A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Dronsfields
In the city directories 1940 · three people at three addresses
The directories print three people named Dronsfield at three addresses in 1940 in two 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 Dronsfields lived
- 1
2220 East 50th Avenue
Victoria-Fraserview, 1940
- J Dronsfield, a millworker at BC Plywoods 1940
Next door in 1940: P W Wells at 2248. The block, door by door
- 2
1912 East 59th Avenue
Victoria-Fraserview, 1940
- F Dronsfield, a sawyer at Park Shingle 1940
Next door in 1940: G McKenzie at 1932. The block, door by door
- 3
2316 East Georgia Street
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- George A Dronsfield, a machinist operator at American Can 1940
Next door in 1940: D MacMurchy at 2308 and N H Girgulis at 2326. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for all three: a machinist operator, a millworker and a sawyer.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Victoria-Fraserview (2) and Grandview-Woodland. 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 J Dronsfield at 2220 East 50th 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 James Dronsfield there as the householder, a carpenter, with James H Dronsfield, a sheet turner at BC Plywoods, and John W Dronsfield, a millworker at BC Plywoods. In 1940 the directory lists F Dronsfield, in fuel, at 1912 East 59th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Frank Dronsfield there as the householder, a sawyer at Park Shingle.
The 1940 name section lists George A Dronsfield at 2316 East Georgia Street, a machinist operator at American Can.
Today
2316 East Georgia still has its building from before 1946, dated 1927 by the City's record; 2220 East 50th (1976) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1912 East 59th, so that building is probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 7 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Dronsfield J2220 East 50th, p. 266
- Dronsfield Jas carp2220 East 50th, p. 169
- Dronsfield Jas H sht turner BC Plywoods2220 East 50th, p. 169
- Dronsfield John W mlwkr BC Plywoods2220 East 50th, p. 169
- *Dronsfield F fuel1912 East 59th, p. 269
- Dronsfield Frank sawyer Park Shingle1912 East 59th, p. 169
- Dronsfield Geo A mach opr Am Can2316 East Georgia, p. 169
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Dronsfields
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Dronsfield 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.