Vancouver / Names / D / Dewey

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Deweys

In the city directories 1940 · three people at two addresses

The directories print three people named Dewey at two addresses in 1940 in Kensington-Cedar Cottage. 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 Deweys 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

    5431 Commercial Street

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • C Dewey 1940
    • Hazel G Dewey 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs H Wallace at 5419 and F P Nye at 5445. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    2708 Commercial Drive

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • C Dewey, a barber 1940

    Next door in 1940: M Hamade at 2700. The block, door by door

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kensington-Cedar Cottage (2). 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 Dewey at 5431 Commercial 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 Hazel G Dewey there. In 1940 the directory lists C Dewey, a barber, at 2708 Commercial Drive.

Today

5431 Commercial (2010) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 2708 Commercial Drive, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

The 3500 block of Commercial Street, looking north from 20th Avenue past the Bank of Hamilton
About 1913 The 3500 block of Commercial Street, looking north from 20th Avenue past the Bank of Hamilton. Not at the house at 5431 Commercial: no archive photo of the 5400 block is known that we can show. City of Vancouver Archives, LGN 504. Public domain.

Every line as printed

All 3 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.

The book of the Deweys

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Dewey 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.