A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Combers
In the city directories 1940 · four people at four addresses
The directories print four people named Comber at four addresses in 1940 in four of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling Coomber. 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 Combers lived
- 1
1164 East Cordova Street
Strathcona, 1940
- J T Coomber, retired 1940
Next door in 1940: G A Howie at 1156. The block, door by door
- 2
1930 Powell Street
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- G C Comber, a confectioner 1940
Next door in 1940: C McKellar at 1918 and Cedar Cove Barber Shop at 1934. The block, door by door
- 3
- 4
1930 West Broadway
Kitsilano, 1940
- Louise Coomber, proprietor of Ted's Confectionery 1940
Next door in 1940: Miss S A Diament at 1926 and H G Stevenson at 1932. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for three of the four: a carpenter, a confectioner and a proprietor.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Grandview-Woodland, Kitsilano, Oakridge 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
In 1940 the directory lists J T Coomber at 1164 East Cordova Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists John T Coomber there as the householder, retired. In 1940 the directory lists G C Comber, a confectioner, at 1930 Powell Street. The 1940 name section lists George C Comber there as the householder, a confectioner.
In 1940 the directory lists C A Comber at 69 West 42nd 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 Charles A Comber there as the householder, a carpenter. The 1940 name section lists Louise Coomber at 1930 West Broadway, proprietor of Ted's Confectionery.
Today
69 West 42nd still has its building from before 1946, dated 1931 by the City's record; 1930 Powell (1978) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1164 East Cordova and 1930 West Broadway, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 7 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Coomber J T1164 East Cordova, p. 37
- Coomber John T retired1164 East Cordova, p. 125
- Comber G C confr1930 Powell, p. 136
- Comber Geo C confr1930 Powell, p. 121
- *Comber C A69 West 42nd, p. 259
- Comber Chas A carp69 West 42nd, p. 121
- Coomber Louise prop Ted's Conf1930 West Broadway, p. 125
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Combers
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Comber 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.