A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Gourlies
In the city directories 1940 · four people at three addresses
The directories print four people named Gourlie 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.
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 Gourlies lived
- 1
1550 Comox Street
West End, 1940
- Mrs O M Gourlie, widow of A W 1940
- Alfred W Gourlie, proprietor of Thurlow Pharmacy 1940
Next door in 1940: “Rooms” at 1546 and P N Lang at 1558. The block, door by door
- 2
1062 East 12th Avenue
Mount Pleasant, 1940
- Mrs E J Gourlie, widow of W G 1940
Next door in 1940: F W Berg at 1056 and Mrs E Archer at 1074. The block, door by door
- 3
1287 East 26th Avenue
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- Jean Gourlie, a housekeeper for A Findlay 1940
Next door in 1940: S W Allenby at 1279. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for two of the four: a housekeeper and a proprietor. Two are widows, listed under their own names.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Mount Pleasant 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 O M Gourlie, rooms to let, at 1550 Comox Street. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists Olive M Gourlie there, widow of A W, with Alfred W Gourlie, proprietor of Thurlow Pharmacy. In 1940 the directory lists Mrs E J Gourlie at 1062 East 12th 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 lists Eliza J Gourlie there as the householder, widow of W G.
The 1940 name section lists Jean Gourlie at 1287 East 26th Avenue, a housekeeper for A Findlay.
Today
1550 Comox and 1062 East 12th still have their buildings from before 1946, 1550 Comox on the Vancouver Heritage Register; 1287 East 26th (1981) has a newer building, by the City's record.
Every line as printed
All 6 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Gourlie Mrs O M rooms1550 Comox, p. 35
- Gourlie Alfd W prop Thurlow Pharm1550 Comox, p. 232
- Gourlie Olive M wid A W1550 Comox, p. 232
- *Gourlie Mrs E J1062 East 12th, p. 206
- Gourlie Eliza J wid W G1062 East 12th, p. 232
- Gourlie Jean hsekpr A Findlay1287 East 26th, p. 232
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Gourlies
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Gourlie 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 G. Want a name removed? Tell us.