A family name on West 8th Avenue, Kitsilano, Mount Pleasant, Fairview and West Point Grey
The Cowans
In the city directories 1940 · five people at two addresses
The directories print five people named Cowan at two addresses in 1940, all on West 8th Avenue. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: four Cowans at 1094 West 8th in 1940. The directories print the name on 48 other streets too, all listed on the Cowan name's own page.
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 Cowans lived
- 1
1094 West 8th Avenue
Fairview, 1940
- Mrs S M Cowan, widow of R D 1940
- E Mabel Cowan, a school teacher 1940
- Grace R Cowan, a school nurse at the City of Vancouver 1940
- Susie I Cowan, a school teacher 1940
Next door in 1940: P J Charlesworth at 1082. The block, door by door
- 2
4092 West 8th Avenue
West Point Grey, 1940
- John C Cowan, a steward 1940
Next door in 1940: A J Dodd at 4086 and D G Stenstrom at 4096. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for four of the five: a school teacher (2), a school nurse and a steward. Three of them worked for Vancouver City. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Fairview and West Point Grey. 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 Mrs S M Cowan at 1094 West 8th 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, where each person's work is printed, lists Sophie M Cowan there as the householder, widow of R D, with E Mabel Cowan, a school teacher, Grace R Cowan, a school nurse at the City of Vancouver, and Susie I Cowan, a school teacher. The 1940 name section lists John C Cowan at 4092 West 8th Avenue, a steward.
Today
4092 West 8th (2008) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1094 West 8th, so that building is probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 6 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Cowan Mrs S M1094 West 8th, p. 195
- Cowan E Mabel sch tchr Van City1094 West 8th, p. 132
- Cowan Grace R sch nurse Van City1094 West 8th, p. 132
- Cowan Sophie M wid R D1094 West 8th, p. 132
- Cowan Susie I sch tchr Van City1094 West 8th, p. 132
- Cowan John C steward4092 West 8th, p. 132
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Cowans
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Cowan 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.