Vancouver / Names / C / Cowell

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Cowells

In the city directories 1940 · six people at six addresses

The directories print six people named Cowell at six 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 Cowells lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    2242 Graveley Street

    Grandview-Woodland, 1940

    • C E Cowell 1940

    Next door in 1940: J J Costello at 2236 and A Aitchison at 2248. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    1167 Howe Street

    Downtown, 1940

    • L R Cowell, a salesman 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs P Dale at 1161 and J Van Dusen at 1173. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    1994 Ogden Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • W C Cowell, a traveller investment officer at the Canadian Government 1940

    Next door in 1940: J Cowan at 1982. The block, door by door

  4. 4

    4219 Sophia Street

    Riley Park, 1940

    • Gerald C Cowell, a salesman 1940

    Next door in 1940: J M Corbett at 4201 and J F Boothroyd at 4231. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    3182 West 8th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • J F Cowell, a carpenter at the BC Electric Railway 1940

    Next door in 1940: O L Stong at 3172 and L J F Jefferson at 3192. The block, door by door

  6. 6

    1996 Whyte Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • K R Cowell, who worked for Nelsons Ldries 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs E Lusk at 1972. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for five of the six: a salesman (2), a carpenter, an employee and a traveller investment officer.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kitsilano (3), Downtown, Grandview-Woodland and Riley Park. 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 C E Cowell at 2242 Graveley 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, where each person's work is printed, lists Charles E Cowell there as the householder. In 1940 the directory lists L R Cowell at 1167 Howe Street. The 1940 name section lists Leroy R Cowell there as the householder, a salesman.

In 1940 the directory lists W C Cowell at 1994 Ogden Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists William C Cowell there as the householder, a traveller investment officer at the Canadian Government. The 1940 name section lists Gerald C Cowell at 4219 Sophia Street, a salesman.

J F Cowell is listed at 3182 West 8th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists James F Cowell there as the householder, a carpenter at the BC Electric Railway. K R Cowell is listed at 1996 Whyte Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Ken R Cowell there as the householder, who worked for Nelsons Ldries.

Today

4219 Sophia and 3182 West 8th still have their buildings from before 1946; the City no longer lists 2242 Graveley, 1167 Howe, 1994 Ogden and 1996 Whyte, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 11 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
1940

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section

The book of the Cowells

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Cowell 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.