A family name on West 21st Avenue, Dunbar-Southlands, Riley Park, South Cambie and Arbutus Ridge
The Grays
In the city directories 1940 · three people at two addresses
The directories print three people named Gray at two addresses in 1940, all on West 21st Avenue. No first name or initials tie one address to the other: we can't tell if they're one family. The directories print the name on 107 other streets too, all listed on the Gray name's own page.
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 Grays lived
Ridge
- 1
385 West 21st Avenue
Riley Park, 1940
- J Gray, a clerk 1940
Next door in 1940: J H Hyde at 361 and H M Kenney at 395. The block, door by door
- 2
2784 West 21st Avenue
Arbutus Ridge, 1940
- R Gray, a salesman at Slade & Stewart 1940
- Jean C Gray, a saleswoman 1940
Next door in 1940: A L Mackie at 2776 and R H Bailey at 2790. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for all three: a clerk, a salesman and a saleswoman.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Arbutus Ridge 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 1940 the directory lists J Gray at 385 West 21st Avenue. The 1940 name section, where each person's work is printed, lists John Gray there as the householder, a clerk, with J Gray, an office at Swifts. In 1940 the directory lists R Gray at 2784 West 21st 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 Robert Gray there as the householder, a salesman at Slade & Stewart, with Jean C Gray, a saleswoman.
Today
385 West 21st (1989) has a newer building, by the City's record; the City no longer lists 2784 West 21st, so that building is probably gone (inferred).
Every line as printed
All 6 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
- Gray J385 West 21st, p. 233
- Gray J office Swifts385 West 21st, p. 237
- Gray John clk385 West 21st, p. 237
- *Gray R2784 West 21st, p. 233
- Gray Jean C slswm2784 West 21st, p. 237
- Gray Robt slsmn Slade & Stewart2784 West 21st, p. 237
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Grays
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Gray 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.