Vancouver / Names / E / Emslie

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Emslies

In the city directories 1940 · two people at two addresses

The directories print two people named Emslie at two addresses in 1940 in two of the city's neighbourhoods. 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 Emslies 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

    5389 Commercial Street

    Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940

    • A Emslie 1940

    Next door in 1940: J T Rawston at 5373 and E S Jones at 5397. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    2138 Main Street

    Mount Pleasant, 1940

    • G Emslie 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs S Korsch at 2136. The block, door by door

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Kensington-Cedar Cottage and Mount Pleasant. 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 A Emslie at 5389 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 Arthur Emslie there as the householder. In 1940 the directory lists G Emslie at 2138 Main Street.

Today

5389 Commercial still has its building from before 1946, dated 1910 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 2138 Main, 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 5389 Commercial: no archive photo of the 5300 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 Emslies

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Emslie 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.

One email, when it's ready. We use your email for nothing else and never share it. Privacy

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 E. Want a name removed? Tell us.