A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Drains
In the city directories 1940 · five people at three addresses
The directories print five people named Drain 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. The most under one roof: three Drains at 1727 East 28th in 1940.
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 Drains lived
- 1
1727 East 28th Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- Mrs B Drain 1940
- Irene Drain, a stenographer 1940
- James Drain, a salesman at Woodward's 1940
Next door in 1940: W Packham at 1735. The block, door by door
- 2
3121 Heather Street
Fairview, 1940
- J B Drain, a department manager at Woodward's 1940
Next door in 1940: S Beech at 3127. The block, door by door
- 3
1648 Robson Street
West End, 1940
- Elizabeth J Drain, an operator at Leckie 1940
Next door in 1940: E S Abbs at 1642 and W J Bristow at 1656. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for four of the five: a department manager, an operator, a salesman and a stenographer. Two of them worked for Woodward's.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Fairview, Kensington-Cedar Cottage and West End. 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 B Drain at 1727 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 Mrs Beatrice Drain there as the householder, with Irene Drain, a stenographer, and James Drain, a salesman at Woodward's. In 1940 the directory lists J B Drain at 3121 Heather Street. The 1940 name section lists Jack B Drain there as the householder, a department manager at Woodward's.
The 1940 name section lists Elizabeth J Drain at 1648 Robson Street, an operator at Leckie.
Today
3121 Heather still has its building from before 1946, dated 1925 by the City's record; 1727 East 28th (2014) and 1648 Robson (1970) have newer buildings, by the City's record.
Every line as printed
All 7 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Drain Mrs B1727 East 28th, p. 243
- Drain Mrs Beatrice1727 East 28th, p. 168
- Drain Irene sten1727 East 28th, p. 168
- Drain Jas slsmn Woodwards1727 East 28th, p. 168
- Drain J B3121 Heather, p. 82
- Drain Jack B dept mgr Woodwards3121 Heather, p. 168
- Drain Eliz J opr Leckie1648 Robson, p. 168
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Drains
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Drain 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.