mount Pleasant, 1940
- T K Chu 1940
Next door in 1940: S Tanaka at 117 and C Heath at 121. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for three of the nine: a proprietor (2) and a salesman.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Strathcona (5), Downtown, Kitsilano and Mount Pleasant. 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 Chu Ha Chu at 536 Campbell Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Norman Chu at 412 Carrall Street, proprietor of Rex Fruit and Royal Products. In 1940 the directory lists Lock Fong Chu at 357 East Hastings Street. The 1940 name section lists Lock Fong Chu there as the householder.
In 1940 the directory lists Lem Chu at 288 Keefer 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 lists Lem Chu there as the householder, a salesman. In 1940 the directory lists Dit Leong Chu at 455 Keefer Street.
Mrs M Chu is listed at 2680 Stephens Street in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Mrs M Chu there as the householder, with Henry B Chu, a student. The 1940 name section lists Soon Yuk Chu at 207 Union Street, proprietor of the Luck Man Rooms.
In 1940 the directory lists T K Chu at 119 West 6th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Toa K Chu there as the householder.
Today
412 Carrall and 119 West 6th still have their buildings from before 1946, 412 Carrall on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 357 East Hastings (1994) and 2680 Stephens (1981) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 536 Campbell, 288 Keefer, 455 Keefer and 207 Union, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 13 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Chu Chu Ha536 Campbell, p. 110
- Chu Norman prop Rex Fruit and Royal Prod412 Carrall, p. 110
- Chu Lock Fong357 East Hastings, p. 74
- Chu Lock Fong357 East Hastings, p. 110
- *Chu Lem288 Keefer, p. 93
- Chu Lem slsmn288 Keefer, p. 110
- Chu Dit Leong455 Keefer, p. 93
- *Chu Mrs M2680 Stephens, p. 154
- Chu Henry B studt2680 Stephens, p. 110
- Chu Mrs M2680 Stephens, p. 110
- Chu Soon Yuk prop Luck Man Rooms207 Union, p. 110
- Chu T K119 West 6th, p. 187
- Chu Toa K119 West 6th, p. 110
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, name section, where each person's work is printed
The book of the Chus
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Chu 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 C. Want a name removed? Tell us.