Vancouver / Names / K / Keen

A family name in Vancouver's city directories

The Keens

In the city directories 1940 · nine people at five addresses

The directories print nine people named Keen at five addresses in 1940 in five of the city's neighbourhoods. No first name or initials tie one address to another: we can't tell if they're one family. The most under one roof: three Keens at 587 West 18th 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 Keens lived

Each pin is on its own block, numbered as the households below. One address isn't on today's map, so it has no pin. Today's land, parks, main roads and local areas: City of Vancouver Open Data (Open Government Licence – Vancouver).
  1. 1

    6446 Churchill Street

    Kerrisdale, 1940

    • J F Keen, a vice-president at E J Ryan Contracting 1940

    Next door in 1940: Mrs M J Crowe at 6412 and E M C McLorg at 6476. The block, door by door

  2. 2

    4260 John Street

    Riley Park, 1940

    • H B Keen, a linenkeeper at Canadian National Steamships 1940

    Next door in 1940: W Brown at 4250 and B Taylor at 4278. The block, door by door

  3. 3

    345 Templeton Drive

    Grandview-Woodland, 1940

    • R Keen, a plumber 1940
  4. 4

    587 West 18th Avenue

    South Cambie, 1940

    • R C Keen, on active service 1940
    • Elizabeth Keen, widow of S 1940
    • Lillian Keen 1940

    Next door in 1940: S A Humphreys at 583 and J Carson at 591. The block, door by door

  5. 5

    2386 West 8th Avenue

    Kitsilano, 1940

    • E P Keen, a fireman 1940
    • Earl D Keen 1940
    • Edward M Keen 1940

    Next door in 1940: W P Ball at 2376 and Mrs K Lessard at 2396. The block, door by door

What they did

The name section prints a trade for five of the nine: a fireman, a linenkeeper, an on active service, a plumber and a vice-president. One is a widow, listed under her own name.

Their neighbourhoods

The addresses are in Grandview-Woodland, Kerrisdale, Kitsilano, Riley Park and South Cambie. 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 F Keen at 6446 Churchill 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 John F Keen there as the householder, a vice-president at E J Ryan Contracting. In 1940 the directory lists H B Keen at 4260 John Street. The 1940 name section lists Harry B Keen there as the householder, a linenkeeper at Canadian National Steamships.

In 1940 the directory lists R Keen at 345 Templeton Drive; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Roger Keen there as the householder, a plumber. In 1940 the directory lists R C Keen at 587 West 18th Avenue. The 1940 name section lists Reginald C Keen there as the householder, on active service, with Elizabeth Keen, widow of S, and Lillian Keen.

In 1940 the directory lists E P Keen at 2386 West 8th Avenue; the 1940 line is marked * too. The 1940 name section lists Edward P Keen there as the householder, a fireman, with Earl D Keen and Edward M Keen.

Today

6446 Churchill, 4260 John, 345 Templeton Drive and 587 West 18th still have their buildings from before 1946; the City no longer lists 2386 West 8th, so that building is probably gone (inferred).

Every line as printed

All 14 lines printed under the name through 1945, each with its page at the Vancouver Public Library.
1940

British Columbia and Yukon Directory, street section

The book of the Keens

Every directory, as one book

The family book reads the Keen 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.

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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 K. Want a name removed? Tell us.