A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Coffins
In the city directories 1940 · 14 people at ten addresses
The directories print 14 people named Coffin at ten addresses in 1940 in seven 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: three Coffins at 792 East 54th 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 Coffins lived
- 1
3329 East 11th Avenue
Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940
- A D Coffin, a seaman 1940
Next door in 1940: J D Johnson at 3351. The block, door by door
- 2
792 East 54th Avenue
Sunset, 1940
- R L Coffin, retired 1940
- H S Coffin, an apprentice at the Canadian (BC) Telephone 1940
- Margaret Coffin 1940
Next door in 1940: F Middleton at 780. The block, door by door
- 3
3925 Main Street
Riley Park, 1940
- Mrs A Coffin 1940
- Lily A F Coffin 1940
Next door in 1940: T Nakamura at 3917 and J Kerr at 3981. The block, door by door
- 4
2425 Pine Street
Fairview, 1940
- Mrs J A Coffin, widow of A E 1940
- Frederick W Coffin, proprietor of A E Coffin & Son 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs C McLeod at 2423. The block, door by door
- 5
5230 Prince Edward Street
Riley Park, 1940
- C D Coffin, a master mariner 1940
Next door in 1940: J H Clague at 5218 and S A Green at 5244. The block, door by door
- 6
1336 West 12th Avenue
Fairview, 1940
- Mrs Anne Coffin, a nurse at Children's Aid 1940
Next door in 1940: F C James at 1326 and W D Sowerby at 1346. The block, door by door
- 7
3007 West 38th Avenue
Dunbar-Southlands, 1940
- F M H Coffin, a clerk at the Bank of Montreal 1940
Next door in 1940: J C Lynch at 3025. The block, door by door
- 8
2695 West 42nd Avenue
Kerrisdale, 1940
- J Coffin, a manufacturers agent 1940
Next door in 1940: H W Reeder at 2675. The block, door by door
- 9
1716 West 8th Avenue
Fairview, 1940
- Margaret I Coffin, a hairdresser at Unique Beauty Salon 1940
Next door in 1940: H Howard at 1724. The block, door by door
- 10
119 West Pender Street
Downtown, 1940
- J Coffin, a manufacturers agent 1940
Next door in 1940: B C Leather Co Ltd at 117 and Jackson T H Ltd at 121. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for eight of the 14: an apprentice, a clerk, a hairdresser, a manufacturers agent, a master mariner and a nurse, among others. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Fairview (3), Riley Park (2), Downtown, Dunbar-Southlands, Kerrisdale, Renfrew-Collingwood and Sunset. 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 A D Coffin at 3329 East 11th Avenue. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Arthur D Coffin there as the householder, a seaman. In 1940 the directory lists R L Coffin at 792 East 54th Avenue; 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 Robert L Coffin there as the householder, retired, with H S Coffin, an apprentice at the Canadian (BC) Telephone, and Margaret Coffin.
In 1940 the directory lists Mrs A Coffin at 3925 Main Street. The 1940 name section lists Mrs Amelia Coffin there as the householder, with Lily A F Coffin. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs J A Coffin at 2425 Pine Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Janet A Coffin there as the householder, widow of A E, with Frederick W Coffin, proprietor of A E Coffin & Son.
In 1940 the directory lists C D Coffin at 5230 Prince Edward Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Charles D Coffin there as the householder, a master mariner. The 1940 name section lists Mrs Anne Coffin at 1336 West 12th Avenue, a nurse at Children's Aid.
F M H Coffin is listed at 3007 West 38th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Frederick M H Coffin there as the householder, a clerk at the Bank of Montreal. J Coffin is listed at 2695 West 42nd Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists John Coffin there as the householder, a manufacturers agent, with J Alex Coffin.
The 1940 name section lists Margaret I Coffin at 1716 West 8th Avenue, a hairdresser at Unique Beauty Salon. In 1940 the directory lists J Coffin, a manufacturers agent, at 119 West Pender Street.
Today
792 East 54th, 5230 Prince Edward and 119 West Pender still have their buildings from before 1946; 3007 West 38th (2012) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 3329 East 11th, 3925 Main, 2425 Pine, 1336 West 12th, 2695 West 42nd and 1716 West 8th, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 22 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Coffin A D3329 East 11th, p. 203
- Coffin Arth D seamn3329 East 11th, p. 118
- *Coffin R L792 East 54th, p. 267
- Coffin H S appr Can (BC) Tel792 East 54th, p. 118
- Coffin Margt792 East 54th, p. 118
- Coffin Robt L retired792 East 54th, p. 118
- Coffin Mrs A3925 Main, p. 109
- Coffin Mrs Amelia3925 Main, p. 118
- Coffin Lily A F3925 Main, p. 118
- *Coffin Mrs J A2425 Pine, p. 133
- Coffin Fredk W prop A E Coffin & Son2425 Pine, p. 118
- Coffin Janet A wid A E2425 Pine, p. 118
- *Coffin C D5230 Prince Edward, p. 137
- Coffin Chas D mstr mrnr5230 Prince Edward, p. 118
- Coffin Mrs Anne nurse Children's Aid1336 West 12th, p. 118
- Coffin F M H3007 West 38th, p. 255
- Coffin Fredk M H clk Bk of Mont3007 West 38th, p. 118
- *Coffin J2695 West 42nd, p. 259
- Coffin J Alex2695 West 42nd, p. 118
- Coffin John mfrs agt 515, 119 W Pender2695 West 42nd, p. 118
- Coffin Margt I hairdrsr Unique Beauty Salon1716 West 8th, p. 118
- Coffin J mfrs agt119 West Pender, p. 129
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Coffins
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Coffin 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.
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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.