A family name in Vancouver's city directories
The Grindlays
In the city directories 1940 · three people at three addresses
The directories print three people named Grindlay 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 Grindlays lived
- 1
6608 Balsam Street
Kerrisdale, 1940
- Mrs E Grindlay, a nurse for Dr R E McKechnie 1940
Next door in 1940: H R Whitworth at 6636. The block, door by door
- 2
5989 Hudson Street
Oakridge, 1940
- W H Grindlay, a salesman at Armstrong & Laing 1940
Next door in 1940: T J Kaye at 5969. The block, door by door
- 3
2174 Kingsway
Kensington-Cedar Cottage, 1940
- W G Grindlay, a conductor at the BC Electric Railway 1940
Next door in 1940: J Fletcher at 2158 and Mrs M E Wearn at 2192. The block, door by door
What they did
The name section prints a trade for all three: a conductor, a nurse and a salesman.
Their neighbourhoods
The addresses are in Kensington-Cedar Cottage, Kerrisdale and Oakridge. 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 E Grindlay at 6608 Balsam 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 Mrs Ethel Grindlay there as the householder, a nurse for Dr R E McKechnie. In 1940 the directory lists W H Grindlay at 5989 Hudson Street; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists William H Grindlay there as the householder, a salesman at Armstrong & Laing.
In 1940 the directory lists W G Grindlay at 2174 Kingsway; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists William G Grindlay there as the householder, a conductor at the BC Electric Railway.
Today
6608 Balsam (2016), 5989 Hudson (2010) and 2174 Kingsway (1993) have newer buildings, 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.
- *Grindlay Mrs E6608 Balsam, p. 8
- Grindlay Mrs Ethel nurse Dr R E McKechnie6608 Balsam, p. 243
- *Grindlay W H5989 Hudson, p. 89
- Grindlay Wm H slsmn Armstrong & Laing5989 Hudson, p. 243
- *Grindlay W G2174 Kingsway, p. 98
- Grindlay Wm G cond BCER2174 Kingsway, p. 243
British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section
The book of the Grindlays
Every directory, as one book
The family book reads the Grindlay 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.