A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The De Cews
In the city directories 1940 · three people at two addresses
The directories print three people named De Cew at two addresses in 1940 in two of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling DeCew. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: 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 De Cews lived
- 1
1824 Dunbar Street
Kitsilano, 1940
- W M De Cew, a president at De Cew Lumber 1940
- Dorothy M De Cew, a stenographer 1940
Next door in 1940: J Gow at 1812. The block, door by door
- 2
1222 West 37th Avenue
Shaughnessy, 1940
- W H DeCew, a secretary at De Cew Lumber 1940
Next door in 1940: A L Murray at 1250. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for all three: a president, a secretary and a stenographer. Two of them worked for De Cew Lumber.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Kitsilano and Shaughnessy. 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 W M De Cew at 1824 Dunbar 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 W Mark De Cew there as the householder, a president at De Cew Lumber, with Dorothy M De Cew, a stenographer. In 1940 the directory lists W H DeCew at 1222 West 37th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists W Howard De Cew there as the householder, a secretary at De Cew Lumber.
Today
1824 Dunbar still has its building from before 1946, dated 1912 by the City's record; 1222 West 37th (1994) has a newer building, by the City's record.
Every line as printed
All 5 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *De Cew W M1824 Dunbar, p. 44
- De Cew Dorothy M sten1824 Dunbar, p. 154
- De Cew W Mark pres De Cew Lbr1824 Dunbar, p. 154
- *DeCew W H1222 West 37th, p. 253
- De Cew W Howard sec De Cew Lbr1222 West 37th, p. 154
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the De Cews
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the De Cew 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 D. Want a name removed? Tell us.