A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Flowerdews
In the city directories 1940 · five people at two addresses
The directories print five people named Flowerdew 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. The most under one roof: four Flowerdews at 1730 Nelson 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 Flowerdews lived
- 1
2159 East 36th Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- G W Flowerdew, a mechanic at Canadian Liquid Air 1940
Next door in 1940: W Cadwallader at 2147 and Rev J R Spittal at 2171. The block, door by door
- 2
1730 Nelson Street
West End, 1940
- H H Flowerdew, an accountant at Rand & Fowler 1940
- Alan R Flowerdew, a clerk at International Harvester 1940
- John H Flowerdew, a clerk at Spencer's 1940
- Norman E Flowerdew, a clerk at Union Oil 1940
Next door in 1940: P L Fletcher at 1726 and C H Alley at 1740. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for all five: a clerk (3), an accountant and a mechanic.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in 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 G W Flowerdew at 2159 East 36th 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 George W Flowerdew there as the householder, a mechanic at Canadian Liquid Air. In 1940 the directory lists H H Flowerdew at 1730 Nelson Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Hermann H Flowerdew there as the householder, an accountant at Rand & Fowler, with Alan R Flowerdew, a clerk at International Harvester, John H Flowerdew, a clerk at Spencer's, and Norman E Flowerdew, a clerk at Union Oil.
Today
2159 East 36th still has its building from before 1946, dated 1910 by the City's record; the City no longer lists 1730 Nelson, 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.
- *Flowerdew G W2159 East 36th, p. 252
- Flowerdew Geo W mech Can Liq Air2159 East 36th, p. 201
- *Flowerdew H H1730 Nelson, p. 119
- Flowerdew Alan R clk Intl Harvester1730 Nelson, p. 201
- Flowerdew Hermann H acct Rand & Fowler1730 Nelson, p. 201
- Flowerdew John H clk Spencers1730 Nelson, p. 201
- Flowerdew Norman E clk Union Oil1730 Nelson, p. 201
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Flowerdews
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Flowerdew 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.