A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Cursons
In the city directories 1940 · four people at three addresses
The directories print four people named Curson at three addresses in 1940 in three 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 Cursons lived
- 1
261 East 28th Avenue
Riley Park, 1940
- T P Curson, a salesman 1940
- Dorothy P Curson 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs A Clarkson at 251 and D Foster at 275. The block, door by door
- 2
1691 East 57th Avenue
Victoria-Fraserview, 1940
- Mrs A Z Curson, widow of F 1940
Next door in 1940: R Weaver at 1657. The block, door by door
- 3
5148 Fairmont Street
Renfrew-Collingwood, 1940
- Francis J Curson, a mechanic 1940
Next door in 1940: J A Thompson at 5142 and W Janssen at 5154. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for two of the four: a mechanic and a salesman. One is a widow, listed under her own name.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Renfrew-Collingwood, Riley Park and Victoria-Fraserview. 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 T P Curson at 261 East 28th 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 Thomas P Curson there as the householder, a salesman, with Dorothy P Curson. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs A Z Curson at 1691 East 57th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Annie Z Curson there as the householder, widow of F.
The 1940 name section lists Francis J Curson at 5148 Fairmont Street, a mechanic.
Today
261 East 28th (1977), 1691 East 57th (1971) and 5148 Fairmont (1978) have newer buildings, by the City's record.
Every line as printed
All 6 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Curson T P261 East 28th, p. 243
- Curson Dorothy P261 East 28th, p. 145
- Curson Thos P slsmn261 East 28th, p. 145
- *Curson Mrs A Z1691 East 57th, p. 268
- Curson Annie Z wid F1691 East 57th, p. 145
- Curson Francis J mech Consol Typewrtrs5148 Fairmont, p. 145
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Cursons
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Curson 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.