A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Fairbairns
In the city directories 1940 · 16 people at twelve addresses
The directories print 16 people named Fairbairn at twelve addresses in 1940 in seven of the city's neighbourhoods, with the close spelling Fairburn. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: four Fairbairns at 2566 West 6th 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 Fairbairns lived
- 1
2215 Cambridge Street
Grandview-Woodland, 1940
- Mrs M J Fairbairn, widow of A W 1940
- Gordon A Fairbairn, a salesman 1940
Next door in 1940: A G Turner at 2205 and S S Stagg at 2225. The block, door by door
- 2
1160 Comox Street
West End, 1940
- George E Fairbairn, a musician 1940
Next door in 1940: braemar lodge at 1154 and J Cameron at 1164. The block, door by door
- 3
1844 Comox Street
West End, 1940
- R H Fairbairn, rooms to let 1940
Next door in 1940: Miss F L De Voe at 1836 and D Kinneard at 1860. The block, door by door
- 4
42 East 26th Avenue
Riley Park, 1940
- Jane Fairburn, widow of W H 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs E M Hildebrand at 28. The block, door by door
- 5
1110 Nelson Street
West End, 1940
- Alex Fairbairn 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs M A Hogg at 1104 and Mrs E Balan at 1112. The block, door by door
- 6
1135 West 12th Avenue
Fairview, 1940
- Gwen Fairbairn, a bookkeeper at Dunne & Rundle 1940
Next door in 1940: Mrs S M Elliott at 1125 and M T Greene at 1145. The block, door by door
- 7
1076 West 13th Avenue
Fairview, 1940
- Kay Fairburn, a nurse 1940
Next door in 1940: A P Legerton at 1066. The block, door by door
- 8
2435 West 13th Avenue
Kitsilano, 1940
- J A Fairbairn, a photographer 1940
Next door in 1940: D P Jardine at 2421 and Mrs H Dickson at 2463. The block, door by door
- 9
1856 West 34th Avenue
Shaughnessy, 1940
- Kathleen Fairbairn, a nurse at the Vancouver General Hospital 1940
Next door in 1940: W T Brown at 1834. The block, door by door
- 10
1428 West 39th Avenue
Shaughnessy, 1940
- H A Fairbairn, an agency assistant at Sun Life 1940
Next door in 1940: Dr D E H Cleveland at 1416 and W J McRoberts at 1438. The block, door by door
- 11
2566 West 6th Avenue
Kitsilano, 1940
- J W Fairburn 1940
- John H Fairburn, a clerk at the BC Government 1940
- Mrs Lettice Fairburn, a president at Freight Services Ltd 1940
- Mary I Fairburn, a stenographer at the BC Government 1940
Next door in 1940: J B Taylor at 2556 and Mrs S Briba at 2576. The block, door by door
- 12
801 West Georgia Street
Downtown, 1940
- Kath E Fairbairn, widow of A 1940
Next door in 1940: devonshire hotel at 849. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for ten of the 16: a nurse (2), an agency assistant, a bookkeeper, a clerk, a musician and a photographer, among others. Two of them worked for BC Government. Three are widows, listed under their own names.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in West End (3), Fairview (2), Kitsilano (2), Shaughnessy (2), Downtown, Grandview-Woodland and Riley Park. 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 July 1909 A W Fairburn took out the permit to build a frame house at 2215 Cambridge Street. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs M J Fairbairn at 2215 Cambridge 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 Mary J Fairbairn there as the householder, widow of A W, with Gordon A Fairbairn, a salesman. The 1940 name section lists George E Fairbairn at 1160 Comox Street, a musician.
R H Fairbairn, rooms to let, is listed at 1844 Comox Street in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Jane Fairburn at 42 East 26th Avenue, widow of W H. The 1940 name section lists Alex Fairbairn at 1110 Nelson Street. The 1940 name section lists Gwen Fairbairn at 1135 West 12th Avenue, a bookkeeper at Dunne & Rundle.
The 1940 name section lists Kay Fairburn at 1076 West 13th Avenue, a nurse. In 1940 the directory lists J A Fairbairn at 2435 West 13th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists John A Fairbairn there as the householder, a photographer. The 1940 name section lists Kathleen Fairbairn at 1856 West 34th Avenue, a nurse at the Vancouver General Hospital.
H A Fairbairn is listed at 1428 West 39th Avenue in 1940. The 1940 name section lists Howard A Fairbairn there as the householder, an agency assistant at Sun Life. J W Fairburn is listed at 2566 West 6th Avenue in 1940; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Joseph W Fairburn there as the householder, with John H Fairburn, a clerk at the BC Government, Mrs Lettice Fairburn, a president at Freight Services Ltd, and Mary I Fairburn, a stenographer at the BC Government.
The 1940 name section lists Kath E Fairbairn at 801 West Georgia Street, widow of A.
Today
1160 Comox, 2435 West 13th, 1428 West 39th and 801 West Georgia still have their buildings from before 1946, 1160 Comox and 801 West Georgia on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 42 East 26th (1977) and 1856 West 34th (1977) have newer buildings, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 2215 Cambridge, 1844 Comox, 1110 Nelson, 1135 West 12th, 1076 West 13th and 2566 West 6th, so those buildings are probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 20 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- *Fairbairn Mrs M J2215 Cambridge, p. 25
- Fairbairn Gordon A slsmn2215 Cambridge, p. 189
- Fairbairn Mary J wid A W2215 Cambridge, p. 189
- Fairbairn Geo E musician1160 Comox, p. 189
- Fairbairn R H rooms1844 Comox, p. 35
- Fairburn Jane wid W H42 East 26th, p. 189
- Fairbairn Alex1110 Nelson, p. 189
- Fairbairn Gwen bkpr Dunne & Rundle1135 West 12th, p. 189
- Fairburn Kay nurse1076 West 13th, p. 189
- Fairbairn J A2435 West 13th, p. 212
- Fairbairn John A photog2435 West 13th, p. 189
- Fairbairn Kathleen nurse Van Genl Hosp1856 West 34th, p. 189
- Fairbairn H A1428 West 39th, p. 255
- Fairbairn Howard A agcy asst Sun Life1428 West 39th, p. 189
- *Fairburn J W2566 West 6th, p. 188
- Fairburn John H clk BC Govt2566 West 6th, p. 189
- Fairburn Jos W2566 West 6th, p. 189
- Fairburn Mrs Lettice pres Freight Services Ltd2566 West 6th, p. 189
- Fairburn Mary I sten BC Govt2566 West 6th, p. 189
- Fairbairn Kath E wid A tel opr Van Genl Hosp801 West Georgia, p. 189
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Fairbairns
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Fairbairn 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 F. Want a name removed? Tell us.